How Can I
Axel Flovent Lyrics


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I took my head out of the water
'Cause I miss the cold, cold air
I took a walk with my father
Never have when I think about it

So you said I've been the devil
Thinking only about myself
And in many ways I have
Been obsessing about my mental health

And I wanna be there for you but
How can I? How can I
When I'm never there for myself?
And I wanna be there for you but
How can I? How can I
When I'm never there for myself?

I wanna listen to your silence
But I guess it's now too late
You know too much about me
To find comfort in my broken words

And I wanna be there for you but
How can I? How can I
When I'm never there for myself?
And I wanna be there for you but
How can I? How can I
When I'm never there for myself?

'Cause I wasted all my time
Just thinking I must try
To be somebody else
And I wasted all my time
Just thinking I must try
To be somebody else

And I wanna be there for you but
How can I? How can I
When I'm never there for myself?
And I wanna be there for you but
How can I? How can I
When I'm never there for myself?

No
No




No
No

Overall Meaning

Axel Flovent’s song How Can I is a heartbreaking exploration of self-doubt and the difficulties of being there for loved ones when one is struggling themselves. In the first verse, Axel sings about missing the cold air and taking a walk with his father, something he never did before. This highlights the feeling of isolation that Axel feels and the missed opportunities to form meaningful connections in the past. The next verse talks about how Axel has been called the devil by someone, likely due to his self-obsession and focus on his own mental health. He feels guilty for not being there for his loved ones while trying to be there for himself.


Axel then talks about wanting to be there for someone but not knowing how to when he is not even there for himself. He wants to listen to someone’s silence, but it is too late now. They already know too much about him, and he fears he can’t offer comfort in his broken words. The repetition of ‘How can I?’ emphasizes the desperation and frustration that Axel feels in his inability to be there for someone he cares about. The song ends with Axel lamenting how he has wasted all his time trying to be someone else, realizing that he will never be able to be there for someone else if he doesn't learn how to be there for himself.


Overall, How Can I is a beautiful and thoughtful song that delves into the pain of self-doubt and the difficulties of meaningful relationships when one struggles with their own mental health.


Line by Line Meaning

I took my head out of the water
I paused what I was doing to come up for air


'Cause I miss the cold, cold air
I desired the colder climate outside the water


I took a walk with my father
I spent time with my dad by going for a walk together


Never have when I think about it
I realized that I have not spent much time with him before


So you said I've been the devil
You pointed out that I have been selfish


Thinking only about myself
I have been too preoccupied with my own thoughts


And in many ways I have
I must admit that you are right


Been obsessing about my mental health
I've been too preoccupied with my wellbeing


And I wanna be there for you but How can I? How can I When I'm never there for myself?
I want to support you, but I struggle with supporting myself first


I wanna listen to your silence
I want to be present with you, even when you're not speaking


But I guess it's now too late
I realize that I have missed my chance to connect with you


You know too much about me
You already know too much about my personal struggles


To find comfort in my broken words
You cannot find solace in my attempts to communicate my emotions


'Cause I wasted all my time Just thinking I must try To be somebody else
I have spent much time pretending to be someone I'm not


And I wasted all my time Just thinking I must try To be somebody else
I have put too much energy into being someone other than myself


No No No No
Repeated response indicating a finality of thought, no further explanation necessary




Contributed by Kaitlyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Aashutosh

This dude is criminally underrated, he needs more attention than this... His voice 🖤

Liv

"I wanna listen to your silence, but I guess it's now too late"
A close friend of mine was recently killed in a car accident and this lyric hit me so hard. You dont realize how incredible it is to sit in silence with somebody until they're gone, and you find that you cant sit in silence alone without feeling lonely. Beautiful song, so real and emotional

Denisse Petit

This is one of the best songs I've ever heard, I really love Axel's music so much! His songs have helped me deal with anxiety and depression, and I think it's doing the same with many people. Greetings from Lima, Peru. ❤️️

Jesus Quevedo

Hola tambien de Peru me gustan las canciones de Axel Flovent te recomiendo de Dustin Tebbutt

Mat Canary

WOW! Didn't know you were underrated man, I thought you had over a hundred thousand following by the way your music moved me! I searched for the lyrics and thought checking out the video. You deserve the world! Thank you for making meaningful music and speaking my mind out, hope the world listens to this song. Will be spreading this! I added it on my November chill folk playlist. Please please never stop making music!

Emily CK

I'm so lucky to have heard you play this in Budapest. The meaning of this song really hit home for me, and I can't express how grateful I am that you put it into words. You're such a talented writer and performer, please keep sharing yourself with the world 💓

KatieIIGBmcr

Thank you, Axel. Your music is doing amazing things to my soul and I'm grateful for that. Lots of love. I can't wait to see you performing it live in some cozy venue in Poland

İrem Yağcı

Thank you for singing Axel 😊
How a perfect song as usual.
Love U and your songs ♡

Jade

I love you so much! you are VERY talented, I wanted the whole world to see this! I am the proudest fan in the world. Thank you for everything, thanks for being you. Brazil loves you, i love you 🇧🇷♥️

Edgar Galdino

Uhulll, vai curintian

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