Written and Performed by Matt Butler,
Original Credit song for the feature documentary Generation Found, in theaters nationally as of August 30th 2016
www.generationfoundfilm.com

I think I ask too many questions
And I know I’ll never understand
How to help all those around me
When I am just one man

And there’s so many who feel helpless
That there’s just too much to be done
But I know that it makes all the difference
That revolution has begun

If I can help just one
And he can help just one
And she can help just one
If we can help just one

So I’ll put my heart into my labor
And I’ll burn my back under the sun
And I’ll share the harvest with my all my neighbors
And I’ll work until my hands are numb

If I can help just one
And he can help just one
And she can help just one
If we can help just one

I always gave to the collection
Always hoping I’d get something back
So now I’ll offer this reflection
To all the mourners dressed in black

Lord knows it’s so hard to pray
When mercy only comes to some
But we seek forgiveness when we rise each day
Because our work is never done

If we can help just one
Just One

Just One

Produced by David Bendeth and Engineered by Brian Robbins at Magic Door Recording in Montclair, NJ
Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound


Tell Lucy That I Love Her

Don’t try to lie or to pretend
Everybody knew that I would end up here again
And I might have even been relieved
If only Lucy wasn’t counting on me

But don’t let her see me in this place
Don’t make me have to see that look on her face
So here’s what I need you to do
First tell her that I’m sorry she has to hear this from you

Tell Lucy that I love her but I’m not what she needs
Tell her I said she’s better off without me
Tell Lucy that I love her but I’ve gotta set her free
Tell Lucy not to worry
Tell her not to worry bout me

Then give her everything I own
Tell her to find someone and try to make a home
Then tell her everything I’ve done
All the reasons why I can’t be a father to her son

Tell Lucy that I love her but I’m not what she needs
Tell her I said she’s better off without me
Tell Lucy that I love her but that’s how it’s gotta be
Tell Lucy not to tell him
Tell her not to tell him ‘bout me

Yea I know someday he’ll be grown
I don’t want him to have the kind of life that I’ve known
And I’ll be just fine here on my own
Somewhere in the silence on the end of this phone

Tell Lucy that I love her but I’m not what she needs
Tell her I said she’s better off without me
Tell Lucy that I love her but I’ve gotta set her free
Tell Lucy not to worry
Tell her to forget about me

Tell Lucy That I Love Her (Full Band Version)

“Redemption and hope through song sums it up when I think of Matt Butler” says Kevin Lyman, the founder of the legendary Vans Warped Tour, who hosted Butler as one of the few solo acoustic acts on the Tour’s final cross country run in 2018; Matt was back as a mainstage performer at the Warped Anniversary show the following year.  In the time before and after, Butler’s been relentlessly on the road performing at everything from stadiums to state prisons.  With a rocked out electric and a heartbreaking live acoustic version being released simultaneously (February 19th), Butler’s latest single ‘Tell Lucy That I Love Her’ is ripped straight from the experience of performing over 150 shows in correctional facilities across the United States.  Moreover, the new single exemplifies how Butler’s music shines a light into some of the darkest corners of our world. He paints vivid pictures of pain and truth while exposing the glimmers of hope that only exist in those raw moments where redemption is born.

That skillful storytelling has led Butler to some unlikely venues. Shortly after the release of his debut album Reckless Son in 2016, he wrote and performed ‘Just One’, the original song for the feature length and nationally distributed documentary Generation Found - A film about teens struggling with substance abuse and special schools supporting their path to recovery.  Suddenly at the center of a growing national movement, in November of 2016 Matt was invited to play a concert for the incarcerated population “behind the walls” of Albany County Jail. Following a glowing response, word of the show quickly spread and requests to perform at other facilities culminated in an entire ‘Behind the Walls’ Tour of state prisons across Ohio.  Afterwards, he was named a ‘2017 Leader In Mental Health Awareness’ by The National Alliance On Mental Illness (NAMI).  Deeply inspired by these experiences, Butler established the Just One Foundation(501c3) in 2018 which brings art with a mission and a message into underserved communities.  

Matt kicked off 2020 by releasing the David Bendeth (Paramore, Bruce Hornsby) produced anthem ‘Like A River’ - a track inspired by the chance to be of service that exists in each moment of everyday life.  As he continues to record, Butler’s new music draws heavily on the stories of people he’s met on the road and behind the walls.  With accessible writing and relatable characters, upcoming singles like ‘Justice or Mercy’ and ‘Been Gone So Long’ can’t help but stir compassion in a listener.  Each song has a transcendent quality that shows us how universal our struggles and experiences can really be.  

To date, Butler has now performed in more than 30 correctional facilities across 11 states and continues this work alongside his regular touring.  He’s a staple figure at New York City’s famous ‘Rockwood Music Hall’ and performs in venues as diverse as local high schools, yoga centers and spiritual retreats.  He’s also gained recognition as a sought after keynote speaker (with guitar in hand, of course).

Tell Lucy That I Love Her (Full Band Version)

MattButlerSongs

Related tracks