After gaining a following as a popular live act on college campuses, the band has gained popular success since signing to Lava Records in 2005, with their singles "Love and Memories" and "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)" gaining mainstream radio airplay. Speaking with Songfacts in an interview, Roberge explained "Love and Memories" was inspired by the Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet movie, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
The members of O.A.R. first came together in Rockville, Maryland in the basement of drummer Chris Culos' childhood home in 1996. As a young group of musicians, they were the prototype of the modern, self-starting band--taking charge of their fate by working the internet and building an identifiable sound. The band’s music, a rock/reggae fusion, consisted of songs that were fully accessible, yet teasingly elusive. Attracting fans all across the country, the band members toured relentlessly, pushing their album sales through boundless dedication and word-of-mouth appeal, never waiting for the industry to catch up. O.A.R. owes much of their success to piracy and Napster, the mp3 sharing engine. Around 2000, O.A.R.'s popularity greatly increased among college students because their song "Crazy Game of Poker" was a huge hit on Napster.
By the time the band had reached their 10 year anniversary together, they had sold over 1.2 million albums and performed in front of over 1 million people. Their studio record, Stories of a Stranger, produced radio favorites “Love and Memories” and “Heard the World” as well as mtvU’s Most Downloaded Video of 2006, “Lay Down.” The band followed up the successful release with a live double disc CD and DVD set, Live From Madison Square Garden, recorded during the band’s second sold-out performance at the prestigious arena.
Early in 2008, the band members holed themselves up in a studio in Los Angeles to work on their next project, All Sides. The album was released on July 15th.
The Heaven Songfacts reports that the first single from O.A.R.'s seventh studio album, King was released on June 7, 2011 on Wind-Up Records.
. For more information about O.A.R., go to www.ofarevolution.com.
Try Me
O.A.R. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Followed by long nights
Sit here by my myself
But it just don't feel alright
You been talking to me
Everyone talking at me like
[Chorus]
Try me
I'll let you live
I'll let you breathe
Try me
I'll pick you up
And make you believe
You're surrounded and scared, ain't ya?
Nobody's there for you
Under it all
They don't shine away, you do
But you're tangled up in
Everything wrong for you
Come on back to me
And I will make it be the one
Everyone talking at ya
Everyone coming at ya like
[Chorus: x 2]
I know it's been such a long time
And I still don't let you in
I know it feels like a long time
But you're never coming back again
Are you ever coming back again?
It's been such a long day
Followed the long nights
Sit here by myself
And it just don't feel alright
[Chorus: x 2]
Try me (I'll make you believe)
Try me
Come on try me (I'll make you believe)
Try me [Repeat: x 2]
I'll let you live
I'll let you breathe
(Try me, yeah)
I'll pick you up
And make you believe
The lyrics of O.A.R.'s "Try Me" narrate the feeling of being alone and overwhelmed as the singer faces a long day followed by long nights. The singer reflects on how they have been surrounded by people talking to them, but nobody seems to be there for them. The lyrics also suggest that the singer might have done something wrong, as they are tangled up in everything wrong for them. However, they encourage someone, possibly the person they have hurt or the person who understands them, to try them. The singer assures that they will let the person live and breathe by picking them up and making them believe that everything will be alright.
The first paragraph reveals the singer's feeling of loneliness and dissatisfaction with themselves. They have had a long day followed by long nights, and being by themselves does not feel right. The second paragraph reveals that the singer might have done something wrong and is paying the price now. They are scared and feel like nobody is there for them. The singer then encourages someone to try them, assuring that they will be the one to make the person believe that everything will be alright.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been such a long day
The day has been extremely long and tiring
Followed by long nights
The exhaustion has carried over into the nights
Sit here by my myself
The singer is alone and feeling isolated
But it just don't feel alright
Despite being alone, the singer still feels unhappy and dissatisfied
You been talking to me
The singer has been receiving communication from someone
Everyone talking at me like
Different people are talking to the singer, making them feel overwhelmed
Try me
The singer is offering to be a source of strength and support
I'll let you live
The singer will help the listener to feel alive and vibrant
I'll let you breathe
The singer will provide a sense of freedom and release
I'll pick you up
The singer will raise up the listener and support them
And make you believe
The singer is confident in their ability to inspire and instill hope
You're surrounded and scared, ain't ya?
The listener is feeling trapped and anxious
Nobody's there for you
The listener feels alone and unsupported
Under it all
Beneath the surface of the situation
They don't shine away, you do
The listener is not able to cope with their problems as well as others
But you're tangled up in
The listener is overwhelmed and trapped by their struggles
Everything wrong for you
The listener is facing numerous challenges
Come on back to me
The singer is encouraging the listener to seek their guidance
And I will make it be the one
The singer will help the listener to overcome their challenges and find fulfillment
I know it's been such a long time
A lot of time has passed since the singer has interacted with the listener
And I still don't let you in
The singer has not allowed the listener to get close to them
But you're never coming back again
The singer fears that they have lost the chance to connect with the listener forever
Try me (I'll make you believe)
The singer is reiterating their offering of help
Come on try me (I'll make you believe)
The singer is urging the listener to take a chance on them
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: MARC ANDREW ROBERGE, RICHARD JOE ON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind