Yes to all of the above. His recent exposure as an actor may obscure the fact that when it comes to music, New Jersey native Val Emmich is a lifer. He told Page Six, "The acting thing snuck up on me." Emmich's main focus has always been his music, as evidenced by his prolific output.
His latest album, LOOKING FOR A FEELING YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED, marks his seventh full-length solo effort in nearly a decade. People Magazine called him "the real deal." Entertainment Weekly labeled him a "breakout singer." The New York Times said he's "a rocker who rocks to his own beat."
Emmich (pronounced Em-ik) recorded LOOKING FOR A FEELING in Long Branch, NJ with the production team Near Records. The result is a kaleidoscope of sounds and textures including kinetic dance numbers ("Sidekick"), airy soundscapes ("Come Clean") and straight-up rockers ("Don't Wanna Go Home"). Lurking just beneath the surface are poignant stories of people trying to find their place in the world: there's the west coast transplant 3,000 miles from her family in "E.S.T.", the restless soul seeking a new beginning in "Change of Scenery" and the man returning to the place he once called home in "Gone." Emmich embodies all of them and somehow--despite some dark moments--supplies a beam of light that pulls the listener through to the slow decay of the album's final note.
If there's one thing that ties together the many facets of Emmich's art, it's passion. It's easy to write that word in a bio, but another thing to show it. At live shows, you'll find a man often unhinged, shirt soaked-through and guitar smashed to pieces; he's toured with artists ranging from Gavin DeGraw and Butch Walker to the Gym Class Heroes and Dashboard Confessional. And his life in front of the camera isn't limited to acting. He was the first unsigned artist featured on MTV's "TRL" and he's produced dozens of music and promo videos that show his lighter side while maintaining his acute attention to detail; check out the video for "The Only One Lonely" which won him an Independent Music Award. Oh, and he's also written a novel that he's currently pitching.
So who is this guy? He's hard to pin down, and while that isn't the quickest sell in our sound bite culture, it's probably that which will give Emmich longevity. He's been called a Renaissance man. When asked about the musician role originally meant for John Mayer, an "Ugly Betty" producer told the New York Times: "There was just this quiet storm to Val." That probably says it all right there.
Bury Me
Val Emmich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Today I'm sick of everything
I could care less if my brakes fail
I could care less if I run out of air
I could fall asleep and not wake up
I tell you honestly I've had enough
Go ahead and let me sleep
I'm numb to everything
I cannot feel a thing
Today I'm sick of everyone
Today I'm out for everyone
I am immune to your touch
Go ahead and stab me I've had enough
Go ahead and bury me
Go ahead and let me sleep
I'm numb to everything
I cannot feel a thing
I am dead weight
If I were you I wouldn't wait
For me to get myself straight
Just turn around and escape
Go ahead and bury me
Go ahead and let me sleep
I'm numb to everything
I cannot feel a thing
Go ahead and bury me
Go ahead and set me free
I'm numb to everything
I cannot feel a thing
The song "Bury Me" by Val Emmich reflects on the feeling of complete numbness and indifference towards life that can consume a person. The lyrics paint a picture of a person who is emotionally and mentally exhausted, someone who has reached their breaking point.
In the first few lines, the singer expresses a complete lack of concern for anything, including their own safety. They are so fatigued by life that they are willing to accept whatever fate may come their way. They no longer care about the people around them, and even physical harm cannot shake them out of their apathy.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes more self-destructive, even suggesting that they are already dead weight and that there is no point in waiting for them to "get themselves straight." They urge the listener to go ahead and leave them behind, to let them go and "set them free."
Overall, the lyrics of "Bury Me" are a harrowing portrayal of depression and mental illness. It's a reminder that the seemingly happy and together people around us are often carrying around intense pain and struggle underneath the surface.
Line by Line Meaning
Today I don't care about anything
I am feeling extremely apathetic today and have no interest in anything
Today I'm sick of everything
Today, everything is bothering me and I am exhausted and overwhelmed
I could care less if my brakes fail
I am so detached and indifferent that I would not be concerned if my car breaks down
I could care less if I run out of air
I am so emotionally numb and disinterested that even the notion of death doesn't bother me
I could fall asleep and not wake up
I wouldn't mind if I went to sleep and never woke up again
I tell you honestly I've had enough
I am completely exhausted and cannot take it anymore
Go ahead and bury me
I am so lifeless and unfeeling that I don't mind if you put me in a grave
Go ahead and let me sleep
I would welcome the escape of death and eternal sleep
I'm numb to everything
I am so emotionally detached that I cannot feel any kind of emotion or sensation
I cannot feel a thing
I am so numb and desensitized that I am incapable of experiencing any emotion or sensation
Today I'm sick of everyone
I am feeling fed up and irritable towards everyone around me today
Today I'm out for everyone
I am feeling hostile and adversarial towards everyone around me today
I am immune to your touch
I am so emotionally shut down that no amount of physical contact or affection can reach me
Go ahead and stab me I've had enough
I am so disconnected from myself and others that even physical pain doesn't matter to me anymore
I am dead weight
I feel utterly useless and burdensome to others
If I were you I wouldn't wait
If I was in your position, I wouldn't waste any more time or effort on me
For me to get myself straight
It would take a lot of time and effort for me to heal and become functional again
Just turn around and escape
You should cut your losses and move on from me
Go ahead and set me free
I am so emotionally burdened and weighed down that death would be a release
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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