Songwriters

As I was graduating high school, one of the bands that I truly enjoy just started topping the charts. I remember sitting in a room with all the kids from my graduating class at the Senior All-Night Party and hearing the group name, "Matchbox Twenty" for the first time.

I've never been one to listen to the radio with a regular frequency. I adore music, I need music in my life, yet I don't listen to the radio nor do I watch video channels. I purchase CDs (and vinyls back in the day) when I hear a song or two that I enjoy. With iTunes, I find myself purchasing more music, but in a better way. Instead of buying five CDs for five separate songs, I purchase the five songs individually and don't end up with a CD of crap.

I had heard two songs by Matchbox Twenty the summer after high school. Exposure was from driving with others or spending time at their homes. I decided to purchase the first album by the group, "Yourself or Someone Like You." I figured I would end up liking the two songs that I had heard and nothing else.

I was pleasantly surprised. I put the album in and was able to listen to it, straight through, without getting annoyed (I made it through 2 Dave Matthews Band songs before I HAD to take that CD from the player, I'm not a fan.)

When the band released their second album, "Mad Season," I was hanging out at Bugs and we had been playing the first album on the jukebox regularly. My thoughts about the album before I purchased it were, 'I was surprised with the first album. The second won't be as good.'

Again, I was surprised. Songs like, "Bed of Lies" and "Rest Stop" grabbed my attention and I listened to the disc over and over. When Michelle suggested we go to the concert, I thought it was a fantastic idea and we went. The first concert I saw was not overly impressive. Going home and playing the CD would have been about the same, but wouldn't have had the traffic. I still loved the music though.

The third album, "More Than You Think You Are," came out the first year I lived with Adam. The band couldn't do it again, could they?

Well, they could. And they could do it better. The influences of 70s rock is apparent on the third album and I became instantly addicted to it. It is fantastic! Because I enjoyed it so much, I went online and bought three albums by Tabitha's Secret, a band that three of the members of Matchbox Twenty are originally from. The albums are ones that I can listen to over and over.

Now Rob Thomas is trying a solo project. The first song of his upcoming album, Something to Be, is available on iTunes (thanks Matt for telling me!) The song is called, "Lonely No More" and I did purchase it.

Again, I'm surprised. The song has a more pop feel to it, but it still has the strong lyrics that are such a constant in other Matchbox Twenty songs.

The song starts out with a heavy drum beat and then there is synthesized music. It's catchy, like pop, but I still find myself drawn to the emotion of the lyrics. I'm still making up my mind if I love this song, but I think I don't dislike it. I do think Rob Thomas has an amazing talent in songwriting, as proven from other albums. I've posted a few other lyrics for Matchbox Twenty and Tabitha's Secret before. Check those out here: Bed of Lies, Soul, Hang, Dear Joan, Paint Me Blue, and Dizzy. (The last three are all in the same link.)

Lonely No More - Rob Thomas

It seems to me
That you know just what to say
But words are only words
Can you show me something else

Can you swear to me that you'll always be this way?
Show me how you feel
More than ever baby

Well I don't want to be lonely no more
I don't want to have to pay for this
I don't want another lover at my door
It's just another heartache on my list

I don't want to be angry no more
You're the one who could never stand for this
So when you tell me that you love me, know for sure
I don't wanna be lonely anymore

Oooooh oooooh oooooh oooooh
Now it's hard for me
When my heart's still on the mend
Open up to me
Like you do your girlfriends
And you sing to me
And it's harmony
Girl what you do to me is everything
Let me say anything just to get you back again
Why can't we just try?

I don't want to be lonely no more
I don't want to have to pay for this
I don't want another lover at my door
It's just another heartache on my list

I don't want to be angry no more
You're the one who could never stand for this
So when you tell me that you love me, know for sure
I don't want to be lonely anymore

Oooooh oooooh oooooh oooooh

What if was good to you?

What if you were good to me?
What if I could hold you till I feel you move inside of me?
What if it was paradise?
What if we were symphonies?
What if I gave all my life to find some way to stand beside you?

I don't want to be lonely no more
I don't want to have to pay for this
I don't want another lover at my door
It's just another heartache on my list

I don't want to be angry no more
You're the one who could never stand for this
So when you tell me you love me, know for sure
I don't want to be lonely no more

Oooooh oooooh oooooh oooooh

I don't want to be lonely any more
I don't want to be lonely no more
I don't want to be lonely no more
I don't want to be lonely any more