and most exciting. It’s still open-
ing new doors to this day.”
Matthews only came close to
reaching the top of the charts
one other time when his solo
track “Shake It” nearly cracked
the top ten in America in 1979.
Other songs of his to make the
Billboard Top 100 include “Mare,
Take Me Home” and “Tell Me
Why” by Matthews’ Southern
Comfort and solo singles “Da
Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked
Me Home)” and “Give Me An
Inch.” A small sample of com-
mercial success, but hit songs
were never his focus.
“I don’t function in hit terms,”
he explained. “For me it’s about
evolving, both as songwriter, a
player and as a human being.
Hits are stepping stones. Every
time a song becomes popular,
one can add 10 years onto a ca-
reer. I’ve been more fortunate
than most.”
Instead of focusing on his
songs, he has tried getting the
most of the bands he’s been
with — reuniting both Matthews’
Watch Iain Matthews perform “Same Old Man”
NJ STAGE 2017 - Vol. 4 No. 8
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