Born to Sudanese and Scottish parents, Eliza Shaddad is a descendent of a long line of artists and poets dating back to the 1800’s. Raised across Europe and Africa and now based in London, her four-track EP ‘Waters‘ was produced by Mercury Music Prize nominated Chris Bond — the talent behind Ben Howard — and released on Beatnik Creative.
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Eliza Shaddad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If sometimes you see that I′m mad
Don't you know no one alive can always be an angel?
When everything goes wrong, you see some bad
But I′m just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please, don't let me be misunderstood
With a joy that′s hard to hide
And then sometimes, again, it seems that all I have is worry
And then you′re bound to see my other side
But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please, don′t let me be misunderstood
If I seem edgy
I want you to know
I never meant to take it out on all you
Life has its problems
And I get more than my share
But that's one thing I never mean to do
′Cause I love you
Oh baby, I'm just human
Don′t you know I have faults like anyone?
Sometimes I find myself alone, regretting
Some little foolish thing
Some simple thing that I've done
'Cause I′m just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please, don′t let me be misunderstood
I try so hard, don't let me be misunderstood
I try so hard, don′t let me be misunderstood
In the song "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," Eliza Shaddad sings about the complexities of human emotions and the fear of being misunderstood by someone who is important to her. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer asks if her listener understands her and pleads with them not to judge her too harshly when she acts out. Nobody is perfect all the time, and the singer understands that.
In the chorus, the singer implores a higher power not to let her be misunderstood. She knows that she tries her best to be good, but sometimes things go wrong, and she can't control how people perceive her. It is a beautiful expression of vulnerability and a relatable sentiment for anyone who has ever been misunderstood.
In the second verse, the singer talks about the duality of emotions. Sometimes she is incredibly happy, and it is evident in her demeanor, and other times she is worried or stressed, and that side of her is revealed to others. She acknowledges that everyone has their good and bad sides, and that is just a part of life.
In the final verse, the singer asks for forgiveness for her mistakes and assures her listener that she never meant to hurt them. She loves them deeply, and she does not want a small misstep to damage their relationship. She pleads with them to see her as human and to understand that she is not perfect.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, you understand me now?
Do you really understand me, even when my emotions get the best of me?
If sometimes you see that I'm mad
If you see me upset or angry
Don't you know no one alive can always be an angel?
No one is perfect, so don't expect me to always act like an angel
When everything goes wrong, you see some bad
When life gets tough, sometimes my emotions get the best of me and I may act out
But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Despite my moments of weakness, I always have good intentions
Oh Lord, please, don't let me be misunderstood
I hope that you understand and don't misinterpret my actions
You know sometimes, baby, I'm so carefree
Sometimes I am carefree and happy
With a joy that's hard to hide
My happiness is so overwhelming that it's hard to conceal
And then sometimes, again, it seems that all I have is worry
Other times, I am filled with worry and anxiety
And then you're bound to see my other side
You will see both my happy and anxious sides
If I seem edgy
If I appear restless or tense
I want you to know
I need you to understand
I never meant to take it out on all you
I never intended to unfairly project my stress onto you
Life has its problems
Life can be challenging and stressful
And I get more than my share
I feel like I have more than my fair share of problems to deal with
But that's one thing I never mean to do
Despite my stress, I never intend to take it out on you
'Cause I love you
My love for you is the reason I try so hard to be better
Oh baby, I'm just human
I am only human and I have flaws
Don't you know I have faults like anyone?
I hope you can recognize that I am not perfect
Sometimes I find myself alone, regretting
Sometimes I am alone with my thoughts, regretting my actions
Some little foolish thing
Something small that I did without thinking
Some simple thing that I've done
Something that seemed simple at the time but had unintended consequences
I try so hard, don't let me be misunderstood
I put a lot of effort into being understood, so please don't misinterpret my words or actions
I try so hard, don't let me be misunderstood
I work hard to communicate my intentions clearly, so please try to understand me
Writer(s): Bennie Benjamin, Sol Marcus, Gloria Caldwell
Contributed by Arianna S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sagarsaxena6318
Here from "Behind Her Eyes". You have a fantastic voice.
@jeremysudduth6416
Phenomenal
@aashi5564
same
@nishak7081
I am addicted to this song ❤
@aprichitx8162
Me too ❤️😊
@nishak7081
@@aprichitx8162 ☺️
@MariaCarabin
Just heard this on "Stay Close". What a great cover version!
@anamolina3208
SAAAAME, this is insanely good!!!!
@Nekole1
Same. Nice song!
@kushagrajoshi9756
Me too bro such an amazing series and such an amazing song