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.

Paradise
Daniel Caesar Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lil' nigga you gotta light a fire
This is far, far from the east my G
You far far away
A real man, be really getting his fuckin' money, my nigga
Why you stressed?
Life is not that sad baby bro
Get up and get off of your ass and get this fuckin' money

I gotta make something for myself, myself ooh
Don't forget you chose this life
Welcome to your paradise
Lay in your bed, reap what you sow
Welcome to your paradise

I used to stand on the rocks, I used to stand on the rock
On the Rock of Gibraltar
Father told me I faltered
Picking fights with my pops
He asked forgiveness a lot
But I don't need God's forgiveness
Can I get me a witness

I could cry, but I gotta pick my battles tonight, tonight
I could cry, I'll be fighting for the rest of my life, my life

Don't forget you chose this life
Welcome to your paradise
Lay in your bed, reap what you sow
Welcome to your paradise

Yeah, do you wanna be your father? Or do you wanna take it farther
Leave the woman that you'd break your heart for at the altar
'Cause you were offered a life that you would trade your heart for
Ain't gotta die to see heaven, I got your heaven nigga
Would rather rev on an engine than ever reverend, nigga
Black sheeps packing weapons in 911's, nigga
How could worship be worth it?
You love your God like yourself
So you deserve to be perfect
You deserve for your car to skrrt and your girl to be skirt less
Fuck on a Saturday nigga, miss Sunday service
Yeah, you made you a hundred verses, a hundred verses
That's why you need you a hundred virgins, a hundred virgins
Yeah, you wear your crown with a frown sometimes
You can't help but feel down at times
You were raised in the basement
Yeah, you used to pray on your spaceship

I gotta make something for myself, myself ooh
If you want to get this money, come and join me
If you want to get this money, come and join me

If you want to get this money, come and join me
If you want to get this money, come and join me

Overall Meaning

The song "Paradise" by Daniel Caesar is an introspective piece that focuses on the struggles of finding oneself and making something of oneself. The first verse begins with a message of encouragement to a young man who is struggling to find direction in his life. The repetitive use of "my nigga" is a common slang term used to show endearment and solidarity towards a fellow Black man. The chorus is an invitation to paradise which is essentially a symbol of contentment and fulfillment.

The second verse delves into the artist's personal struggles as a son who had conflicts with his father while growing up. The line "Father told me I faltered, picking fights with my pops" highlights the strained relationship that exists between the two. The next line "But I don't need God's forgiveness, can I get me a witness" could be understood in the context of the artist rejecting the notion of forgiveness or it could be seen as a plea for validation from his peers. The overall tone of the verse is one of inner turmoil with lines like "I could cry, I'll be fighting for the rest of my life" emphasizing the weight of these struggles on the artist.

The last verse changes the focus to a more philosophical standpoint. The lyrics touch on the idea of sacrificing one's desires to fulfill greater aspirations that will lead to paradise. The lines "Yeah, do you wanna be your father? Or do you wanna take it farther, Leave the woman that you'd break your heart for at the altar" highlight the constant choices that people have to make to improve their lives. The closing lines "If you want to get this money, come and join me" emphasize the artist's desire to uplift Black folks who, like him, have experienced oppression and the struggle to find their way in life.

Line by Line Meaning

Lil' nigga you gotta light a fire
You need to ignite that drive within you to succeed

This is far, far from the east my G
You're a long way from where you want to be

You far far away
You're physically distant from your goals

A real man, be really getting his fuckin' money, my nigga
Being a true adult means being able to earn and manage your finances

Why you stressed?
What's the point in being anxious or worried?

Life is not that sad baby bro
You don't have to let life's hardships bring you down

Get up and get off of your ass and get this fuckin' money
Don't just sit around, start putting in the work to achieve your financial goals

I gotta make something for myself, myself ooh
I need to achieve something on my own, for me

Don't forget you chose this life
Remember that you have control over the path you take

Welcome to your paradise
You have arrived at your ideal state of being

Lay in your bed, reap what you sow
Relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor

I used to stand on the rocks, I used to stand on the rock
I used to feel grounded and sure of myself

On the Rock of Gibraltar
Metaphorically, I used to be strong and unbreakable

Father told me I faltered
My dad pointed out where I went wrong

Picking fights with my pops
I was creating unnecessary conflict with my father

He asked forgiveness a lot
My dad tried to make things better and make amends

But I don't need God's forgiveness
I don't need anyone's forgiveness but my own

Can I get me a witness
Can anyone else relate to me and my struggle?

I could cry, but I gotta pick my battles tonight, tonight
There's no time for me to be upset, I need to focus on what's important

I could cry, I'll be fighting for the rest of my life, my life
If I let myself get emotional, I'll never stop fighting

Yeah, do you wanna be your father? Or do you wanna take it farther
Do you want to be just like your dad, or do you want to surpass him?

Leave the woman that you'd break your heart for at the altar
Don't settle and sacrifice your happiness for someone who's not right for you

'Cause you were offered a life that you would trade your heart for
You have so much potential in this life, don't throw it away

Ain't gotta die to see heaven, I got your heaven nigga
You can find your happiness and contentment in life without resorting to extremes

Would rather rev on an engine than ever reverend, nigga
I value the thrill of life rather than the guidance of religion

Black sheeps packing weapons in 911's, nigga
There are those who are seen as outcasts and are forced to take up arms to defend themselves

How could worship be worth it?
Is it really worth it to dedicate yourself to something so rigid and unyielding?

You love your God like yourself
You hold your God in high regard

So you deserve to be perfect
You aim to be flawless

You deserve for your car to skrrt and your girl to be skirt less
You deserve everything you desire, including a fast car and scantily clad women

Fuck on a Saturday nigga, miss Sunday service
You'd rather indulge in earthly pleasures than attend church

Yeah, you made you a hundred verses, a hundred verses
You're a prolific artist, having written countless songs

That's why you need you a hundred virgins, a hundred virgins
You have a lot of attention from the opposite sex due to your success

Yeah, you wear your crown with a frown sometimes
Even when you're at your highest point, you can still feel sadness

You can't help but feel down at times
Even though you're successful, life is not always sunshine and rainbows

You were raised in the basement
You had humble beginnings and worked your way up

Yeah, you used to pray on your spaceship
You used to seek spiritual guidance in unconventional ways

If you want to get this money, come and join me
If you're willing to work hard, you can achieve your financial goals with me

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Matthew Raymond Burnett, Jordan D C Evans, Chester A Hansen, Alexander William Sowinski, Matthew Adam Tavares, Leland Whitty, Ashton Simmonds, Matthew Leon, Keavan Yazdani

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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