Hilton moved to Los Angeles to launch himself as a musician. After releasing a self-titled independent CD, he signed to Warner Bros. imprint Maverick Records, which released his major-label debut The Tracks of Tyler Hilton the same year that Hilton made his acting debut starring as the musically talented but totally arrogant Chris Keller on the second season of One Tree Hill. Other roles followed, including playing Elvis Presley in the critically acclaimed Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line, co-starring in the indie film Charlie Bartlett with Robert Downey Jr., and returning to One Tree Hill for its final season in 2012.
Yet while his cover songs appeared on the Grammy Award-winning Walk the
Line soundtrack and his Americana-flavored originals were featured on each
of One Tree Hill’s popular soundtracks, Hilton had yet to release another full- length album of his own. He recorded one, The Storms We Share, in the fall of 2010, but its release was thwarted by a shake-up in leadership at Warner Bros. “So much had gone down at the label and I just wasn’t up for going another round with them,” Hilton says. In December, he was released from his contract, with the label retaining the rights to The Storms We Share. “At that point, I was really down on the music industry,” he says. “I wasn’t even sure I wanted to make another album.”
But, being an artist, Hilton did what artists do and channeled all of his frustrated emotions into a batch of songs, the bulk of which make up his new album Forget the Storm, which Hilton has released on his own label, Hooptie Tune Records. “It was the first time in nine years that I was in a position to make music without asking anyone’s permission,” he says. The result is a spirited and engaging collection that finds Hilton finally representing who he truly is both personally and artistically.
What inspired Hilton to begin writing again was the sheer thrill of playing live. “I was booked to play a residency at the Hotel Cafe´ not long after leaving the label and I was not looking forward to it,” Hilton admits. “I thought, ‘I don't care if anyone comes, I’m only going to play music that I want to play, and if people don't like it, I've got one foot out the door anyway.’" He asked two of his friends, musician/songwriters Dave Hodges and Steve Miller, to join him. “I said, ‘I'm not going to pay anything, but if you guys want to have some drinks and mess around on stage, let's do it. I want to do a lot of covers; I want to do some blues songs."
The Hotel Cafe´ shows were packed each night. “We were doing Stones, Dylan, and Ryan Adams covers and lots of blues, and at the end of it I remembered that I love playing music,” Hilton says. “I thought if I’m ever going to do another record, it should have this vibe. What’s the worst that could happen? I had been playing by the rules and it hadn’t worked.”
Hilton began writing with Hodges (a songwriter who has worked with Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, and Christina Perri) and his guitarist Steve Miller, and over the course of a few months, came up with the songs on Forget the Storm — a title he calls “a direct reference to throwing away my last record and starting over, and also because it’s an album about leaving s**t behind.”
Lyrically, the album is an unflinchingly honest piece of work that finds Hilton reflecting on his relationship with himself, with his loved ones, and even with music — reveling in the good, owning up to the bad, and examining everything in between. “You could probably learn more about me by listening to this album than you could by talking to me for an hour,” he says. “It’s very personal and much closer to who I really am than what I’ve revealed in the past, but it's easier to write from that place when you have nothing left to lose.”
Fittingly, Forget the Storm opens with a song inspired by his heartbreak over the music industry: “Kicking My Heels,” which his fans went crazy over when he premiered it on an episode of One Tree Hill. “That song is the darkest part of the album for me because it’s reminder of how a lot of bad can come out of having time on your hands and not being sure of what you're going to go next. During the months before I started writing I had no focus. I felt rudder-less. The one good thing was having someone I loved in my life, which is what the song is about.” The album’s first single “Prince of Nothing Charming” finds Hilton trying to get to the heart of who he is in a relationship. “Sometimes I don't have it all together,” he admits. “I space out on things, I drink too much. There are a lot of things you could take aim at me for. But I’m drawn to the idea of a couple who really love one another despite all the cracks and flaws.” “Jenny” and “Can’t Stop
Now” also offer a realistic look at love and the compromises one makes, while “I Belong” is the antidote, describing how it feels to be in a relationship that truly works.
Though fans of Hilton’s strummy pop songs will find plenty to like on Forget the Storm, the album also charts new territory with two songs, the rockabilly- flavored, sexually charged “Loaded Gun” (which he wrote with country artist Deana Carter) and the untamed stomper “Ain’t No Foolin’ Me,” both of which Hilton is looking forward to playing live when he hits the road this year. “There are times when you just want to rock out onstage,” says Hilton, who has entertained audiences across the country both as a headliner and with such artists as Taylor Swift, Gavin DeGraw, and Goo Goo Dolls. “I play all kinds of styles of music in my show and the audiences seem to really love the rock and roll moments.”
Most of all, Hilton is excited to finally have a new full-length album for his fans who’ve stuck with him for so many years. “I kept giving them what I called half- assed EPs that were the best I could do in the situation I was at with Warner Bros.,” he says. “But with an album, you have a chance to change direction and try something new rather than perpetuating the sound you already have. This record was the first opportunity I had to say something different. It's a clean slate.”
Glad
Tyler Hilton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Follows you the wrong direction
And you will never see if for
You get all that you need and more
You see it, you want it
You find it, it's yours
But you can't say what you want or
Choose the moods that you fake when you want
You said your life needed something special
Which you don't have, yeah
Well, aren't you glad?
The only one of five exception
The child of your pride is deception
And on your list of things to do
Is make me fall in love with you
You find one, you want one
'Cause I'm one, who plays, yeah
But you can't say what you want or
Take what you want or
Choose the moods that you fake when you want
You said, your life needed something special
Which you don't have, yeah
But you can't say what you want or
Take what you want or
Rest and wake anyway that you want
You said your life needed something special
Well, here I am, yeah, yeah
Well, aren't you glad, yeah yeah
Now you got it bad
I know you do, yeah yeah
But you can't say what you want or
Take what you want or
Choose the moods that you fake when you want
You said your life needed something special
Which you don't have, yeah
That you can't say what you want or
Take what you want or
Rest and wake anyway that you want
You said your life needed something special
Well, here I am, baby
And aren't you glad, yeah yeah
Well, aren't you glad, yeah yeah yeah
And aren't you glad, yeah yeah yeah yeah
In Tyler Hilton's song "Glad", the lyrics depict a complicated relationship where the singer has fallen in love with someone who can't be honest with themselves or others. The song seems to be written to someone who is materialistic and never satisfied, constantly chasing after things they don't have, while ignoring the good already in their life. The lines "Everywhere you go perfection, Follows you the wrong direction" seems to be a metaphor for the singer running away from reality and missing out on all the blessings they have in their life.
The chorus revolves around the theme that the person in question can't have what they want, and ultimately, they need something special which they lack. But on the other hand, the singer is there, and they should be glad. The singer is aware that the person they're singing to can't be honest with themselves and can't change their ways. The lyric "You said your life needed something special, which you don't have, yeah" reiterates the point that the person the song is directed towards is not happy with their life and feels the need for something more. But since they can't seem to figure out that missing piece themselves, the singer has to step in to show them what they've got.
In summation, Tyler Hilton's "Glad" is a song that explores the pain of loving someone who is never fully satisfied with their life. The lyrics suggest that to be happy, you need to be grateful for what you have, rather than always chasing the things that you don't possess.
Line by Line Meaning
Everywhere you go perfection
You strive for perfection in every aspect of your life.
Follows you the wrong direction
Despite your efforts, you seem to end up in the wrong place.
And you will never see if for
You're unable to recognize the beauty in imperfection.
You get all that you need and more
You're able to achieve success easily.
You see it, you want it
You're attracted to things that catch your eye.
You find it, it's yours
You're able to obtain the things you desire.
But you can't say what you want or
You're unable to express your true feelings.
Take what you want or
You're unable to take control of situations to get what you want.
Choose the moods that you fake when you want
You're unable to control your emotions and often put on a front.
You said your life needed something special
You feel as though something is missing in your life.
Which you don't have, yeah
You're aware that you don't have what you're looking for.
Well, aren't you glad?
You're happy to have found what you were looking for.
The only one of five exception
You stand out as being different from the rest.
The child of your pride is deception
You've created an image of yourself that doesn't reflect who you truly are.
And on your list of things to do
You have set specific goals for yourself.
Is make me fall in love with you
You want to be loved in a genuine way.
You find one, you want one
You're attracted to people who catch your eye.
'Cause I'm one, who plays, yeah
You're interested in someone who is playful like you.
Now you got it bad
You've developed strong feelings for someone.
I know you do, yeah yeah
You're aware of the depth of your feelings.
Well, here I am, baby
You've found the person you were looking for.
And aren't you glad, yeah yeah
You're happy and content with your new relationship.
Well, aren't you glad, yeah yeah yeah
You're elated and overjoyed that you found someone to love.
And aren't you glad, yeah yeah yeah yeah
You're ecstatic and grateful to have finally found true love.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tyler Hilton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind