Born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1967, David John Matthews’ family emigrated to Yorktown Heights, NY in 1969, where his physicist father was employed by IBM.  The family returned to South Africa after Matthews’ father died in 1977.

Faced with conscription into the South African military upon his high school graduation  Matthews, a Quaker, returned to New York in 1986, and he too worked for “Big Blue” prior to moving to Charlottesville, Virginia where his family had lived for a time.

Having played the guitar since the age of nine, he formed the Dave Matthews Band there 1991 at the bidding of German-born musician, Tim Reynolds, who has served as his lead guitarist and with whom he has worked on solo projects…as was the case with this 1997 live performance.

LISTEN TO TODAY’S SELECTION – Sunday 23 December  

Christmas Song

She was his girl; he was her boyfriend

She’d be his wife and make him her husband

A surprise on the way, any day, any day

One healthy little giggling dribbling baby boy

The wise men came, three made their way

To shower him with love

While he lay in the hay

Shower him with love, love, love

Love, love, love

Love, love was all around

Not very much of his childhood was known

Kept his mother Mary worried

Always out on his own

He met another Mary who for a reasonable fee,

Less than reputable was known to be

His heart full of love, love, love

Love, love, love

Love, love was all around

 When Jesus Christ was nailed to his tree

Said “oh, Daddy-o, I can see how it all soon will be

I came to shed a little light on this darkening scene

Instead I fear I’ve spilled the blood of our children all around”

The blood of our children all around

The blood of our children’s all around

So I’m told, so the story goes

The people he knew were

Less than golden hearted

Gamblers and Robbers

Drinkers and Jokers, all soul searchers

Like you and me

Like you and me

 Rumors insisted he soon would be

For his deviations

Taken into custody

By the authorities less informed than he

Drinkers and Jokers all soul searchers

Searching for love, love, love

Love, love, love

Love, love was all around

 Preparations were made

For his celebration day

He said: eat this bread and think of it as me

Drink this wine and dream it will be

The blood of our children all around

The blood of our children’s all around

The blood of our children all around

Father up above, why in all this anger do you fill

Me up with love, love, love

Love, love, love

Love, love was all around

Father up above, why in all this hatred do you fill

Me up with love, fill me love, love, love

Love, love, love

All you need is love

You can’t buy me love

Love, love, love

Love, love

And the blood of our children’s all around