Despite the ensuing hype that landed the interest of numerous label A&R execs, the truth is that the Matches wouldn't be so well known without contagious anthems like "The Jack Slap Cheer" or "The Restless." It's these songs, sounding like they were written for the suburban youth, that have sparked so much attention.
Formed as The Locals in 1997, when vocalist/guitarist Shawn Harris, drummer Matt Whalen and bassist Justin San Souci were early in their respective tenures at Oakland's Bishop O'Dowd High, the group grew frustrated by the turn of the millennium at the lack of under-21 venues in the Bay Area. Commandeering a webcasting warehouse called iMusicast in their home city, they launched a show called L3: Live, Loud and Local. In an effort to promote these L3 shows, the band - now with guitarist Jon Devoto in the fold - initiated "Commo Promo," accosting potential fans exiting concerts and clubs, student unions, dorms, high schools, malls and fast food joints, welcome or not. By performing these brief acoustic attack sets in the days prior to L3 gigs, word soon spread and the shows started selling out - without advertising or publicity.
Changing monikers in time to self-finance and release their February 2003 debut, the Matches mothballed their educational pursuits to focus on music. Veering from headlining West Coast All-Ages venues to touring opportunities with Reel Big Fish, Lit, and Zebrahead, the latter even asked Shawn, Matt, Justin and Jon to join them for a ten-day trek to Japan late in the year. Around that time a new tune, "December is for Cynics" appeared alongside Blink 182, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and New Found Glory, on the Immortal Records benefit compilation, A Santa Cause.
The group also aligned with Epitaph, walking away from the lure of those wide- open major label checkbooks. And now the energy and innovation of E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals is yours to behold, you lucky bastards.
If the Matches sound like they could be the next big thing in a way that nearly every other band only wishes they could, perhaps it's the musical and lyrical ingenuity that steers "Eryn Smith," an exuberant, irresistible song about falling in love with a punk rock girl. With the throbbing bass-line that launches "Dog-Eared Page" and the wry, quirky rocker "Chain Me Free," the Matches have more hooks than your Grandpa's tackle box. When they do tap their influences, such as the blend of Elvis Costello and the Faint in "Audio Blood," it's done tastefully, damn-near out of respect. And with tunes about dying for a new zipcode ("Borderline Creep") or dying in slow motion at our own careless hand ("Sick Little Suicide"), these concise, communicable bursts tap a common nerve. Whether your memories of sneaking out a window to catch your ride to that not-to-be-missed show are from last summer's Warped Tour or from the days when Green Day first exploded, the Matches take you back to those moments in an instant.
With the release of their second album "Decomposer", Shawn Harris and the band evolved into a new sound, changing just enough to create something new, but still keeping their roots. With slow songs like "Salty Eyes" and "The Barber's Unhappiness," faster songs like "Drive", "Papercut Skin" and "Clumsy Heart" and catchy anthems like "What Katie Said" "Shoot me in the Smile" and " My Soft and Deep" The Matches continued to expand their musical horizons.
The Matches released their third album, A Band In Hope on March 18th. They've released two singles from that album: "Wake The Sun" and "Yankees In A Chip Shop."
Most recently, longtime bassist Justin San Souci left the band (amicably) and was replaced by Dylan Rowe.
The band went on hiatus on Thursday, July 09, 2009.
On August 12th of 2009, the band made a fourth album available for download. The album is aptly titled "the Matches album 4, unreleased; graphics? title? or not needed?".
Wake The Sun
The Matches Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every frown gets her way like
Every step to the daylight, keeps you stumbling on
Every backward blackbird
Standing out through the rafters
So sure, he can meet her
Thinks he bears a tone
So wake up, wake up, wake the sun
[Chorus: ]
Wake up, wake up, wake the sun
Wake up, wake up, hanging like a chain
Wake up, wake up, wake the sun
Wake up, wake up, hanging like a chain
Wait for, wait for the first train
Man dragging a sheep skin
Preaching reeking of weekend
To the siren speaking tongues of kingdom come
Every dawn gets its day like
Every gal gets her way like
Every step that I lay down brings me where I'm from
To lay down, lay down, to lay my cross
[Chorus: ]
Oh oh, ohhh
Oh oh, ohhh that train
Wake up, wake up, wake the sun
Wake up, wake up, hanging like a chain
Wait for, wait for the first train
Who hired the walls of the station
To arrest my imagination
Profit from my place under the callous thumb
Every dawn gets its day like
Man, they blindly parade like
Every step that we weigh down, plays out like a drum
To wake up, shake up, to wake the sun
[Chorus: Repeat 2X]
The Matches's song Wake The Sun is a mix of metaphors and enigmatic phrases that come together to paint a beautiful picture of hope and resilience. The opening lines, "Every dawn gets its day like, Every frown gets her way like" suggest that no matter how tough things may seem, there is still a chance for every day to be better. The following lines, "Every step to the daylight, keeps you stumbling on, Every backward blackbird standing out through the rafters, So sure, he can meet her, Thinks he bears a tone" seem to suggest that while the journey ahead may be filled with obstacles, it's necessary to keep stumbling along to reach the destination.
The chorus "Wake up, wake up, wake the sun, Wake up, wake up, hanging like a chain" acts as a call to action for the listener to wake up and take control of their lives while they still can. The song expresses the importance of living life in the moment and seizing every opportunity. The lyrics also talk about the power of time and how it behaves like a chain that connects everything from dawn to the first train.
The middle of the song refers to a man preaching, and the siren speaking tongues of kingdom come, which suggests a religious or spiritual aspect in the song. The line "Who hired the walls of the station, To arrest my imagination, Profit from my place under the callous thumb" is an insightful metaphor for capitalism and how it can stifle individual creativity and ingenuity. The song concludes with the repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the importance of taking action in life and making the most of every day.
Line by Line Meaning
Every dawn gets its day like
Just as every new day brings new opportunities, every problem eventually gets solved
Every frown gets her way like
When things don't go as planned, it's easy to let negativity take over and get in the way of progress
Every step to the daylight, keeps you stumbling on
Although progress can be difficult and slow, it's important to keep moving forward towards the light at the end of the tunnel
Every backward blackbird
Even those who are different or out of place can still contribute and be noticed
Standing out through the rafters
Being noticed and standing out from the crowd can be a good thing, even if it's unconventional
So sure, he can meet her
Confidence can be a powerful motivator and help overcome barriers
Thinks he bears a tone
Believing in oneself and one's abilities can help achieve success
So wake up, wake up, wake the sun
It's time to take charge and make the most of every day
Wake up, wake up, hanging like a chain
Challenging circumstances can weigh us down like a heavy chain, but we can work to break free
Wait for, wait for the first train
Patience and perseverance are necessary to achieve our goals
Man dragging a sheep skin
Someone pretending to be something they're not or trying to deceive others
Preaching reeking of weekend
The artist's words lack commitment or passion
To the siren speaking tongues of kingdom come
The singer's message is captivating and powerful, but may not be genuine
Every gal gets her way like
Regardless of gender, everyone has the ability to achieve their goals and be successful
Every step that I lay down brings me where I'm from
Our past experiences and choices influence our current path and ultimately shape our future
To lay down, lay down, to lay my cross
It's important to let go of burdens or mistakes and move forward towards redemption and a brighter future
Who hired the walls of the station
Someone or something is preventing progress or trapping individuals in their current situation
To arrest my imagination
The singer feels stuck or limited in their creative abilities
Profit from my place under the callous thumb
The singer is being taken advantage of or oppressed in their current situation
Man, they blindly parade like
People can be quick to follow others without considering the consequences or taking their own path
Every step that we weigh down, plays out like a drum
Our choices and actions have lasting effects and can influence our future path
To wake up, shake up, to wake the sun
It's time to be bold and take action to make a positive change in our lives and in the world
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
G B
this song should have been way more popular than it was.
Ally Kayyy
The matches should've been way more popular for way longer than they were. 5 minutes of fame after Chain Me Free and that was it. They're still one of my favorite bands of all time.
Jakob Dodd
Greg Berg every dog gets its day like...
Jillian H
wow, they've changed over the years. i remember being in grade 10, listening to E Von Dahl and Punk-o-rama, and falling in love with this band. they're still really good, i love them, but yeah, such a different sound.
Renaix315
I just found the Matches a week ago and I love them! This is my favorite song too!
rissajewell
Love this song. I jam to it everyday.
destr0me
I love when the guitar plays the harmonics part. It's so catchy.
QueenOfAmber
This is one of the songs I like the best from them! I love Papercut Skin too. I ♥ Shawn Harris!
rocio790
I LOVE this song it is one of their best songs!!!
IDOLkitten
I totally agree! I've seen them live, like, 4 times now and they never fail to rock my shorts.