Taylor Reuben Hicks (born October 7, 1976 in Birmingham, Alabama) is an Ame… Read Full Bio ↴Taylor Reuben Hicks (born October 7, 1976 in Birmingham, Alabama) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over a decade. During that time he released two independent albums, In Your Time (1997) and Under the Radar (2005). His first major label album was Taylor Hicks (2006), released by Arista Records. Hicks rose to sudden prominence as the winner of the fifth season of the reality TV series American Idol, during which he became known for his dynamic, crowd-pleasing stage presence, wide-ranging musical influences derived from classic soul, rock, funk, blues, jazz, and R&B, and stunning harmonica playing. He has been called the "anti-Idol" because his music differs so strikingly from the usual formulaic pop showcased on Idol.

He bought his first harmonica when he was 16, for $2 at a flea market in Bessemer, Alabama, and taught himself to play blues harp. He discovered that he possessed absolute pitch when he was able to recognize the pitches of ordinary noises and mimic them on the harmonica. Hicks was 18 when he wrote his first song, "In Your Time", and he taught himself to play guitar when he was 19.

While in college, Hicks was part of a band called Passing Through, which he later quit to start his own band. He recorded In Your Time, an album which included both studio and live tracks, independently in 1997. He moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2000 to pursue a music career. There, he worked with Nashville veterans Billy Earl McClelland and Percy Sledge and recorded a three-track demo but was unable to find a label that would sign him. He left Nashville after a year due to what he called the "oversaturation of the market". Hicks returned to Alabama and launched a professional music career, performing at various venues and parties, mostly around the Southeastern United States.

He recorded, produced, and released a second album, Under the Radar, in 2005. Despite releasing two albums prior to appearing on American Idol, he did not violate their requirements for contestants, as he had never held a recording contract.

Studio recording sessions for the eponymous major label debut Taylor Hicks ran in Calabasas, California between October and November 2006, and took six weeks in total. The album was produced by Matt Serletic, who has produced for Collective Soul, matchbox twenty, and Rob Thomas. The album was released on December 12, 2006 and debuted at the number two spot on the Billboard 200 charts. It was certified as a platinum album by the RIAA on January 17, 2007.

On February 21, 2007, Hicks launched a a three-month US promotional tour for his album, followed almost immediately by a summer tour. One of the high energy shows was captured on film and appeared on HDNet under the title "Whomp At The Warfield."

In 2009 Hicks released his second album, The Distance, on his own label, Modern Whomp Records, on March 10, 2009. The first single, "What's Right Is Right", was added to AC adds on January 27, 2009. So far the single reached #24 on Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks. It was produced by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan.

Hicks returned to the American Idol stage on April 29, 2009 during Season 8 and performed the second single from The Distance, Seven Mile Breakdown, which was re-released in a country format.

Both "What's Right is Right" and "Seven Mile Breakdown" were made into music videos.

In May 2009, Taylor Hicks made Forbes "Top Ten earning American Idol stars" list, coming in at number 10, with over $300,000 earned from album sales and from his role as "Teen Angel" in the national tour of Grease.

My Friend
Taylor Hicks Lyrics

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I just want to say, my friend
I just am really feeling
In the difference in the man
Too many cards in their hand
To fold out of line

I just want to say, my friend
In this world that we're living in

Out of the goodness of the man
I'm gonna make you understand that
That it might not be your time

So please don't show me no way
I'm just barely getting by
Make a better plan
For a lonely man
So I know just what to do, yeah

I just want to say, my friend
I just am really feeling
Oh, I know the way you feel
When you say that love is real
And you both will share a smile

I just want to say, my friend
I just am really feeling
In the difference in the man
Too many cards in their hand
To fold out of line

So please donÃ¢??t show me no way
I'm just barely getting by
Make a better plan
For a lonely man
So I know just what to do, yeah

I just want to say, my friend
I'm eating my words again
I know the way you feel
When you say that love is real
And you both will share a smile

I just want to say, my friend
I'm eating my words again
I know the way you feel
When you say that love is real
And you both will share a smile

So please donÃ¢??t show me no way
I'm just barely getting by
Make a better plan
For a lonely man
So I know just what to do, yeah

Make a better plan
For a lonely man
So I know just what to do
Make a better plan
For a lonely man
So I know just what to do, yeah

Share that smile
Share that smile
Share that smile (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Share that smile
People don't you know
Ah, you got to share that smile (right!)
Share that smile, yeah
Share that smile

Don't you know baby
Baby loves a woman
Don't you share that smile
People
Share that smile, yeah
Share that smile

Sing a song, children
Share that smile
Share that smile,
Share that smile,

Share that smile, yeah
Great job

Overall Meaning

"My Friend" by Taylor Hicks is a song that tells the story of a lonely man who is struggling to find his place in the world. The singer is speaking directly to a friend and tells them that he understands how difficult life can be, especially when you feel like you have too many obstacles blocking your path. The singer wants to reassure their friend that even though life can be tough, love is real and they will both share a smile.

The lyrics suggest that the friend might be going through a tough time and may not be seeing the bigger picture. The singer, however, wants to encourage them to persevere and make a better plan for their future. The repetition of "make a better plan for a lonely man, so I know just what to do yeah" drives the message home that sometimes all it takes to move forward is a better plan.

Overall, "My Friend" is a reassuring message to anyone who might be struggling in life. The lyrics show that even if things seem tough now, there is hope for a brighter future if we stay positive and have the courage to make a better plan.

Line by Line Meaning

I just want to say, my friend
I feel compelled to speak to you, my friend

I just am really feeling
I am experiencing a strong emotion

In the difference in the man
In the contrast between people

Too many cards in their hand
Having too many options to choose from

To fold out of line
To deviate from the norm

In this world that we're living in
In the present reality

Out of the goodness of the man
From a positive attribute of a person

I'm gonna make you understand that
I will make you comprehend

That it might not be your time
It may not be your moment to succeed

So please don't show me no way
Please don't offer solutions

I'm just barely getting by
I'm having difficulty surviving