Dave Matthews – So Much To Say

I’ve heard some Dave Matthews here and there, mostly live music. I’ve heard some good songs posted by my fellow bloggers that I’ve liked. This is my first Dave Matthews post, which surprises me. I posted a Rare Earth song on Friday, and the same thing hooked me with this, the groove. From what I’ve heard from Dave Matthews, everything is built around it. 

In 1996, the Dave Matthews Band had built a loyal live following, their concerts becoming legendary for long jams and Matthews’ guitar grooves. This song is from their breakthrough album Crash, which was the song that officially cracked the mainstream. The song grew out of a jam between Matthews and saxophonist LeRoi Moore, with producer Steve Lillywhite helping turn that little riff into a full-blown single. What really got me about the song is…you guessed it! That groove. 

There is some controlled chaos going on in this song, but it stays grounded throughout. It remains one of those songs that captures exactly what makes the Dave Matthews Band tick: great musicianship, off-the-wall songwriting, and a sense of weirdness that feels timeless. This song still sounds fresh today, almost 30 years later. 

The song peaked at #19 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in 1996. This song won a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, and it helped Crash become a huge hit. 

So Much To Say

I say my hell is the closet, I’m stuck insideCan’t see the lightAnd my heaven is a nice house in the skyGot central heating and I’m alrightYeah, yeah, yeah

Can’t see the lightKeep it locked up insideDon’t talk about itT-t-talk about the weatherYeah, yeah, yeah

Can’t see the lightOpen up my head and let me out, a-little baby‘Cause here we have been standing for a long, long timeTreading, trotting trails for a long, long time

I say my hell is the closet, I’m stuck insideCan’t see the lightAnd my heaven is a nice house in the skyGot central heating and I’m alright

‘Cause here we have been standing for a long, long timeTreading, trotting trails for a long, long timeTime, time, time, time, time, time

I find sometimes it’s easy to be myselfSometimes I find it’s better to be somebody else

I see you, young and soft, oh, little babyLittle feet (little hands), a-little feet (little feet), a-little babyOne year of crying and the words creep up insideDeep into your mind, yeah

So much to say, so much to say, so much to say, so much to saySo much to say, so much to say, so much to say, so much to say

‘Cause here we have been standing for a long, long timeTreading, trotting trails for a long, long timeTime, time, time, time, time, time

I find sometimes it’s easy to be myselfSometimes I find it’s better to be somebody else

So much to say, so much to say, so much to say, so much to saySo much to say, so much to say, so much to say, so much to saySo much to say, so much to say, so much to say, so much to saySo much to say, so much to say, so much to say, so much to say

Open up my head and let me out, little baby

…

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

38 thoughts on “Dave Matthews – So Much To Say”

  2. Pingback: Dave Matthews – So Much To Say – MobsterTiger

  5. Oh yeah, vaguely remember this though it’s been years since I heard it. As usual for him, top-notch playing by the band. They seem to be musician’s musicians if you know what I mean. Supposed to be exceptional and unpredictable live.

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      1. several musician friends of mine in the ’90s-00s really liked them, way more than the rest of us they hung out with, mostly because of their musicianship and the unusual arrangements. They had some catchy singles but to my ears actual songwriting was a bit of a weak spot for them overall. But they have a near Grateful Dead-like following and unlike the GD, MAtthews albums often hit #1

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  7. that song off of that album was my itroduction to Matthews….a live show soon followed. the opening for that show was a band I think called the New York Groove Collective maybe? and they were a good warm up for the main act. at the time was so far out of what I would normally listened to, but was hooked and on my feet for that whole show….two step is another all time fave

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    1. There were other songs I liked better…but I thought this was a good introduction for me to post…I couldn’t find a New York Groove Collective BUT I found a Groove Collective…and they did open for Matthews. They sound very tight and soulful…that would fit perfectly with Matthews.

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      1. ah ha! that’s them…I’m busy digging through old reviews trying to find that…this may be a weird connection, but thinking about Matthews I’m now drifting over to Natalie Merchant who also always has her own style and feel….

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      2. I’m glad that is them. I searched with the New York on it…and what I got was Frehley’s song New York Groove…I took the city off and boom.
        Natalie Merchant is like Neil Young and a few others…totally unique…you know exactly who you are listening to when you hear Merchant…there is no mistaking her for anyone else.

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  9. Max, I love what you wrote here, “great musicianship, off-the-wall songwriting, and a sense of weirdness that feels timeless.” Sums up the band for me quite nicely, not just with a song or two. I remember when they first became a hit group. There was just something off and different…and good. I still feel that way about them today.

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      1. ‘Groove” is the word that comes to mind right away. I like the bass guy laying it down on the live track. You can see who ever posted that cut it short because like you said they get into the jams which is ok with me.

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  12. I, like you, haven’t really listened to him a whole lot, but when I hear something by him I generally like it. I worked with a girl years ago who was a Dave Matthews freak and had seen him many times. She made me a live tape and I liked it. I was surprised he did a song on a John Denver tribute album and it was really good.

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      1. Max thanks for thinking of me. Crash is the most recent album of theirs I bought (used at discogs) so haven’t had much of a chance to listen to it. I hope this DMB is the first of many you post. Hope you are enjoying your Sunday.

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