Sandé made her singing career debut in 2009 after appearing on the track she wrote for Chipmunk's first debut single, "Diamond Rings". The single charted at No. 6 on the UK Singles Charts, making it Chipmunk and Sandé's first ever Top 10 Hit. She later appeared on another single singing guest vocals, after collaborating with Wiley on his comeback single "Never Be Your Woman", the single charted at number-eight on the UK Singles Charts becoming Sandé's second consecutive Top 10 Single.
Sandé decided against using the name Adele Sandé, due to Adele's growing success, so used her middle name instead. She revealed: "I changed it as soon as Adele came out. I just thought, 'You've kind of taken the [name] now', so I went with my middle name. She was just getting bigger and bigger, so I thought I just really need it."
A former medical student, Sandé appeared as a guest vocalist on Professor Green's 2011 UK #1 single Read All About It and soon went on to achieve her own chart success with her first solo release Heaven, which debuted in the UK Singles Chart at #2. Her debut album Our Version of Events was released on 12th February 2012. The album includes the singles Next To Me, Daddy and My Kind Of Love.
Before branching out on her own Sandé had already had a taste of chart success having collaborated with rapper Chipmunk on his song Diamond Rings, and then with Wiley on Never Be Your Woman. She has also written for or collaborated with artists including Let Go, Let It Rain, Susan Boyle and Cheryl Cole.
In a major feature in their Saturday Review paper, The Times declared Emeli Sandé "The Voice of 2012". The New York Times said “Ms. Sandé has a perspective-altering voice, clear and brassy and weapons-grade”. Fellow artists have also proclaimed their admiration, including Alicia Keys, “I just love her style and her flow – super raw.”, and Adele, "How incredible is she?".
Our Version of Events is the UK's biggest selling debut album of 2012.
Sandé appeared at the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. She performed Abide with Me
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I'd Rather Not
Emeli Sandé Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Total destruction to wrench away
You went in straight for the jugular
And that's what I got for just loving ya
Arrows and bullets flew
Your tongue loves war in the afternoon
Your favorite bomb was "let's just be friends"
But now you're suggesting we try again
But if it's all the same
As much as I'd love to
I'd rather not
I'd rather not have my heart blown to pieces again
No, I can't make it stop
But I'd rather not
I'd rather not
What's the good in paradise
At any moment it could vaporize
So dangerous to ever get used to you
Do you have any idea what you put me through?
See, now my heart's a Frankenstein
Super-glued after your dynamite
And just when I thought I had got some closure
You started talking 'bout starting over
But if it's all the same to you
Much as I'd love to
I'd rather not
I'd rather not have my heart blown to pieces again
No, I can't make it stop
But I'd rather not
I'd rather not
See, when it was good it was amazing
But the bad was devastating
We could never seem to find an in-between
And God knows I adore you
And nothing came before you
But I don't have the heart to risk what's left of me
So if it's all the same to you
As much as I'd love to
I'd rather not
I'd rather not have my heart blown to pieces again
No, I can't make it stop
But I'd rather not
I'd rather not
But if it's all the same to you
As much as I'd love to
I'd rather not
No, I'd rather not get my heart ripped into pieces
No, no, no, no, no
I'd rather not
No, I'd rather not
But if it's all the same to you
As much as I'd love to
I'd rather not
I'd rather not have my heart blown to pieces again
The lyrics to Emeli Sandé's song "I'd Rather Not" depict a tumultuous relationship in which the singer is expressing their hesitation and reluctance to give love another chance. The opening lines, "Something like a hurricane, Total destruction to wrench away," suggest that the relationship brought about a lot of chaos and pain. The hurricane metaphor symbolizes the destructive nature of the relationship, which tore them apart.
The next lines, "You went in straight for the jugular, And that's what I got for just loving ya," imply that the singer was deeply hurt by their partner's actions or words. The phrase "went in straight for the jugular" indicates that their partner had a fierce and hurtful approach towards the singer, causing significant emotional damage. It highlights the unfairness of the situation, as the singer only loved their partner genuinely and wholeheartedly.
The lyrics continue to describe the toxic dynamics within the relationship. The mention of "arrows and bullets flew, Your tongue loves war in the afternoon" suggests that their partner frequently engaged in arguments or verbal battles. The partner's weapon of choice was their words, which caused the singer emotional pain and turmoil. This is further emphasized by the partner's favorite bomb being "let's just be friends," indicating a pattern of breaking up and reconciling.
Despite their partner's suggestion to give the relationship another try, the singer remains skeptical and hesitant. The repetition of "But if it's all the same, As much as I'd love to, I'd rather not" expresses their inner conflict. While they may still have feelings for their partner, they recognize the risks and potential heartbreak of getting involved again. The phrase "I'd rather not have my heart blown to pieces again" reinforces this fear and desire to protect themselves from further emotional damage.
The lyrics convey the singer's realization that the relationship, despite its moments of bliss, was also devastating. The lines "See, when it was good it was amazing, But the bad was devastating, We could never seem to find an in-between" depict the extremes they experienced with their partner. The relationship had highs of intense love and affection, but it also had lows that caused immense pain. The mention of not having the heart to risk what's left of them reveals that the singer values their emotional well-being and doesn't want to sacrifice their own happiness for the sake of the relationship.
In conclusion, the lyrics of "I'd Rather Not" encapsulate a relationship characterized by turbulence and a history of emotional damage. The singer expresses their fear of repeating the cycle of heartbreak and the desire to protect themselves. The lyrics depict the struggle between love and self-preservation, ultimately leading the singer to choose not to give their heart to their partner again.
Line by Line Meaning
Something like a hurricane
Our relationship was intense and tumultuous, like a destructive force of nature
Total destruction to wrench away
The breakup caused overwhelming emotional pain and separation
You went in straight for the jugular
You attacked me directly and ruthlessly
And that's what I got for just loving ya
All I received in return for my love was pain and hurt
Arrows and bullets flew
We engaged in verbal attacks and hurtful exchanges
Your tongue loves war in the afternoon
You enjoy engaging in arguments and conflict throughout the day
Your favorite bomb was 'let's just be friends'
You often used the excuse of wanting to be friends while breaking my heart
But now you're suggesting we try again
Despite everything, you're proposing to restart our relationship
What's the good in paradise
There's no point in having a perfect situation if it can suddenly be destroyed
At any moment it could vaporize
Our happiness and stability could disappear in an instant
So dangerous to ever get used to you
It's risky to become accustomed to your presence and behavior
Do you have any idea what you put me through?
You have no understanding of the pain and suffering you caused me
See, now my heart's a Frankenstein
My heart has been patched up and reconstructed after being broken
Super-glued after your dynamite
I had to piece my heart together after the damage you caused
And just when I thought I had got some closure
When I believed I had come to terms with the past and moved on
You started talking 'bout starting over
You brought up the idea of giving our relationship another chance
See, when it was good it was amazing
Despite the difficulties, our good times were incredible
But the bad was devastating
The negative aspects of our relationship were incredibly overwhelming
We could never seem to find an in-between
We struggled to establish a balanced and stable relationship
And God knows I adore you
I truly love and cherish you
And nothing came before you
You were my top priority above everything else
But I don't have the heart to risk what's left of me
I don't want to put myself at further emotional risk or vulnerability
So if it's all the same to you
If you're okay with it being this way
As much as I'd love to
Even though I still have feelings for you
I'd rather not
I choose not to go down that path again
No, I'd rather not get my heart ripped into pieces
I don't want to experience the heartbreak and pain once more
No, no, no, no, no
A strong emphasis on my refusal to go through it again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Shahid Khan, Shakil Ashraf, Emeli Sande, Johnny Coffer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Smolarek
on Enough (Live At the Royal Albert Hall)
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