Music Review: Matchbox Twenty "Real World"
Matchbox Twenty
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Real World
Album: Yourself Or Someone Like You
Year: 1996
Rob Thomas wishes he could be a powerful and respected man in the glossy "Real World."
Everyday guitars open the single, setting an eager tone. He daydreams about what he would he do if he was a lawyer. He won a major case and made a lot of money for his firm. He says he would label it and keep it as proof that he was successful once. Next, he daydreams about being like Superman, flying around the city. When he would touch the sun, he become even more robust. His friends would be shocked that person rescuing people was him. He would talked about in the press and perhaps given a key to the city.
In the chorus, he says people have told him to quit his band. Everyone around him figures it's a hobby and it's not going anywhere. He would like to be someone else for a day and maybe he would run into better luck.
In the second verse, he daydreams of being a CEO. People would fear him, knowing they could lose their livelihoods if they didn't obey him.
The chorus is sung again.
In the bridge, he pleads with his girlfriend not to give up on him or become a materialistic person. He's trying to get by and she's the only who understands that his dream of being in a popular band is possible.
The chorus is sung again to end the single.
Rob Thomas, like most people, wants to be known as a notable person. He's tired of being the lowest guy on the totem pole. People patronize him and have a condescending tone of voice. They don't think he has the drive or the smarts to pursue his dream of music. However, he hopes to be in a position of authority in something.
Thomas' vocals are petulant and green. He's been put down so many times that unfortunately, he's starting to turn into the people he hates.
"Real World" is an earnest, normal single that tries to appeal to the disenfranchised. However, Thomas' resentment is a killjoy and ruins any good it accomplishes.
Album: Yourself Or Someone Like You
Year: 1996
Rob Thomas wishes he could be a powerful and respected man in the glossy "Real World."
Everyday guitars open the single, setting an eager tone. He daydreams about what he would he do if he was a lawyer. He won a major case and made a lot of money for his firm. He says he would label it and keep it as proof that he was successful once. Next, he daydreams about being like Superman, flying around the city. When he would touch the sun, he become even more robust. His friends would be shocked that person rescuing people was him. He would talked about in the press and perhaps given a key to the city.
"I wonder what it's like to be the rainmaker/I wonder what it's like to know that I make the rain/I'd store it in boxes with little yellow tags on everyone/And you can come see them when I'm done, when I'm done/I wonder what it's like to be a superhero/I wonder where I'd go if I could fly around downtown/From some other planet, I get this funky high on yellow sun/Boy I bet my friends will all be stunned, they're stunned."
In the chorus, he says people have told him to quit his band. Everyone around him figures it's a hobby and it's not going anywhere. He would like to be someone else for a day and maybe he would run into better luck.
"Straight up, what did you hope to learn about here/If I were someone else, would this all fall apart/Strange, where were you, when we started this gig/I wish the real world, would just stop hassling me."
In the second verse, he daydreams of being a CEO. People would fear him, knowing they could lose their livelihoods if they didn't obey him.
"I wonder what it's like to be the head honcho/
I wonder what I'd do if they all did just what I said/I'd shout out an order, I think we're out of this man get
me some/Boy don't make me wanna change my tone, my tone."
The chorus is sung again.
In the bridge, he pleads with his girlfriend not to give up on him or become a materialistic person. He's trying to get by and she's the only who understands that his dream of being in a popular band is possible.
"Please don't change, please don't break/The only thing that seems to work at all is you/Please don't change, at all from me/To you, and you to me."
The chorus is sung again to end the single.
Rob Thomas, like most people, wants to be known as a notable person. He's tired of being the lowest guy on the totem pole. People patronize him and have a condescending tone of voice. They don't think he has the drive or the smarts to pursue his dream of music. However, he hopes to be in a position of authority in something.
Thomas' vocals are petulant and green. He's been put down so many times that unfortunately, he's starting to turn into the people he hates.
"Real World" is an earnest, normal single that tries to appeal to the disenfranchised. However, Thomas' resentment is a killjoy and ruins any good it accomplishes.