How to Dress Well is the stage name of ethereal R&B songwriter and producer… Read Full Bio ↴How to Dress Well is the stage name of ethereal R&B songwriter and producer Tom Krell. Krell’s burgeoning career began in 2009 when, having just moved from Brooklyn to Berlin, his songs began to emerge online via a hugely prolific string of free, digital EPs posted in anonymity on his blog. Combining a gorgeous falsetto with fractured R&B-influenced beats, an instinctive ear for subtly devastating melody and elements of noise, sound collage and avant-garde composition, Love Remains offered a beautiful window into a startlingly fully realized artistic imagination.

Praised for both its conceptual strength and immediate emotional resonance, Love Remains duly garnered vast critical acclaim and highlights such as “Ready for the World” and “Decisions” saw Krell accredited with having given birth to a new, narcotized strain of R&B that has since spawned a host of imitators.

Since Love Remains, Krell has toured the world, recorded an EP with an orchestra (the Just Once EP, with proceeds going to raise awareness about mental illness) and, always prolific, written and recorded a lot of new music - all whilst continuing work on a philosophy doctorate. September 4th 2012 will see him share this new body of work with the world with the release of Total Loss, his new album.

Lover
How To Dress Well Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I left my whole body, well, I never could tell
Walking by myself, I was almost in some sort of prayer
I know sometimes, I know sometimes it wasn't time
It feels like
It feels as though you go to sleep away

Darling, you've got a lover's start
Got a lover's start

You've found another heart
Found another heart
I said you've got a better thing
I said you've gotta let my heart

Heal, uh-huh, uh-huh

When I left my whole body, well, I never could tell
Walking by myself, I was almost in some sort of prayer
I know sometimes, I know sometimes it wasn't time
It feels like
It feels as though you go to sleep away

Darling, you've got a lover's start
Got a lover's start
You've found another heart
Found another heart
I said you've got a better thing
I said you've gotta let my heart

Heal

Down, down, down, down
Down on it, down on it, down on it

Overall Meaning

"How to Dress Well's" song "Lover" appears to revolve around the theme of heartbreak and moving on from a relationship. The lyrics of the song tell a story of the singer's attempts to cope with the end of a romantic relationship. The opening lines indicate that the singer has lost himself since the breakup and is lost in his thoughts, almost in prayer as he wanders around by himself. Despite the pain he feels, he acknowledges that it wasn't time for them to be together anymore, and it's time to let go. He keeps repeating that she has found a better partner, a better thing and he must move forward.

The chorus highlights the idea of moving on and healing in a positive light, suggesting that although the singer has been hurt, he is optimistic about his future. The repetition of "got a lover's start" in the chorus indicates how his former lover has moved on, while the singer is striving to get back on his feet. The phrase "down on it" in the final line could be read as a declaration that he's finally ready to face the pain and he's not going to let it consume him anymore.

Overall, "Lover" offers a message of hope to those who are dealing with the aftermath of a painful breakup. While acknowledging the pain and grief that come with the end of a relationship, the song encourages the listener to recognize that moving forward is possible and there's light at the end of the tunnel.

Line by Line Meaning

When I left my whole body, well, I never could tell
I don't know what happened when I had an out-of-body experience

Walking by myself, I was almost in some sort of prayer
I felt a sense of reverence and contemplation while walking alone

I know sometimes, I know sometimes it wasn't time
I'm aware that sometimes things happen before they are supposed to

It feels like
I have a certain sensation that's hard to describe

It feels as though you go to sleep away
It seems like you're drifting away from me

Darling, you've got a lover's start
You have the beginning of a new romance

Got a lover's start
You're starting a new relationship

You've found another heart
You've moved on to someone else

Found another heart
You've found love with someone new

I said you've got a better thing
I acknowledge that you have something good going on

I said you've gotta let my heart
But please let me move on and heal