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
www.emelisande.com.
www.facebook.com/emelisande
www.twitter.com/emelisande
Tenderly
Emeli Sandé Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh when it rains it always pours
But I have found a friend in Noah
Still the dogs they bite and it's cold at night
And the sharks deep in the water
There's more of us than ever
But we're just lonely altogether
I need you to love me tenderly
I need you to touch me gentle, please
'Cause it's cold out there
It's tough enough
So baby, love me tenderly
Oh it's a roller coaster ride
We all need someone to hold onto
A friend who understands exactly what we must be going for
If you can trust a stranger
And go on reach out touch your neighbor
And do your best to let them know they're not alone
Why don't you just love me tenderly?
Why don't you just touch me gentle? Please
'Cause it's cold out there
And they like to play rough
So baby, love me tenderly
Oh please, just close the door behind you, dear
Oh don't you let the cold inside of here
No I don't wanna talk about it
Heard just quite enough about it
Baby, won't you take me outta here?
Come on and love me tenderly
How about you touch me gentle, please
'Cause it's cold out there
It's tough enough
So baby, love me tenderly
Why don't you just love me tenderly?
Love me gentle, please
'Cause it's cold out there
And they like to play rough
So baby, love me tenderly
Love me, love me, love me, love me
Love me, love me, love me, love me, love me
Baby, love me tenderly
In Emeli Sandé's song Tenderly, she is speaking to us about trying situations and how important it is to have someone to hold onto during tough times. The opening lines, "Oh when it rains it always pours, but I have found a friend in Noah" refers to the biblical tale of Noah and his ark. Noah and his ark are the representation of hope during a time of great difficulty and despair. She then goes on to explain that even with help, life can still be harsh; "Still the dogs they bite and it's cold at night, and the sharks deep in the water". These are metaphors for life's struggles, unpleasantness and uncertainty. She may be alluding to betrayal, heartbreak, or loss of trust, along with the fear and anxiety that comes with it.
The chorus of the song is about the need for human connection. She sings, “I need you to love me tenderly, I need you to touch me gentle, please, 'Cause it's cold out there, it's tough enough”, which shows how important it is to have someone to lean on and receive love from. The loneliness is becoming too much to handle and she needs comfort and tenderness. In the second verse, Sandé emphasizes the need for human touch and how everyone has challenges to deal with. The lyrics, “If you can trust a stranger, and go on reach out touch your neighbor, And do your best to let them know they're not alone”, encourages listeners to reach out to others and offer support, instead of keeping to oneself.
Overall, the song Tenderly is about coping with painful emotions, the importance of human connection and the power of love and empathy to help us get through tough times.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh when it rains it always pours
In life, hardships never come singly. They arrive in a deluge.
But I have found a friend in Noah
Despite the tough times, I have a friend on whom I can rely to help me through.
Still the dogs they bite and it's cold at night
Even in hard times, there are everyday struggles that still persist.
And the sharks deep in the water
There are dangers all around, both seen and unseen.
There's more of us than ever
In spite of everything, there are more people on Earth than ever before.
But we're just lonely altogether
Sadly, there is still a pervasive loneliness that affects us all.
So baby, reach out and remind me that it's real
Therefore, it's crucial that we reach out to one another and connect to combat that loneliness.
I need you to love me tenderly
We need each other to love and care for one another gently and compassionately.
I need you to touch me gentle, please
We need physical contact that is kind and nurturing in order to feel safe and comforted.
'Cause it's cold out there
The world is cold and harsh, and it's human connection that makes things bearable.
It's tough enough
Life is hard enough as it is, without a support system to help us through it.
So baby, love me tenderly
That's why we must love each other in a gentle, nurturing, supportive way.
Oh it's a roller coaster ride
Life can be unpredictable, with ups and downs that we cannot always control.
We all need someone to hold onto
Therefore, we all need someone we can rely on to provide that emotional support.
A friend who understands exactly what we must be going for
It's important that our friends comprehend the unique struggles we are experiencing.
If you can trust a stranger
Sometimes, it's important to trust someone new we meet, rather than relying on our preconceptions.
And go on reach out touch your neighbor
We should extend that trust and compassion to our communities and to people around us.
And do your best to let them know they're not alone
We should always make an effort to tell people that they matter, they are valued, and they are not alone.
Why don't you just love me tenderly?
This refrain reinforces the idea that we need each other to love and care for one another gently and compassionately.
Love me gentle, please
We need physical contact that is kind and nurturing in order to feel safe and comforted.
Oh please, just close the door behind you, dear
The world can be a cruel place, so let's create safe spaces where we can be vulnerable and open with one another.
Oh don't you let the cold inside of here
It's important to keep the harshness of the world at bay and create warmth and kindness within our spaces.
No I don't wanna talk about it
Sometimes, the problems are too much for words to repair.
Heard just quite enough about it
There is a limit to how much we can absorb and process when it comes to other people's troubles.
Baby, won't you take me outta here?
At times, the only thing that will make everything momentarily better is to escape from it all.
Come on and love me tenderly
This reinforces the idea that we need each other to love and care for one another gently and compassionately.
How about you touch me gentle, please
We need physical contact that is kind and nurturing in order to feel safe and comforted.
And they like to play rough
In a dog-eat-dog world, people are often unkind, and we need to break that cycle by being gentle with each other.
So baby, love me tenderly
That's why we must love each other in a gentle, nurturing, supportive way.
Love me, love me, love me, love me
Repetition of this phrase emphasizes the importance of love, compassion, and comfort.
Love me, love me, love me, love me, love me
Repetition of this phrase emphasizes the importance of love, compassion, and comfort.
Baby, love me tenderly
This brings the song full circle, reinforcing the idea that we need each other to love and care for one another gently and compassionately.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MATTHEW HOLMES, PHILIP LEIGH, EMELI SANDE, JOEL SANDE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Izu Daniel Lifuka Sichinga
The last part of the lyrics should read as "Yahwe my love, Yahwe wachikuku" Yahwe my love, Yahwe wachikuku. Yahwe wachikuku means Lord of Mercy. in the Zambian Language of Bemba. Emeli acknowledging her roots. This is officially my favourite song after Sweet Architect.
girlwhoknitsalot
Izu Daniel Lifuka Sichinga I’m guessing the person who made the video doesn’t know Bemba from Nyanja. LOL!
Linda Spruill
..another favorite from her current CD.
Mwamba
why the lyrics blank at the end though?lol
Nawa Kalima
Yaweh wachikuku (Bemba)