Wilder was one-half of the Greenwich Village folk group Matthew & Peter in the 1970s. In 1978 he moved to Los Angeles and sang for television commercials and backup for Rickie Lee Jones and Bette Midler.
Wilder's first album, I Don't Speak the Language (1983), reached number 49 on the Billboard chart, fueled by "Break My Stride", which reached number 5 on the singles chart. His second album, Bouncin' Off the Walls (1984), was a commercial failure.
Wilder continued his career as a songwriter and producer. His work includes producing the No Doubt's multi-platinum album Tragic Kingdom (1995). He lent his singing voice to the character of Ling and was nominated for an Academy Award for Original Music Score (along with David Zippel and Jerry Goldsmith) for his work on the Disney film Mulan (1998).
On Broadway, Wilder has once again paired with Zippel to provide the music and lyrics for Princesses, a musical comedy update of Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel A Little Princess. The production opened on Broadway in November 2006.
Fortune Cookie
Matthew Wilder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, my life came tumblin′ down
It was such an evil-minded spell
If I'd only seen the signs
Had I read between the lines
I was weak and blind and mad about you, baby
Hey, yeah, fortune cookie
Fortune cookie
You really cut me down to size
Got your voodoo in my blood
Your voice inside my head
Tried to leave you
But it's no good, no
Fortune cookie say
"No one breaks away
Confidence the key but fear's the chain that binds you"
Hey, hey, fortune cookie (Hey, hey, hey, hey)
The devil′s little girl with blue eyes (Oh, oh, oh, oh)
Fortune cookie
You really cut me down to size
Hey, hey, hey, hey, ow
Hey, yeah, yeah, fortune cookie (Hey, hey, hey, hey)
The devil′s little girl with blue eyes
Fortune cookie (Hey, hey, hey, hey)
You really cut me down to size
Hey, hey, hey, hey, ow
Fortune cookie
The song "Fortune Cookie" by Matthew Wilder describes a man who fell like a domino, experiencing a painful downfall in his life because of a woman who felt like the devil's little girl with blue eyes, and he calls her the fortune cookie. The song highlights the pain and struggles he went through as he tried to move on from that toxic relationship. He was weak and blind, unable to see the signs and the manipulation. She had cast some voodoo on him that he couldn't resist, and even though he tried to leave her, he was unable to break away from her hold on him. The song's chorus emphasizes the idea that he was cut down to size by the fortune cookie, and he couldn't break free.
The song deals with the classic theme of toxic relationships, where one partner manipulates the other, controls them, and makes them feel small and insignificant. The lyrics highlight the pain and struggles one goes through when trying to move on from such a relationship. The fortune cookie represents the irresistible temptation that the man couldn't resist, leading him down the path of his downfall. Overall, the lyrics are poignant and relatable, and the melody is catchy, with Wilder's vocals adding depth and emotion to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a domino, I fell
I experienced a rapid, uncontrolled destruction of my life
Yes, my life came tumblin' down
My entire existence crumbled and collapsed
It was such an evil-minded spell
The circumstances were marked with malice or wickedness
If I'd only seen the signs
I could have avoided this fate if I had only recognized the warnings
Had I read between the lines
If I had been more astute and perceptive, I would have understood the hidden meanings
I was weak and blind and mad about you, baby
I was powerless, ignorant, and deeply infatuated with you, my love
Hey, yeah, fortune cookie
The singer is addressing the fortune cookie itself, which is seen as a symbol of fate or destiny
The devil's little girl with blue eyes
The fortune cookie is likened to a wicked, deceitful entity, with its blue color perhaps symbolizing deceit or coldness
Fortune cookie
The artist repeats the title for emphasis or effect
You really cut me down to size
The fortune cookie's message had a profound impact on the artist, making them feel reduced or humbled
Got your voodoo in my blood
The fortune cookie's influence is compared to a kind of mysterious, mystical magic
Your voice inside my head
The fortune cookie's message or power is felt deeply and intimately, as if speaking directly to the artist's mind
Tried to leave you, but it's no good, no
The singer has attempted to break free from the fortune cookie's hold, but without success
Fortune cookie say
The singer repeats the phrase in the style of a proverb or folk tale
"No one breaks away, confidence the key
The singer recounts the fortune cookie's message, which suggests that confidence is necessary to overcome its spell
But fear's the chain that binds you"
However, fear is seen as the hindrance or obstacle that prevents one from breaking free
Ow!
An exclamation of pain or surprise
Writer(s): Matthew Wilder
Contributed by Mia O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.