King was born on the 24th August 1979 in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A., the first of two daughters. While King was a small child, her father noticed her natural musical ability, and encouraged her interest in music. She was introduced to the guitar at the age of four, and played for several years, but after taking up the drums a few years later, they became her primary instrument as an adolescent.
Convinced that her break in music would come from being a drummer, King played in bands in high school with classmate Morgan Jahnig, who would later become the bassist of Old Crow Medicine Show. Upon graduating from The Westminster Schools in Atlanta in 1998, the two friends made their way to New York University. During her time there, King picked up the guitar again, and revisited the finger-style techniques that intrigued her as a child. From there, King played a few occasional gigs and busked in the New York subways.
In February 2006, Rolling Stone released a list of "The New Guitar Gods", with King as the sole woman and youngest artist honoured. In addition to a ten-year career that includes six LP and two EP albums, King has also spent significant time scoring music for television and film. She worked alongside Eddie Vedder and Michael Brook, contributing the music for the soundtrack to Sean Penn's Into the Wild, for which King, Vedder, and Brook were nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.
King's style combines fret-tapping with slap bass techniques, using the guitar for percussive beats, as well as sound layering and looping. Her playing style has been compared to Michael Hedges and Preston Reed; she explicitly cites the latter as an influence.
You Don't Have To Be Afraid
Kaki King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of the pain inside you
You don't have to be afraid
Of the pain inside you
You don't have to be afraid (afraid)
Of the (of the) pain that's inside you
You don't have to (to to) be afraid (be afraid of the)
The lyrics to Kaki King's song "You Don't Have to Be Afraid" speak to the idea of embracing and confronting one's inner pain rather than trying to hide from or suppress it. The repetition of the phrase "you don't have to be afraid" emphasizes the message that it is okay to feel pain and that we do not need to fear our emotions. In particular, the lyrics seem to be a reminder to the listener that it is not necessary to be afraid of the pain that comes from within.
The use of repetition in the lyrics serves to underscore the importance of the song's message. The repeated phrase "you don't have to be afraid" becomes a mantra, a reassuring reminder that it is possible to confront our pain without being overwhelmed by it. The fact that the phrase is repeated so many times also suggests that the message may be difficult to believe or internalize at first - it may take some time for the listener to truly accept that their pain is not something to be feared.
Overall, the lyrics of "You Don't Have to Be Afraid" are a message of hope and encouragement for those who may be struggling with internal pain. Rather than telling us to ignore or dismiss our pain, the song suggests that we can face it head-on and - with time - learn to live with it.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't have to be afraid
There's no need for you to be scared
Of the pain inside you
Of the emotional hurt you're feeling within yourself
You don't have to be afraid
No need to be frightened
Of the pain inside you
Of the emotional turmoil deep within you
You don't have to be afraid (afraid)
It's okay not to feel frightened
Of the (of the) pain that's inside you
Of the emotional aches that reside in your heart
You don't have to (to to) be afraid (be afraid of the)
You do not need to feel scared of
Of the pain that's inside you...
The emotional hurt that you harbor within yourself.
Contributed by Gavin M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
stillframe5
One of my all time favorites, Her guitar work is still one of the most amazing sounds I have heard.
Joseph
Easily one of the most underrated guitarists of all-time.
William1942
Ms King, I'm a very old man. I love music. I love your music. From the moment I first head you perform. Thank you. Continue to have a sweet journey.
Hellen PJ
Essa mulher é fantástica !!!! <3
asantesamuel13
I cried my eyes out to this song twice. SO beautiful!
Mordeleitor
this song saved my life once
Automne
I discovered this song during a mushroom trip. I felt really bad, I had a panic attack. When entering a park in which I had never been and which I had not heard of there was in the middle of the city stood an island of greenery and in its center, a CASTLE in ruins covered with vegetation!
I was so overwhelmed that the anxiety totally disappeared. One of the most beautiful moments of my life.
Bendage
this song instantly cures my anxiety. thank you, Kaki King. <3
inphanta
Back in the days of MySpace, I’d come home of an evening, roll a spliff and search for new music. I discovered her that way and I’ve been a fan ever since. Seen her live twice. :)
Al
I love Kaki King. A great talent.