At seven years old Matthews aquired his first guitar, a junior-sized 'Kapok' acoustic (which he still has), although things didn’t quite go to plan. It became neglected very early on as the box it came in was shaped like a coffin and therefore scared the hell out of him every time he went near it! For a brief period he moved on to drums, but soon hit his last snare due to the noise factor in the house becoming increasingly unbearable. It all changed when on his eleventh birthday he asked for an electric guitar. His dad duly obliged and brought him a £25 'Kay' guitar complete with a bunch of old records acquired from a relative. Amongst those records was Smash Hits by Jimi Hendrix. This rekindled Matthew's interest in music and he has been playing ever since.
Matthews' inspiration has been drawn from iconic musicians such as The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell, Marc Bolan, and Joe Satriani. His first real venture into writing music was with his brother Darren, who plays piano and keyboards, delving into the world of instrumental rock. His colourful musical past led him into prior experimentations with funk, indie/rock and soul. His later band Positive Firefly was his first foray into the role of singer/guitarist. With the determination to no longer be pigeonholed as such he left his role of a band member behind and emerged as a solo artist. However, these past experiences laid the foundations for his own unique fusion of folk, and blues rock to materialise.
Matthews first made waves in 2006 with his award winning debut ‘Passing Stranger’, which was followed by ‘Elsewhere’ (2009) and ‘What The Night Delivers’ (2011). Matthews has toured extensively including shows with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Foo Fighters and Snow Patrol.
He has received plaudits from all corners including Q magazine who said he was “The most promising home-grown singer/songwriter to emerge in years”, and The Sun saying that ‘It’s no exaggeration to say Scott Matthews is probably the most exciting face of West Midlands Music since Robert Plant’.
Day is Done
Scott Matthews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down to earth then sinks the sun
Along with everything that was lost and won
When the day is done.
When the day is done
Hope so much your race will be all run
Then you find you jumped the gun
When the day is done.
When the night is cold
Some get by but some get old
Just to show life′s not made of gold
When the night is cold.
When the bird has flown
Got no-one to call your own
Got no place to call your home
When the bird has flown.
When the game's been fought
You speed the ball across the court
Lost much sooner than you would have thought
Now the game′s been fought.
When the party's through
Seems so very sad for you
Didn't do the things you meant to do
Now there′s no time to start anew
Now the party′s through.
When the day is done
Down to earth then sinks the sun
Along with everything that was lost and won
When the day is done.
The lyrics of Scott Matthews's song “Day is Done” are reflective and melancholic, with the singer contemplating the end of a day, a race or a life. The song is built upon a series of metaphors that reveal the frailty of human existence, the unpredictability of fate, and the importance of seizing the moment. The opening line, “When the day is done, down to earth then sinks the sun” portrays the inevitability of endings and the passing of time. The line “Along with everything that was lost and won,” hints at the precarious nature of life, where gains can be quickly turned into losses.
The second verse continues exploring the theme of regret, as the singer hopes that his race will be all run, and that he can rest easy. However, he soon realizes that he has “jumped the gun” and that he has to “go back where [he] began.” This image of running towards an idealized finish line only to realize that you’ve missed the mark is a powerful metaphor for the futility of ambition and the elusiveness of happiness.
The other verses continue in the same vein, with the night being a metaphor for the challenges of life, and the bird representing loneliness and homelessness, while the game and the party stand for the struggles and opportunities of existence. The refrain “When the day is done” signifies the ultimate end, where everything returns to the earth, and life as we know it comes to an end. Matthews's use of imagery, metaphor and repetition creates a haunting, emotional effect, which encourages the listener to reflect on the fragility of life.
Line by Line Meaning
When the day is done
At the end of the day
Down to earth then sinks the sun
The sun sets and the day ends
Along with everything that was lost and won
With all successes and failures
When the night is cold
On a cold, dark night
Some get by but some get old
Some people survive, while others age
Just to show life's not made of gold
To demonstrate that life is not perfect
When the bird has flown
After loss or separation
Got no-one to call your own
When you are alone without anyone to care for you
Got no place to call your home
When you have nowhere to belong
When the game's been fought
After the end of the competition
You speed the ball across the court
You gave your best effort in the game
Lost much sooner than you would have thought
Despite expectations, you lost early in the competition
Now the game's been fought
After the game is finished
When the party's through
At the end of the party
Seems so very sad for you
You feel very disappointed
Didn't do the things you meant to do
You didn't achieve what you wanted to
Now there's no time to start anew
It's too late to begin again
Now the party's through.
When the celebration is over.
Writer(s): Nick Drake
Contributed by Elena W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@deeladds7979
Beautiful song lovely singer.
@dylhansmith6095
So beautiful. Only found this because it was on heartbeat this morning.x
@themanwithnoname2666
Same here
@davidfraser6787
Just finishing watching heartbeat and thought I'd look the song up thought it was colin bluntstone
@dinarisin5297
Just heard the song , it was on the "Born and Bread". it's so close to the soul and to life itself...
@RoverBunny
Just heard this on The Royal and had to look it up. Beautiful
@debbiemccarthy3864
Beautiful song x
@margaretblair103
Yes, I found it on The Royal TV show, very appropriately placed when they were sending the ashes of an old sailor to sea,
@beckycoggan464
This is really pretty 😌
@isabelsantos331
Maravilhoso !