Her debut album, Cheers to the Fall, was released on August 28, 2015. The album was produced by Adrian Gurvitz and Raphael Saadiq.
She was also featured in Rolling Stone's "10 New Artists You Need to Know" for July 2015. NPR's Katie Presley has praised her singing by saying it has "Eartha Kitt's unflappable confidence, Amy Winehouse's effortless grasp of classic jazz, Billie Holiday's access to raw emotion and Adele's range and pop sensibility."
On December 7, 2015 Day received two nominations at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards including Best R&B Performance for "Rise Up" and Best R&B Album for "Cheers to the Fall".
Honey or Fire
Andra Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But can't pick a side
Is it on, is it over
Are you in, are you out?
Make up your mind
So I can keep mine
Is it on, is it over
Are you in, are you out?
You're in the wind just like a palm tree in a storm
But I'll be the only one to break and fall
When you call, oh
So give me honey
Give me fire
Give me honey
Or give me fire
You love me, you say
And then run away
Are we coming or going
Is it on, is it off?
Or call everyday
Then say you need space
Are we coming or going
Is it on, is it off?
You're in the wind just like a palm tree in a storm
But I'll be the only one to break and fall
When you call oh, oh
Give me honey, give me fire
Love me wholly, or let me fly
Hot or cold, no just right
Give me honey or give me fire
'Cause you ain't no good when you're, you're just lukewarm
And I'm closing this bar
So make your last call
We can have everything, or nothing at all
Give me honey, give me fire
Give me honey, or give me fire
Give me honey, give me fire
Love me wholly, or let me fly
Hot or cold, no just right
Love me wholly, or let me fly
'Cause you ain't no good, no you ain't no good oh no
So give me honey or give me fire
'Cause you ain't no good when you're, you're just lukewarm
The lyrics of Andra Day's song "Honey or Fire" seem to be about a relationship where one person cannot seem to make up their mind about their feelings. The singer is frustrated with the constant back and forth and wants the other person to choose definitively whether they are in or out. The line "You drew this line but can't pick a side" captures this sentiment perfectly.
The repeated phrase "is it on, is it over, are you in, are you out?" underscores the singer's anxiety and confusion about the status of their relationship. The simile "You're in the wind just like a palm tree in a storm, but I'll be the only one to break and fall" suggests that the singer feels that they are the one who is vulnerable and will suffer the most in this situation.
The chorus of the song expresses the singer's desire for a clear and passionate love, whether it be honey or fire. They don't want lukewarm feelings or half-hearted commitment. The final line of the song, " 'Cause you ain't no good when you're, you're just lukewarm" reinforces this idea.
Overall, "Honey or Fire" is a powerful song about the importance of clear and committed love in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
You drew this line
You set the boundaries in this relationship
But can't pick a side
But you can't decide where you stand
Is it on, is it over
Is this relationship over or still going?
Are you in, are you out?
Are you committed or not?
Make up your mind
Please decide so that I can know where I stand
So I can keep mine
So I can know what I want
You're in the wind just like a palm tree in a storm
You're indecisive and unpredictable
But I'll be the only one to break and fall
I'll be the only one to suffer from the consequences of your actions
When you call, oh
When you come back to me
So give me honey
Give me sweet, genuine love and commitment
Give me fire
Give me passion and excitement in this relationship
You love me, you say
You claim to love me
And then run away
But then you distance yourself from me
Are we coming or going
Are we moving forward or backwards in this relationship?
Is it on, is it off?
Is this relationship still going or not?
Or call everyday
Or you call me everyday
Then say you need space
But then you claim to need space
Give me honey or give me fire
Either show me real, committed love or leave me alone
'Cause you ain't no good when you're, you're just lukewarm
You're not good for me if you can't fully commit or can't decide where you stand
And I'm closing this bar
I'm ending this conversation/relationship
So make your last call
So make your final decision
We can have everything, or nothing at all
We can have a great relationship, or none at all
Love me wholly, or let me fly
Either love me fully or let me go free
Hot or cold, no just right
Either be all in or all out, no in-between
'Cause you ain't no good, no you ain't no good oh no
You're not a good partner if you can't commit or decide where you stand
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: RAPHAEL SAADIQ, CASSANDRA MONIQUE BATIE, ADRIAN ISRAEL GURVITZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
R.D Bergman
She's probably the best singer since Whinehouse..
Daniel G
your voice will be the soundtrack to many many many flims, the audible gold that comes from your soul will bring down the raptors and raise the dead shugguh.
Muffin Playz Roblox
Daniel G YEES I always imagine the songs I love in the background of movie scenes
Skoyia Warner
+boinkye Agree Andra Day should just be featured on the next James Bond soundtrack because this entire album is giving me life. She looks like Rihanna and sings and dresses like Amy Winehouse💖💖💖💖💖
boinkye
Funny I just posted on another one of her songs that I felt like it was from a James Bond soundtrack :)
AskaArnold
My ENTIRE chest tightened once she started the chorus ! I have no clue what kind of feelings you gave me with that ,but they were magical ! 😍😍💯
MrsHoneyX
obsessed. thank you for the good music, Ms. Day❤
Silvia Mazon
Voz maravilhosa.......musicas incríveis ......👏👏👏👏❤️❤️👏❤️👏💖
Tainah Gouvêa
Ela não tem musicas ruins, incrível! 💕
TheWiseOne Bryant
Another great song.