Daniel Caesar’s first chapter unfolded in a suburb of Toronto, where he was… Read Full Bio ↴Daniel Caesar’s first chapter unfolded in a suburb of Toronto, where he was born to Bajan and Jamaican parents and raised listening to soul and gospel music while singing in front of his father’s church congregation. The singer and songwriter left home at 17 to pursue his calling as a musical artist. Caesar independently released his first two EPs, Praise Break (2014) and Pilgrim’s Paradise (2017), to widespread praise—the first of which landed at #19 on Rolling Stone’s list of “20 Best R&B Albums of 2014.” However, it was his 2017 debut album, Freudian, that marked him as one of this generation’s most exciting artists to watch—the album went on to be nominated for two GRAMMY Awards (“Best R&B Album” and “Best R&B Performance” for “Get You”), and the following year, Caesar took home the award for “Best R&B Performance” for his breakout hit, “Best Part.” The GRAMMY Award-winning and Juno Award-winning artist soon followed this early success with his critically acclaimed sophomore album, Case Study 01 (2019), and most recently his multi-platinum, worldwide hit, “Peaches” with Justin Bieber and Giveon (2021). Amassing over 5 billion streams across his catalogue and over 31 million monthly listeners, Caesar currently ranked the 79th “Most Listened To Artist in the World” and top 10 “Most Streamed Canadian Artists of All Time” on Spotify. Now, Daniel Caesar gears up for his next chapter, as he continues to redefine what R&B can be, while quietly overtaking the mainstream.

Little Rowboat
Daniel Caesar Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

We don't say enough
We don't stay in love, my brothers

What the fuck is up?
What the fuck is up?

I don't say my prayers when I wake up
I don't call my mom enough

What the fuck is up?
What the fuck is up?

Guess I'll go to Heaven
In a little rowboat
It's better there

The powers that be
They won't let us see
What we really are
What's beyond the stars

Guess I'll go to Heaven
In a little rowboat
It's better there

Enlighten up, my friends
Enlighten up, my friends

Enlighten up, my friends
Enlighten up, my friends

Overall Meaning

The song "Little Rowboat" by Daniel Caesar contemplates the lack of communication and staying power of love in relationships. The opening lines are a lament that people do not express themselves enough or show love consistently. The expletives that follow these lines denote frustration and confusion on the singer's part. Caesar then confesses he does not pray or contact his mother enough. The rhetorical question, "What the f*** is up?" punctuates the singer's guilt and recognition of his flaws.

The second half of the song delves into existential themes, with the singer suggesting he'll go to heaven in a little rowboat because that's better than what he's experiencing in life currently. The singer highlights the power structures that prevent people from seeing beyond the surface of things and realizing greater potential. The "enlighten up, my friends" closing lines urge the listeners to seek awareness and growth to overcome the limitations.

One interpretation of the song is that it warns against complacency in love and communication by recognizing one's faults and limitations. The second part implies that enlightenment is possible if we acknowledge the broader scope of existence and move beyond the current systems that box us in. All of these emotions are conveyed through Caesar's soulful voice and the tranquil instrumental backdrops that create a reflective atmosphere.

Line by Line Meaning

We don't say enough
We often hold back or fail to communicate important things.

We don't stay in love, my brothers
We struggle to maintain long-term interpersonal relationships, especially amongst men.

What the fuck is up?
A rhetorical question expressing confusion or frustration with current circumstances.

I don't say my prayers when I wake up
The artist doesn't participate in conventional religious practices as much as they believe they should.

I don't call my mom enough
The artist feels as though they neglect their family, or specifically their mother.

Guess I'll go to Heaven
The artist contemplates the concept of an afterlife, and what it might entail for them personally.

In a little rowboat
The artist imagines a specific way of entering or experiencing the afterlife.

It's better there
The artist believes that either the afterlife or an idealized version of life is preferable to the present.

The powers that be
The unknowable forces that govern or control humanity from above, whether divine or not.

They won't let us see
We are subject to forces beyond our understanding, that withhold the true nature of reality from us.

What we really are
A fundamental truth about our nature or existence is hidden or obscured from us.

What's beyond the stars
Something significant, either literally or metaphorically, lies beyond what we assume to be the boundaries of our existence.

Enlighten up, my friends
The artist encourages others to seek a greater truth or understanding of their own existence, and to look beyond the strictures of established thought or belief.

Enlighten up, my friends
The artist reiterates their desire for others to expand their consciousness or recognize the limitations of conventional thought.

Enlighten up, my friends
The artist restates their plea for others to continue searching for greater knowledge or personal truth.

Enlighten up, my friends
The artist reminds their listeners that there is always more to learn or understand, and that they should continue to be curious and open-minded.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ashton Simmonds, Ian Kenneth William Culley, Jordan D C Evans

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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