Thompson's style is difficult to categorize, because his influences are varied. Growing up around folk music, he listened to a musical gamut that covered Hank Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Sam Cooke and gospel. As he fell in with other musical progeny, most notably close friend Rufus Wainwright, his sound developed into his own combination of country/western, rock, and his father's folk-rock.
Thompson played regular shows at Jon Brion's venue, Largo, in Los Angeles, while getting his first album contract together. He signed with Geffen who had big plans for him - but Geffen was soon after swallowed up by Virgin, who did not. In 2000 Thompson released his debut album, Teddy Thompson, which received much critical acclaim but little commercial success. He took a few years to tour and write before finally recording his second album on his own. While reviews for his first album were generally positive, the critics have gushed over his second album. Thompson has found his own sound and voice, although his family remains heavily involved in his music.
Thompson's fourth album, A Piece of What You Need was released in 2008. His fifth studio album, Bella, was released in 2011.
Over And Over
Teddy Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I make mistakes then I make them again
I find it comfortable here
Repeating myself cuts the fear
Some time ago I came up with a plan
Shit on myself so that no one else can
I have perfected this stance
All of my life I've been just getting by
Minimum due, let the balance ride
Why do I think I can cheat
This ain't a system to beat
Love that I think I can stay on this track
All that you take you will have to give back
And I have been taking a lot
All of this fruit's gonna rot
There is a place where the happiness flows
Sunshine, lollipops, rainbows
I think I'll go there one day
Book for a week but then stay
Teddy Thompson's song "Over and Over" depicts the existential crisis of a person who is comfortable repeating the same mistakes instead of taking risks and facing the unknown. The singer is aware of his own shortcomings, but instead of improving himself, he chooses to accept his flaws and keep repeating them. The repetition gives him a sense of comfort and cuts his fear of failure. In a bid to avoid the judgment and criticism of others, he has perfected a stance of indifference towards his own mistakes. He believes it better to be judged for something he intended rather than something he failed at.
The singer seems to be stuck in a rut and is barely getting by in life. He cheats the system by not putting in his best and only doing the bare minimum. He has convinced himself that this is a way to get ahead, but the truth is, he is only deceiving himself. The false sense of security that he feels by not taking risks will catch up with him eventually. The message of the song is that one must confront their fears and take chances to grow in life. The singer is aware of the place where happiness flows and dreams of going there someday, but he must take the first step and break out of his comfort zone to achieve it.
Line by Line Meaning
Over and over the same is the same
I keep repeating my mistakes and my approach never changes.
I make mistakes then I make them again
I have a tendency to repeat my mistakes instead of learning from them.
I find it comfortable here
I find it easier to stay in my comfort zone, even if it's not the best place for me to be.
Repeating myself cuts the fear
Repeating my actions and words helps me feel more secure and less anxious about the unknown.
Some time ago I came up with a plan
I developed a plan to distance myself from others by making myself look bad.
Shit on myself so that no one else can
I purposely make myself look bad so that others won't have the chance to do it first.
I have perfected this stance
I am now an expert in making myself look bad and pushing people away.
You better keep your distance
I am warning you to stay away from me because I am not someone that you want to be around.
All of my life I've been just getting by
I have never strived for anything more than the bare minimum in my life.
Minimum due, let the balance ride
I tend to neglect important things in my life, like paying bills or addressing issues, which leads to more problems down the line.
Why do I think I can cheat
I am constantly trying to find a way to cheat the system and get something for nothing.
This ain't a system to beat
I am starting to realize that life doesn't work like a game that can be won or cheated.
Love that I think I can stay on this track
I am delusional in thinking that I can continue down this path of neglect and never face the consequences.
All that you take you will have to give back
Everything in life comes with a price, and eventually it will catch up to you.
And I have been taking a lot
I have been living my life selfishly and taking more than my fair share.
All of this fruit's gonna rot
Everything that I have taken in my life will eventually go to waste and be of no value.
There is a place where the happiness flows
There is a place where true happiness can be found.
Sunshine, lollipops, rainbows
This place is filled with positivity and joy.
I think I'll go there one day
I hope to one day find this place of happiness and live a better life.
Book for a week but then stay
I know that once I have found this place, I won't want to leave and will want to stay forever.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: BELINDA LEE SMITH, JAMES L. MOORE, JAYME THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
that one guy Duder
I was there for this show... His voice filled the room... it was eerie.. It was only him and his guitar and it just echoed the entire building... Amazing...