Matt and Keith together played all the instruments appearing on that album, with its name taken from 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien, though they both mostly played acoustic guitar. Both also contributed to writing all the songs and both sang for 'There and Back Again'. The duo toured for several years after this, mostly appearing with similar bands such as Jackopierce. By 1995, they were ready to record again. The resulting album, titled 'Running on Ice', again had Matt and Keith playing acoustic guitar and singing, but it also featured the addition of other guest musicians to play other instruments. Guests included members of Jackopierce band as well as Carter Beauford (of the Dave Matthews Band) on drums.
More touring followed, and soon Matt and Keith were joined by Ed Toth on drums. In 1997, a live album, Live Stages, was released. This featured Matt, Keith, and Ed, as well as Ryan Fisher on bass. Live Stages signaled a departure from the original acoustic guitar-based music, and featured heavy emphasis on electric guitar. Also, by this time, the band was explicit in their intent to find a major record label; band members have said that it was no accident that the first track of Live Stages opens with the sounds of a large cheering audience. Their wishes came true, and the band was signed to RCA Records.
Ryan had never intended to join the band permanently, so the three other members held auditions for a permanent bass player. Their first audition was Sean Hurley, and everyone liked him immediately. There were many more auditions, but they eventually came back to Sean, and he officially joined Vertical Horizon.
The band's major label debut, "Everything You Want", was released in 1999. The title track, released as the second single from the album, skyrocketed up the charts and ended up as one of the most played tracks on radio in 2000. One of the stand out tracks "You're A God" got on several compilation CD's and featured in the Box Office smash Bruce Almighty
The follow up to "Everything You Want", titled "Go", was delayed several times until finally being released in 2003. "I'm Still Here", the first single from Go, was released with little fanfare and faded quickly. VH ended their relationship with RCA in 2004 and re-signed with Hybrid Recordings. "Go" was re-released with an additional track in 2005. A second single, "Forever", was released prior to the re-release and received moderate airplay but did not match the earlier success of Everything You Want.
In 2005, drummer Ed Toth got what he considered the dream gig of a lifetime when he was invited to join the Doobie Brothers following the death of drummer Keith Knudsen. While Toth had hoped to juggle both bands, he quickly realized it would not be possible and announced his departure from Vertical Horizon in July 2005.
In 2007, realizing as Matt says, “there was more to do” and “thinking the timing was just right to start working on a new album,” the band began writing and recording, Burning The Days. The album is slated for release on September 22, 2009 with the first single, “Save Me From Myself” recently sent to radio. The single has been extremely well-received and is currently climbing the Hot AC charts with strong airplay in McAllen, Modesto, Monterey-Salinas, El Paso, and New Orleans.
Independent of label constraints, Burning The Days was produced by Scannell and recorded at his studio over the course of the past 2 years. For the band, it was a complete return to their beginnings of working at their own pace and “nurturing those moments of inspiration.” According to Matt, the album is “sonically as good as anything we have ever done. I take great pride in this album and feel that our renewed sense of creativity will resonate with our fans.” The album also features virtuoso drummer Neil Peart of Rush on “Save Me From Myself,” “Even Now” and “Welcome To The Bottom” as well as Richard Marx playing piano on “Here” and producing two of Matt’s lead vocal tracks.
“I’m actually in a pretty positive place right now,” says Scannell. “Of course I still have that underlying fear of everything falling apart and crumbling to the floor, but it is not the first thing on my mind, like it’s been at times in the past.” And so one of the main themes of Burning The Days is about finding balance in a journey from hardship to peacefulness – knowing that the up must follow the down, and vice versa. “It’s about being okay with things going well, and also finding strength to get through the tough times.”
The first single, “Save Me From Myself,” is about “the danger of getting so lost in your own struggles and personal demons that you can’t help the people you love, and you won’t let the people you love help you. You’re too far away in your own head to do anything but spin off in self-criticism and doubt. There’s a lot of anger and frustration in that song.” Conversely, “The Lucky One” is one of the album’s most upbeat tracks, a fact that took the song’s author a bit of time to get used to. “I’m usually wary of songs that have really upbeat messages, but this song resonated for me because I tend to be the last one to believe when things are really going well. Songs where everything is perfect and everyone’s in love make me suspicious, but this song has enough of a gray area to feel real for me.”
Other highlights on the album are “Afterglow,” “All Is Said And Done” and “The Middle Ground.”
To support the album’s September 22nd release, the band plans on doing targeted performance dates throughout the summer with a nationwide tour in the fall.
Offical web site: http://www.verticalhorizon.com
FAMOUS
Vertical Horizon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things are gonna change
The only thing for certain
Is that nothing stays the same
But all I want
Is love from you
Give me your hand
To hold on to
Come on listen to my music it's no surprise
I don't wanna be famous in life
I don't wanna be famous in the world
I just wanna be famous
Famous
I wanna be famous in your heart
Oh I know
The wind is gonna blow
And in the winter
There's sure to be snow
But with the warmth of your smile
And the sun of your face
Shine on me in the darkness
With your love and grace
And if time hides my eyes
Listen to my music and recognize
I don't wanna be famous in life
I don't wanna be famous in the world
I just wanna be famous
Famous
I wanna be famous in your heart
And if time hides my eyes
Listen to my music
Listen to my music and recognize
I don't wanna be famous in life
(I don't wanna be famous)
I don't wanna be famous in the world
I just wanna be famous
Famous
I wanna be famous in your heart
The lyrics of "Famous" by Vertical Horizon speak about the desire to be recognized and cherished by someone special, rather than seeking fame and acknowledgement from the world at large. The singer acknowledges that things are bound to change, but the only thing that they truly want is love from the person they are singing to. They ask for their hand to hold on to, and offer their music as a way to comfort them in times of sadness.
The song continues with the singer comparing the ebb and flow of life to the changing seasons, but ensures that their love interest's warmth and grace will always shine on them in times of darkness. The final stanza reinforces the importance of recognition from the person they love, rather than from the world, as they plead for their music to be listened to and their love to be recognized.
Overall, "Famous" is a sweet and sentimental love song that speaks to the importance of personal connections and intimate relationships in a world that often prioritizes fame and external validation.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh I know
I understand the inevitability of change
Things are gonna change
Life is unpredictable and constantly evolving
The only thing for certain
The only predictable thing is that nothing is predictable
Is that nothing stays the same
Change is the only constant in life
But all I want
My only desire is
Is love from you
To receive your love
Give me your hand
I want to hold your hand
To hold on to
To feel secure and safe with you
And if tears fill your eyes
If you're sad or upset
Come on listen to my music it's no surprise
I want to offer you comfort and support with my music
I don't wanna be famous in life
I don't need fame or recognition in the world
I don't wanna be famous in the world
I don't need to be a globally recognized figure
I just wanna be famous
All I want is to be important and special to you
Famous
To have a significant place in your heart
I wanna be famous in your heart
To hold a special place in your affection
Oh I know
I understand
The wind is gonna blow
There will be difficult times
And in the winter
During the darker and colder times
There's sure to be snow
There will be hardships
But with the warmth of your smile
With your happiness and love
And the sun of your face
Your warmth and radiance
Shine on me in the darkness
To bring light and happiness into my life during tough times
With your love and grace
With your love, kindness, and poise
And if time hides my eyes
If I grow old and forgetful
Listen to my music and recognize
Remember me and the love I have for you through my music
I don't wanna be famous in life
I don't need the glitz and glam of fame
I don't wanna be famous in the world
I don't desire global recognition
I just wanna be famous
I just want to be admired and beloved by you
Famous
To hold a cherished spot in your heart
I wanna be famous in your heart
To be special and loved in your heart
And if time hides my eyes
If I become lost in my memories
Listen to my music
My music is a way to connect with me
Listen to my music and recognize
Know that my love for you endures
I don't wanna be famous in life
I don't need fame or worldly success
I don't wanna be famous in the world
I don't need global recognition or acclaim
I just wanna be famous
I just want to be treasured and significant to you
Famous
To be important and beloved to you
I wanna be famous in your heart
To be special, cherished and adored by you
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KEITH MICHAEL KANE, MATT SCANNELL, MATTHEW B. SCANNELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind