Demetria Devonne Lovato, professionally known as Demi Lovato, is an America… Read Full Bio ↴Demetria Devonne Lovato, professionally known as Demi Lovato, is an American singer, songwriter and actress. After appearing on the children's television series Barney & Friends (2002–2004), Lovato rose to prominence for playing Mitchie Torres in the musical television film Camp Rock (2008) and its sequel Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010); the former film's soundtrack contained "This Is Me", Lovato's debut single and duet with Joe Jonas, which peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.

After signing with Hollywood Records, Lovato released their pop rock debut album, Don't Forget (2008), which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. Its follow-up, Here We Go Again (2009), debuted at number one in the U.S., while its title track reached number 15 on the Hot 100. Lovato's third studio album, Unbroken (2011), experimented with pop and R&B and spawned the U.S. platinum-certified single "Skyscraper". They released her eponymous fourth album in 2013, which debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, and contained the top-ten international hit "Heart Attack". Lovato's fifth and sixth albums, Confident (2015) and Tell Me You Love Me (2017), infused soul and mature themes; they earned a Grammy Award nomination for Confident, while "Sorry Not Sorry", the lead single from Tell Me You Love Me, became her highest-charting single in the U.S., reaching number six. After a hiatus, Lovato released their seventh album, Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over (2021), which reached number two on the Billboard 200.

On television, Lovato has starred as the titular character on the sitcom Sonny with a Chance (2009–2011), served as a judge on the music competition series The X Factor USA for its second and third seasons, and appeared as a recurring character on the musical comedy Glee (2013–2014) and the sitcom Will & Grace (2020). They also starred in the television drama film Princess Protection Program (2009), the animated comedy film Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017), and the musical comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020).

Lovato has sold over 24 million records in the United States[6] and has also received numerous accolades, including an MTV Video Music Award, 14 Teen Choice Awards, five People's Choice Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, a Guinness World Record, and was included on the Time 100 annual list in 2017. An activist for several social causes, Lovato's struggles with an eating disorder and substance abuse have received considerable media attention, in response to which they published the self-help memoir Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year (2013) and released the documentaries Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated (2017) and Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil (2021). In 2021, Lovato had come out as nonbionary.

SKIN OF MY TEETH
Demi Lovato Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Demi leaves rehab again
When is this shit gonna end?
Sounds like a voice in my head
I can't believe I'm not dead

I'm alive by the skin of my teeth
I survived, but it got harder to breathe
Asking why doesn't make it easier, go easier on me

God damn it, I just wanna be free
But I can't 'cause it's a fucking disease
I'm alive by the skin of my

Woo-ooh, woo-ooh

The reaper knocks on my door
'Cause I'm addicted to more
I don't need you to keep score
When I'm the one who's at war

I'm alive by the skin of my teeth
I survived, but it got harder to breathe
Asking why doesn't make it easier, go easier on me
God damn it, I just wanna be free
But I can't 'cause it's a fucking disease
I'm alive by the skin of my

I'm just trying to keep my head above water
I'm your son and I'm your daughter
I'm your mother, I'm your father
I'm just a product of the problem

I'm just trying to keep my head above water
I'm your son and I'm your daughter
I'm your mother, I'm your father

I'm alive

I'm alive by the skin of my teeth
Won't you try and have some mercy on me?
Asking why doesn't make it easier, go easier on me
God damn it, I just wanna be free
But I can't 'cause it's a fucking disease
I'm alive by the skin of my

Woo-ooh (alive)
Woo-ooh (I'm alive by)
Woo-ooh (the skin of my teeth)

Overall Meaning

The song “Skin of My Teeth” by Demi Lovato captures the struggles and hardships of addiction and the process of overcoming it. The lyrics convey the feeling of being at the brink of death, with the singer admitting that she’s barely hanging on “by the skin of my teeth”. The opening lines acknowledge the singer’s frequent trips to rehab and sends out a question about when the cycle will ever end. The line “I'm alive by the skin of my teeth” emphasizes the fact that she’s barely surviving; it’s only through sheer will and determination that she hasn’t succumbed to the addiction.

The chorus is a plea for people to have some compassion and understanding for the struggles of addiction. She expresses how much she wants to be free from the disease, but knows that it’s a difficult journey. The bridge of the song talks about how addiction is not just an individual problem, but a problem that has its roots in society. She uses the phrase “I’m your son” and “I’m your daughter” to emphasize how the addiction can affect anyone, regardless of their background or social status.

Overall, “Skin of My Teeth” is a powerful and honest account of the struggles of addiction and the persistence it takes to overcome it. Through her music, Demi Lovato shines a light on the issue and encourages people to have empathy and understanding towards those undergoing this difficult journey.

Line by Line Meaning

Demi leaves rehab again
Demi Lovato has left rehab again, indicating that her battle with addiction is a continuous struggle.

When is this shit gonna end?
The singer is frustrated with her ongoing struggle with addiction, questioning when it will ever come to an end.

Sounds like a voice in my head
The singer's thoughts about addiction feel like an incessant voice inside her mind.

I can't believe I'm not dead
Given the severity of the artist's addiction, she expresses surprise at still being alive.

I'm alive by the skin of my teeth
The artist feels that she has barely survived her addiction and is only still alive by sheer luck or chance.

I survived, but it got harder to breathe
The singer has managed to survive her struggles with addiction, but it has become increasingly difficult to do so.

Asking why doesn't make it easier, go easier on me
The singer acknowledges that simply questioning why she struggles with addiction won't make it any easier for her to overcome.

God damn it, I just wanna be free
The artist is frustrated with her addiction and just wants to be free from its grasp.

But I can't 'cause it's a fucking disease
The artist recognizes that her addiction is a disease and not something she can simply overcome with willpower alone.

The reaper knocks on my door
The artist feels as though death, represented by the reaper, is knocking on her door due to her addiction.

'Cause I'm addicted to more
The singer's addiction has caused her to crave more and more, leading her down a dangerous path.

I don't need you to keep score
The artist does not want others to judge or keep track of her failures or setbacks in her addiction recovery journey.

When I'm the one who's at war
The singer acknowledges that her battle with addiction is an internal war that she is fighting by herself.

I'm just trying to keep my head above water
The singer is struggling to keep herself afloat and survive through her addiction.

I'm your son and I'm your daughter
The singer represents all individuals struggling with addiction, regardless of age, gender, or any other factors.

I'm your mother, I'm your father
The artist acknowledges that addiction affects not just the individual, but also their loved ones.

I'm just a product of the problem
The artist recognizes that her addiction is a byproduct of larger societal and personal issues.

Won't you try and have some mercy on me?
The singer is pleading for others to show her compassion and understanding as she continues to fight her addiction.

Woo-ooh (alive)
The singer is alive despite the challenges she has faced in her addiction recovery journey.

Woo-ooh (I'm alive by)
The artist is emphasizing that her survival is due to sheer luck or chance.

Woo-ooh (the skin of my teeth)
The artist is emphasizing that her survival has been extremely close and almost didn't happen at all.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Aaron Jennings Puckett, Alex Vincent Niceforo, Demitria Lovato, Keith Roger Sorrells, Laura Jeanne Veltz, Warren Felder

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS