Jun 30, 2023

Music Friday: Some See the Diamond, Some See the Flaws in 'Way Way Back'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, the witty Matt Nathanson uses diamond themes to poke fun at failed relationships in his 2018 release, "Way Way Back."

Nathanson explained that couples who have just broken up like to say, "We just want what's best for each other." But the 50-year-old Massachusetts native joked to an audience recently that his reality is much different, especially when an ex-girlfriend has found someone new.

"I hope that you find a little bit of happiness," he said. "I hope you find slight satisfaction, but I hope nothing that happens to you ever equals how amazing we had it."

He sings, "Some people see the diamond / Some can only see the flaws / We made perfect little movies / That no one ever saw."

He goes on to touch on the famous "A Diamond Is Forever" slogan in his next line: "I didn't know that forever only meant forever 'til you found someone better."

Nathanson was candid about the inspiration behind writing "Way Way Back." He told his audience that when he found out that an ex-girlfriend was about to get married, he decided to "go deep" into the Instagram of her future husband.

"The bummer is when you realize the person is kinda funny and kinda handsome, and maybe a step up," he said. "But you don't want to admit that. So you write a song called "Way Way Back."

The song appears as the first track on Nathanson's 10th studio album called Sings His Sad Heart, which was released in October of 2018.

Nathanson, who is best known for his platinum-selling record "Come On Get Higher," has performed on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Late Show with David Letterman, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Bachelor and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

He is currently touring with Matchbox Twenty. The tour runs through August 6 and includes appearances in Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, Ontario, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.

Please check out the "Way Way Back" official video. The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"Way Way Back"
Written and performed by Matt Nathanson.

Last flare from the lifeboat
Last air in my lungs
By now even I know
That you’ve got someone

Some people see the diamond
Some can only see the flaws
We made perfect little movies
That no one ever saw

I didn't know that forever only meant forever 'til you found someone better
(Someone better than me)
Some day its gonna hit you, you’ll see it clear as crystal like a photograph

No one else gonna love you like that
No one else gonna love you like that
I’ll stay in your mind, you can always find me in the way way back
No one else gonna love you like that
Gonna love you like that

I'm sure he’s easier than I was
If you like that sorta thing
He looks better with his shirt off
Yeah, but can he sing?
(yeah yeah yeah yeah)

Winter sun setting early
and my shadow’s getting long
Radio just want to hurt me
Puts you in every song

Didn't know that forever only meant forever 'til you found someone better
(Someone better than me)
Some day its gonna hit you, you’ll see it clear as crystal like a photograph

No one else gonna love you like that
No one else gonna love you like that

I’ll stay in your mind, you can always find me in the way way back
No one else gonna love you like that
Gonna love you like that
Gonna love you like that

Credits: Photo by Ralph Arvesen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.