American in Spain

My recent DVD order of Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds at Radio City Music Hall from April 22, 2007, arrived in the mail yesterday. iTunes link.

Of course, I had to watch it in its entirety last night. I’ve always wanted to attend a Dave & Tim performance, but never got to. This DVD is the closest I’ve ever come. I’m really quite speechless about the quality. Let’s just say that Dave Matthews is the only person I know of that can actually bring me to tears with a guitar, his voice, and his lyrics. I know of no other singer than can transmit such raw emotion in a way that just “gets to me” like Dave. It’s hard to explain.

Here are a few lyrics that I have chosen from the performance. Particular spots of genius have been bolded by me.

Bartender, please fill my glass for me
With the wine you gave Jesus
That set him free after three days in the ground

Dave Matthews, Bartender

I could never love again,
So much as I love you.Where you end, where I begin,
Is like a river going through.

Dave Matthews, Grace is Gone

But you ain’t never had my cornbread
A little bit of heaven, and a little bit of hell yeah
Cut it down the middle
Open wide and jump right in

Dave Matthews, Cornbread

Maybe different, but remember
Winters warm there you and I,Kissing whiskey by the fire
With the snow outside

Dave Matthews, Stay or Leave

Praise God who has many names
But the devil has many moreWith the love that my mother gave me
I’m gonna drop the devil to the floor

I’m gonna drop the devil to his knees
I’m gonna drop the devil to his knees

Dave Matthews, Eh Hee

While he loves Christian imagery, there’s a lot of ambiguity when it comes to his beliefs.

Strange evolution when people have come to believe
That we are its greatest delusionWhen really we’re just a collection of cells
Overrating themselves
Hello God I’m avoiding the truth

Dave Matthews, Eh Hee

And his longing for this confidence that others, with Faith, seem to possess…

You don’t need to prove a thing to me
Just give me faith, make me believe
Come on, save me
Save me Mister walking man
If you can

Dave Matthews, Save Me

This is about his sister, Jane.

Sister, I hear you laugh
My heart fills full up
Keep me please
Sister, when you cryI feel your tears
Running down my face
Sister, sister, you keep me

Dave Matthews, Sister

Obviously, reading them like this does them little justice. One of the fans in the supplement documentary put it really succinctly: “Dave is the storyteller of my generation.”

Presumably, most people have a poet or lyricist that really gets to them. I know who mine is. Do you?

A little bit of heaven and a little bit of hell yeah.