After the song Flaws surfaced in 2012 through Hardlivings, Denai's first full release was 'Saudade' EP (including Wolves and Gone on Because Music. It was followed by The Lake EP in November 2013. A year later, I swore and Feeling were released, as well as a collaboration with SBTRKT on The Light.
Her debut album, 'Elsewhere', was produced by Rodaidh McDonald (the xx, Savages), with additional work by Ben Drew (aka Plan B). It was preceded by the singles Blame and no light and available in March 2015.
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Detonate
Denai Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It might break
As long as I'm not falling on my own
I'd hate to see you fall on your own, on your own
I feel the rain, this water at my feet
Won't wash away, there's no place I'd rather be
So far from home
As long as I'm not left here on my own, on my own
Don't detonate, don't go off
Don't detonate now cause any day now
We're gonna be safe and sound
I see you changed
Long time coming but we stayed the same
As long as I'm not changing on my own
I'd hate to see you stray on your own, on your own
Mock me with words, throw me in your fire
Watch me burn, be the sole survivor
Cast a stone
As long as I'm not hurting on my own, on my own
And I know we're swimming in a sea without a shore
We're flying through the eye of a storm
Don't look down, there's a long, long way to go
Go, go
Denai Moore’s song Detonate seems to be a reflection on the different challenges that life throws at us as we grow and evolve. In the first verse, the artist contemplates her own vulnerability, acknowledging that while the cracks in the pavement may crumble and break, she hopes to never be falling alone. Throughout the song, Moore explores the balance between independence and vulnerability, as well as the tension between wanting to stay the same and adapting to changing circumstances.
In the chorus, the artist pleads with someone, likely a romantic partner or a friend, to not “detonate” or change suddenly and destructively. The repetition of “don’t detonate” seems to suggest a fear of conflict or disruption that might threaten the stability of their relationship. Moore seems to be advocating for communication and cooperation to avoid these explosive moments.
The second verse further explores the tension between change and staying the same. Moore acknowledges that though she has changed, she hopes that her loved ones will stay the same. She also recognizes the power of language and how words can hurt and affect us, but ultimately concludes that she can only control her own hurt and must remove herself from situations where she is being hurt.
Overall, Detonate is a song about the challenges of growing up and the importance of communication and cooperation in maintaining relationships as we change.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel the cracks in the pavement crumble
I am aware of the instability in my life
It might break
My life is currently unstable
As long as I'm not falling on my own
As long as I'm not dealing with this instability by myself
I'd hate to see you fall on your own, on your own
I don't want you to deal with instability by yourself either
I feel the rain, this water at my feet
I sense the negativity surrounding me
Won't wash away, there's no place I'd rather be
But I would rather be here than anywhere else
So far from home
It's been a difficult journey
As long as I'm not left here on my own, on my own
I need someone to lean on, to help me through
Don't detonate now, don't detonate now
Don't give in to the negativity now
Don't detonate, don't go off
It's not time to give up or lose hope
Don't detonate now cause any day now
Things will turn around soon
We're gonna be safe and sound
And we'll make it to a better place
I see you changed
I've noticed your progress
Long time coming but we stayed the same
It's been a long journey and we've been in this together
As long as I'm not changing on my own
But I don't want to change by myself
I'd hate to see you stray on your own, on your own
And I don't want you to change without me either
Mock me with words, throw me in your fire
Others may try to bring me down through harsh words or actions
Watch me burn, be the sole survivor
But I will rise above it and come out stronger
Cast a stone
Others may try to hurt me
As long as I'm not hurting on my own, on my own
But I won't let their actions bring me down by myself
And I know we're swimming in a sea without a shore
I know we're navigating through the unknown
We're flying through the eye of a storm
We're going through difficult times
Don't look down, there's a long, long way to go
But we need to keep pushing forward and not lose hope
Go, go
Let's keep moving forward to a better tomorrow
Writer(s): Robert Kleiner, Danai Moore
Contributed by Camden N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.