Warner Music Nashville / Atlantic Records artist Devin Dawson is not your t… Read Full Bio ↴Warner Music Nashville / Atlantic Records artist Devin Dawson is not your typical country artist. His look is dark and bold. His sound is sleek and raw. He has a knack for writing razor sharp stories that cut straight to the heart, full of detail and clever turns of phrase. And his songs speak the language of a new generation. Dawson is an edgy study in contrast, poised as the next bolt of lightning to hit country’s family tree.

His approach to music is not different on purpose, it’s different with purpose. Twenty-eight years old and from Orangevale, California, Dawson grew up just outside the gates of Folsom Prison. He heard the sirens at night, and sang along to Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson, Marvin Gaye and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Arriving in Nashville in 2012, he put his unique skills to use authoring songs for other artists. When it came time to put together his own debut album, he teamed with equally daring producer Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Little Big Town, Brothers Osborne). Having co-written every track, the result is a mix of organic roots and high-voltage country, full of romance and delivered with a distinctive saw-toothed vocal. As he gets ready to join Maren Morris’ Hero Tour this year, Dawson is already establishing a reputation in Nashville as one of the most exciting modern singer-songwriters the format has ever seen.

Placebo
Devin Dawson Lyrics

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Every time I fall
I just try and convince myself it's the real thing
But that ain't it at all
I never learn my lesson
Looks can be deceiving

The mind
Yeah the mind is a powerful thing

But the heart is a whole lot smarter than you think
No, I'm not over you

Girl you've got me love sick from your loving
Need me something for a remedy
Girl you've got me dying but I'm hiding it
From another laying next to me
Can't help it that every time I think where did we go
Baby it takes me right back to zero
This ain't love, it's just a placebo

Living with that thought
Is a bitter sugar pill for me to swallow
But it's all I got
The only thing that'll get me to tomorrow

The mind, yeah the mind is a powerful thing, yeah
But the heart is a whole lot smarter than you think
I'm still not over you

Girl you've got me love sick from your loving
Need me something for a remedy
Girl you've got me dying but I'm hiding it
From another laying next to me
Can't help it that every time I think where did we go
Baby it takes me right back to zero
This ain't love, it's just a placebo

It might feel so
But it ain't though
It's just a placebo
It might feel so
But it ain't though
It's just a placebo

Girl you've got me love sick from your loving
Need me something for a remedy
Girl you've got me dying but I'm hiding it
From another laying next to me
Can't help it that every time I think where did we go
Baby it takes me right back to zero
This ain't love, it's just a placebo

Every time I fall

I just try and convince myself it's the real thing
But that ain't it at all

Overall Meaning

In "Placebo" by Devin Dawson, the singer-songwriter explores a toxic relationship that he can't seem to shake off. The lyrics detail how, despite his efforts to convince himself otherwise, his feelings for his ex-lover are not genuine. He likens his emotions to a placebo - a substance or treatment that has no real therapeutic effect but is given to a patient because they believe it will work.

The song's chorus is particularly poignant, as the singer admits that he's still in love with his ex, even though he knows it's not healthy for him. He's love sick and needs a remedy, but he's also hiding his feelings from another person who is lying beside him. The chorus ends with Dawson admitting that his relationship with his ex is not love, but merely a placebo.

The lyrics of "Placebo" illustrate a common experience--falling in love with the idea of someone rather than who they actually are. The song is a reminder that the mind can deceive us, and we must trust our hearts to guide us towards what's truly best for us. Dawson's emotive vocals and raw lyrics make "Placebo" an introspective and relatable song for many who have found themselves in a similar situation.

Line by Line Meaning

Every time I fall
Whenever I enter into a new relationship

I just try and convince myself it's the real thing
I try to tell myself that this newfound love is authentic

But that ain't it at all
I know deep down that there's something off about it

I never learn my lesson
I keep making the same mistakes when it comes to love

Looks can be deceiving
Just because things appear to be genuine, doesn't mean that they are

The mind
One's thoughts and feelings

Yeah the mind is a powerful thing
Our thoughts have the ability to shape our reality

But the heart is a whole lot smarter than you think
However, our emotions often have a better understanding of what's real and what's not

No, I'm not over you
I'm still struggling to move on from our past relationship

Girl you've got me love sick from your loving
You have me feeling sick with love and longing

Need me something for a remedy
I'm desperately searching for something to ease the pain of missing you

Girl you've got me dying but I'm hiding it
I'm hurting so badly but I'm trying to conceal it from those around me

From another laying next to me
Even when I'm with someone else, I can't help but think of you

Can't help it that every time I think where did we go
Whenever I reflect on our past together

Baby it takes me right back to zero
I feel like I'm starting all over again and have made no progress in getting over you

This ain't love, it's just a placebo
Despite my efforts to convince myself otherwise, this feeling of love is not authentic

Living with that thought
Dealing with the reality that my love is not real

Is a bitter sugar pill for me to swallow
It's difficult for me to accept and makes me feel uncomfortable

But it's all I got
However, it's the only thing that's keeping me going

It might feel so
Although it may seem genuine

But it ain't though
It's not the real thing

It's just a placebo
It's a fake or false feeling of love

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID HODGES, DEVIN DAWSON, JORDAN REYNOLDS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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