Spotlight

In the spotlight life is so peachy yeah, yeah, yeah
wouldn't you like to retire with a million?

A million beating hearts
behind brick and cold steel piping
fighting for the top
fighting for the room to breathe
bench parks sleepers lie
cold blanket bed less babies
here this must stop
I cannot stay

Damn you, big city, black city
rising up around me, steal my soul away
big city, black city
rise and take me over, steal my soul away
but all out in this world
the night it crawls it falls much harder than I recall
out in this world
a siren calls from every corner

In the spotlight life is so peachy, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
all of us in the spotlight for a reason, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
caught for stealing somebody's riches, no, no, no, no
wouldn't you like to retire with a million bucks?
yeah

Came here from a small town
I see my dreams here in the big city
sour disappointment
I cannot stay

Damn you, big city, black city
rising up around me, steal my soul away
Big city, black city
rise and take me over, steal my soul away
but all out in this world
the night it crawls it falls much harder than i recall
out in this world
a siren calls from every corner

In the spotlight life is so peachy, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
all of us in the spotlight for a reason, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
caught for stealing somebody's riches, no, no, no, no
wouldn't you like to retire with a million bucks?
yeah

yeah....
yeah....
yeah....
yeah....


Lyrics submitted by antifox64

Spotlight song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

7 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    well this song isnt all that bad, cant find a good version of it though, always a bad quality live version (its never been recorded on a cd)

    heres the meaning: Spotlight is the first of several songs written by Dave Matthews based on modernization and work. The song explains the worse side of life in the cities that we live in.  Dave used to say how he hates certain parts of this song, so to fix that problem, he simply stopped playing it. He's openly admitted this in concert.He says that he hates it and will not play it because he doesn't want fans to think that the band is full of themselves!  The first few times this song was played the music and the lyrics were very different then the usual version.

    Traumattizingon May 13, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    well this song isnt all that bad, cant find a good version of it though, always a bad quality live version (its never been recorded on a cd)

    heres the meaning: Spotlight is the first of several songs written by Dave Matthews based on modernization and work. The song explains the worse side of life in the cities that we live in.  Dave used to say how he hates certain parts of this song, so to fix that problem, he simply stopped playing it. He's openly admitted this in concert.He says that he hates it and will not play it because he doesn't want fans to think that the band is full of themselves!  The first few times this song was played the music and the lyrics were very different then the usual version.

    Traumattizingon May 13, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I actully do have a studio version of this.. it was supposedly going to be put onto "Lillywhite Sessions" if you would like a copy... just holla at me... By the way, I enjoy this song much.. I just like how when the song kicks into the "Damn you, big city, black city" Also it somewhat sounds like a R.E.M. type thing when they sing the "yeah yeah yeah"s.

    Ichion June 10, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The Lilywhite Sessions version is actually very good. I've used it to get more than a few friends hooked.

    MTryderon June 13, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The version you have most likely is not LWS but part of the Ardent Demos

    JrStone41on May 19, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It has been recorded on bootlegs. They dont play it anymore because Dave doesnt like it. Thinks it speaks of the bands success, not big on patting himself on the back.

    JB:1013on April 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Dave also hates the "life is so peachy" line.

    beau99on January 13, 2010   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Jesse with the long hair....
Robert Earl Keen, Jr.
Classic love story true to his western tx roots. One of my favorites as a story, but I think there are alot of songs that are amazing not even listed on this site. I guess I should figure out how to add them, because I have about 8 REK cd's.
Album art
Siberian Kiss
Glassjaw
its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
Album art
Spirit Within
Bertoldi Brothers
Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
Album art
Show Me a Little Shame
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
He certainly did earn that reputation.
Album art
Step
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.