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".
The Only Way Out
Andra Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And use my eyes, would you pity me?
Would you see the desperate nights
And all the lies that brought me to my knees
I keep thinking that I have to make you fall
The way I fell from your betrayal to bring me peace of mind
I won't let you move along, just walk away
And wear a cape like you're some hero
I can't hear love 'cause we're at war
And revenge is so loud and the drums are so proud
But oh, I'm in a cage and I hear mercy say "I'm here now"
And it's the only way out
(I can't hear love 'cause we're at war)
But revenge is so loud and the drums are so proud
But I'm still in a cage and I hear mercy say now
It's the only way out
I used to hear my father say, "Counterplay ends in defeat"
And I said I'd never be that way
Tried to make you pay 'cause it would cost me
But you owe me so much more than what you gave to this
I guess every story twists
People tell me let it go, oh, and forget
I can't hear love 'cause we're at war
And revenge is so loud and the drums are so proud
But oh, I'm in a cage and I hear mercy say "I'm here now"
And it's the only way out
(I can't hear love 'cause we're at war)
But revenge is so loud and the drums are so proud
But I'm still in a cage and I hear mercy say now
It's the only way
Mercy's the only way out
Mercy gave me my way out
In the first verses of Andra Day's song The Only Way Out, the artist talks about the pain she has experienced in her life due to betrayal and lies. She wonders if others would feel sorry for her or understand her struggles if they could see things from her perspective. She also talks about the desire to make the person who hurt her feel the same pain that they caused her, but ultimately realizing that using revenge as a way out will only lead to more suffering, and prevent her from hearing and experiencing true love.
The chorus, "I can't hear love 'cause we're at war, And revenge is so loud and the drums are so proud, But oh, I'm in a cage and I hear mercy say "I'm here now", And it's the only way out," reflects the artist struggling to find a way out of her pain and anger. She is caught in a cycle of revenge and hatred, but she is beginning to hear the voice of mercy and forgiveness, realizing that it is the only way to truly break free from her cage of pain.
The last verse of the song talks about the artist's journey towards forgiveness and finding a way out of her pain. She acknowledges the mistakes she has made in the past to try and seek revenge on others who have wronged her, and the realization that true healing comes from forgiveness and mercy. The song ends with the powerful line, "Mercy's the only way out, Mercy gave me my way out", highlighting the artist's decision to choose mercy and forgiveness over revenge and hatred.
Line by Line Meaning
If you could look inside my life
If you could see my life from my perspective
And use my eyes, would you pity me?
Would you feel sorry for me if you were me?
Would you see the desperate nights
Would you notice the nights when I was at my lowest?
And all the lies that brought me to my knees
And the false promises that led me to despair
I keep thinking that I have to make you fall
I want to make you suffer the way you hurt me
The way I fell from your betrayal to bring me peace of mind
How I lost my peace of mind because of your betrayal
I won't let you move along, just walk away
I won't allow you to leave without consequences
And wear a cape like you're some hero
And pretend to be a hero, when you are not
I can't hear love 'cause we're at war
I can't feel love because we are in conflict
And revenge is so loud and the drums are so proud
And the desire for vengeance is overwhelming
But oh, I'm in a cage and I hear mercy say "I'm here now"
But I am trapped within myself, yet I hear the voice of compassion saying it is here for me
And it's the only way out
Forgiveness is the only escape from my pain
(I can't hear love 'cause we're at war)
(I am unable to experience love because of our conflict)
But revenge is so loud and the drums are so proud
But my desire for revenge is overwhelming and drums in my head
But I'm still in a cage and I hear mercy say now
But I am still trapped, yet I hear mercy say it is available to me now
It's the only way
It is the only way to find inner peace
Mercy's the only way out
Only through showing mercy can I find my way out
Mercy gave me my way out
Choosing forgiveness allowed me to release my pain and find freedom
Lyrics Β© BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CASSANDRA MONIQUE BATIE, DAVE WOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mambo Lee G
The first time i heard this song I actually cried. Like i was bawling my eyes out. Thinking of everything in my life and the bitterness i encounter and deal with sometimes. After that i looked to the heavens and said "Father all in your Hands cause i cant do it on my own. Help me forgive too"
Some might think its crazy or I'm just seeing things but i actually felt peace after that.
Britany Kunzler
Wow! Beautiful! Thanks for sharing! And I know you're not crazy! God bless you!ππ
Rodrigo MuΓ±oz
Got the same effect on me... I remembered many hard times.
Austin Peters
Bien venito!
Yuwen Seunie
Sameeππβ€οΈβ€οΈ
M Harmon
U werenβt crazy. U spoke to your Father in Heaven. You spoke to your Creator and He heard your cry. Glory to God!
Gazy santos
β€ amo essa mulher e amo as musicas dela β€π§π·π§π·
Diva
Tbm β€
Jordana Machado
Tbm amo fora q ela e a cara da hianna
Merimar Fraser
This song is on repeat... Her vocals are phenomenal and the message in the music speaks to me. Definitely one of my fave female artists