Early on, Jesse carved out an independent direction for himself in the rock genre, very different from the world music style developed by his father. He strived to express himself in the most authentic way possible and understood the importance of being able to perform live. He experimented with a number of different instruments - which included saxophone, clarinet, drums and piano – until he settled and focused mainly on guitar. By seventeen, songwriting was his chief musical focus and it was in this period and the years to follow that he honed his writing skills and put together the songs recorded on the first album.
The single "Today" which was released on radio in mid August 2008 debuted at number one on the Highveld Homebrew Chart, a considerable feat for a debut artist with a debut single and an historical first for Homebrew. The album "When I Wake Up" is due for national release on 1 October.
Breathing
Jesse Clegg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I couldn’t hear the call
Kept it on the inside
My back against the wall
Searching for the answer
It never comes around
Beneath the landslide
'Til someone pulls you out
Take it out of here, my love
Falling into the stars above
I know you're tired
You've had enough
Keep
Breathing, Breathing, Breathing
Breathing, Breathing Breathing
Fighting off the monster
It never goes away
Picking up the pieces
It never felt the same
Chasing after shadows
It's only in the mind (Oooh ooh now)
Racing through the darkness
Be careful what you find
Take it out of here, my love
Falling into the stars above
I know you're tired
You've had enough
Keep
Breathing, Breathing, Breathing
Breathing, Breathing Breathing
When the last is gone (Breathing, breathing)
And you're holding on (Breathing, breathing)
Do you know just what you're needing (Breathing, breathing)
Needing
(Breathing, breathing)
When you're hope is lost (Breathing, breathing)
And you've broken trust (Breathing, breathing)
Only you can find you mean it (Breathing, breathing)
Mean it
Make it out of here, my love
Falling into the stars above
I know you're tired
You've had enough (You've had enough, oooh you've had enough)
Keep
Breathing, Breathing, Breathing
Make it out of here, my love (My love-oooh)
Falling into the stars above (Fall into the stars above)
I know you're tired
You've had enough (Had enough, you've had enough)
Keep
Breathing, Breathing, Breathing
Breathing, Breathing Breathing
The song "Breathing" by South African singer Jesse Clegg is a heartfelt piece about pushing through life's challenges and finding inner strength to keep going. The song opens with the singer reflecting on how, when he was stuck in a tough situation, he couldn't hear any solutions. He kept his struggle to himself and felt trapped, like his back was against a wall. It wasn't until someone helped him out that he began to feel like there was a way forward.
These opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song. The idea of searching for answers and hoping for relief from hardship is a central theme. The chorus encourages listeners to keep "breathing," repeated over and over like a mantra. The idea seems to be that every obstacle, no matter how daunting, can be overcome as long as we keep breathing and pushing forward.
The second verse of the song focuses more on the internal battles we face in times of stress. We must fight against our own demons, picking up the pieces of our shattered selves and chasing after the shadows that fill our minds with doubt. The singer reminds the listener to be careful when racing through the darkness, to make sure they're not just chasing after illusions.
The bridge and final chorus bring the song to a positive conclusion. The listener is reminded that even when all feels lost and hope is shattered, only they can find the strength to keep breathing and moving forward. The music builds to a crescendo, filling the listener with a sense of determination and hope.
Ultimately, "Breathing" is a song about resilience, reminding us that we are stronger than we think and that we can overcome any obstacle if we just keep breathing.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was on the outside
Before I found my way, I was lost.
I couldn’t hear the call
I was unable to hear the direction I needed to follow.
Kept it on the inside
I bottled everything up and didn't share my struggles.
My back against the wall
I felt trapped and unable to move forward.
Searching for the answer
I was looking for a solution to my problems.
It never comes around
The answer eluded me, no matter how hard I tried to find it.
Beneath the landslide
I was buried and overwhelmed by my struggles.
'Til someone pulls you out
I needed someone to help me out of my difficult situation.
Take it out of here, my love
We need to escape this situation to find peace and safety.
Falling into the stars above
We're looking to escape our current situation and reach for the stars.
I know you're tired
I understand that you're exhausted from this struggle.
You've had enough
You've reached your limit and can't take it anymore.
Keep Breathing, Breathing, Breathing
We need to hang on and keep moving forward, even if it's difficult.
Fighting off the monster
I'm trying to overcome my struggles, but they keep coming back.
It never goes away
I can't seem to escape the struggles that continue to haunt me.
Picking up the pieces
Trying to put my life back together after a traumatic event.
It never felt the same
My life changed and it can't go back to how it was before.
Chasing after shadows
I'm pursuing something that may not be real or attainable.
It's only in the mind (Oooh ooh now)
The struggle is not physical, but mental.
Racing through the darkness
Trying to make it through a difficult time with no clear end in sight.
Be careful what you find
Be mindful of what you discover on this journey, it may not always be what you expect.
When the last is gone (Breathing, breathing)
When there's nothing else to hold onto.
And you're holding on (Breathing, breathing)
Trying to keep going even when it feels impossible.
Do you know just what you're needing (Breathing, breathing)
Understanding what we truly need to escape the struggle.
When you're hope is lost (Breathing, breathing)
When we feel there's nothing to look forward to or strive for.
And you've broken trust (Breathing, breathing)
When someone or something we trusted has let us down.
Only you can find you mean it (Breathing, breathing)
Only we can find the strength to keep going forward and make it through the struggle.
Make it out of here, my love
We must escape this situation to find safety and peace.
Fall into the stars above
Reaching for something greater to provide hope and security.
Had enough, you've had enough
We're at our limit and can't handle anymore.
Keep Breathing, Breathing, Breathing
We need to keep moving forward and not give up, no matter how difficult it may be.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: ANDRE REMESSES SCHEEPERS, JESSE CLEGG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Uncle_China
Such a beautiful song 🎶
@charlottemiya6760
Still my fav ❤️