Smith has been performing since the age of 8 and writing songs since 11, amassing a broad catalog of mostly unreleased tracks that skew from pop to modern soul. One of the earliest songs she remembers writing was called “High Street,” about when all the stores in her hometown of Walsall, in the midwest of England, closed during the economic recession of the late-’00s, leaving behind a hollow ghost town. Walsall is a run-down place, Smith said, with “a lot of creative people, but not many possibilities.”
Let Me Down
Jorja Smith Lyrics
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Would you think about them all the time?
Wonder if you'll even notice in the morning
So where'd you go when you can't get to me
And you just can't control?
Sometimes, I wouldn't mind if I was less important
But I've got you to let me down
I've got you to let me down
Only you can understand why
That I've got you to let me down
Most times, I could have cried
Instead I tried to hide it, uh
Like last night
I was the one who hurt but seemed to like it
We love on a bed of lies
Blaming me, taking my love for granted
This is the last time
No fuss, say that finally I've been selfish, uh
I've got you to let me down
I've got you to let me down
Only you can understand why
That I've got you to let me down, no
Yeah, I tried, but I just can't give you up
Wonder why is it that I'm not good enough?
Some kind of hold over me
But I've got you to let me down
But I've got you to let me down
Only you, only you can understand why
That I've got you to let me down
(Thank you)
In Jorja Smith’s song Let Me Down, the singer expresses her feelings towards the intricacies of her relationship with her lover. She starts by saying that sometimes, she wishes she were not so important to him, so that he wouldn't have to think about her all the time. She wonders if he will even notice her absence in the morning. This shows how the singer is struggling with her self-worth, as she feels she is putting too much effort into the relationship, which isn't being reciprocated.
In the second verse, the rapper (Stormzy) reflects on the distance he keeps between him and the singer. He acknowledges how strong the singer is but doesn't want her to waste her love on him, as he fears he might run away when he sees her cry. He admits that he chooses to be distant, but he knows what a real queen is, which suggests that he respects the singer and doesn't want to hurt her. In the bridge, the singer talks about the hold her lover has over her, which she cannot explain.
Overall, Let Me Down represents a relationship where both partners are struggling to communicate their feelings and expectations. While the singer desires to be appreciated and loved, the rapper is uncertain about his readiness to reciprocate her love. The song is a representation of the complicated and tumultuous nature of human relationships that can be hard to navigate.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes, I wouldn't mind if I was less important
I sometimes wish I wasn't so important to you
Would you think about them all the time?
Would you think about me all the time if I wasn't as important to you?
Wonder if you'll even notice in the morning
I wonder if you'll even remember me in the morning
So where'd you go when you can't get to me
Where do you go when you can't be with me?
And you just can't control?
And you can't control yourself?
But I've got you to let me down
You are the one who lets me down
Only you can understand why
Only you can understand why you let me down
Yeah, yo, it's like
This is how I feel
You've got me, I'm pondering that
I'm thinking about how you have me
Said, 'I'll be back in a sec, I need to reflect'
You said you needed time to reflect
But you swear it's been longer than that
But it feels like you've been gone longer than that
Time is golden, time is thin
Time is precious
But time is rare, so we squander and that
But we often waste the time we have
I feel your pain when I hear your voice
I can hear the pain in your voice
So fix your tone, man, you're stronger than that
You need to speak with more strength and confidence
And you're, like, the strongest girl I know
You are one of the strongest people I know
Don't go wasting your loving on me
Don't give me your love if it'll just be wasted
When I see tears run, I'm likely to run
When I see you cry, I'm inclined to run away
So girl, don't love me, I mean it
Don't love me if you don't mean it
When I say I love you, I mean it
I truly love you
And it's mad cuh I choose to be distant
It's crazy that I'm choosing to be distant
But it's f*cked cuh I know what a queen is. So why do I?
It's messed up that I know what a good woman is but I still act this way
Sometimes, your world spins 'round
Sometimes life can be overwhelming
But you never had a king 'til now
But you never had someone like me before
Yeah, girl, do you understand
Do you understand what I'm saying?
Why these feelings never come to plan?
Why can't things go as planned?
I'm never gonna let you down, I'm never gonna let you down
I promise to never disappoint you
Yeah, I tried, but I just can't give you up
I tried to let you go but I can't
Wonder why is it that I'm not good enough?
I wonder why I'm not enough for you
Some kind of hold over me
You have some power over me
If I let you down, will you self-destruct?
If I disappoint you, will you fall apart?
Only you, only you can understand why
Only you can understand why you have such an effect on me
I've got you to let me down
You are the one who lets me down
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ed Thomas, Jorja Smith, Michael Omari
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind