The stylistic range of left-field pop artist Kali Uchis is reflected in the variety of her collaborators – an extensive genre-crossing list that includes Tyler, the Creator, Gorillaz, Daniel Caesar, Juanes, and BadBadNotGood. A singer, songwriter, and producer, as well as a video director, Uchis truly arrived on her own with the self-released Por Vida (2015), an EP that led to a deal with Virgin EMI. By the time Uchis released her lively debut full-length, the Top Five Billboard R&B/hip-hop hit Isolation (2018), she had already been nominated for Grammy awards through her featured appearances on Daniel Caesar's "Get You" and Juanes' "El Ratico."
Kali Uchis experienced the majority of her upbringing in Virginia and also spent time in her parents' native Colombia. As a teenager growing up in Alexandria, just south of Washington, D.C., she learned to play piano and saxophone and also developed a deep interest in visual arts. Her recorded debut was made in 2012 with the self-released mixtape Drunken Babble. Within three years, she had several singles to her credit, including "Know What I Want" and "Lottery," typically promoted with videos she directed, as well as collaborations with Snoop Dogg, GoldLink, Tyler, the Creator, and Major Lazer. Following the 2015 independent release of Por Vida, a free digital-download EP with tracks produced by Diplo, Kaytranada, and Tyler, Uchis started releasing her material through major-label Virgin EMI. A DJ Dahi-tweaked version of Por Vida's "Ridin Round," issued that November after a move to Los Angeles, was the artist's first single for the major label. "Only Girl," a relaxed Kaytranada production featuring Vince Staples and the Internet's Steve Lacy, followed in April 2016. She was also featured that year on Daniel Caesar's "Get You."
Throughout 2017, Uchis added to her discography of featured appearances via tracks by Juanes, Gorillaz, Tyler, Bootsy Collins, and Miguel, and she previewed her debut album with the singles "Tyrant" (featuring Jorja Smith) and "Nuestro Planeta" (featuring Reykon). By the end of the year, "Get You" had been nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best R&B Performance, and Juanes' "El Ratico" made Uchis a Latin Grammy nominee when it was up for Record of the Year. January 2018 saw the release of the BadBadNotGood-produced single "After the Storm" (featuring Tyler and Bootsy). Uchis released her debut album, Isolation, three months later. It debuted at number 32 on the Billboard 200 and entered the R&B/hip-hop chart at number four.
http://kaliuchis.com
Lean On You
Kali Uchis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rollin' on the dashboard
Fuck being discreet
Rollin' on the floor laughin'
But it ain't at your feet
But I kinda wish that, it were your feet
And I ain't in a car
I'm passed out on some concrete
Sike, I ain't doin' that
I'm sobbin' in your laundry
While my cousins are all mobbin'
In some palm trees
They say I deserve better
I wrote you a love letter
Lipstick on, sealed it with a kiss
When I need you most, it's a hit or miss
So I tape the letter up and then
I ball it in my fist
Up down, up down high low high low
Why so resentful bout shit from years ago?
Where'd my tears go? Fuckin' up my mental
Got a bitch hoping that she gonna go parental
Sike that's the old me
I'm better off alone love's a losing game
I'd rather stay at home
'Cept it's really not
Please pick up the phone
Damn you got me feelin' like a
Dog and you're the bone
Tryna be like, "oh well"
Ya fuckin' blew it
When we got back together i shoulda knew it
That just don't feel that way
I misconstrue it when I'm dreamin'
I'm believin' I had a gift from your semen
I can't lean on you i can't lean on you
I can't lean on you i can't lean on you
I can't lean on you i can't lean on you
I can't lean on you i can't lean on you
I can't lean on you i can't lean on you
The lyrics to Kali Uchis's song "Lean on You" explore feelings of frustration, disappointment, and longing in a relationship. The opening lines set the tone of independence and self-reliance, rejecting the idea of relying on someone else ("Rollin' in my own car fuck a passenger seat"). The chorus emphasizes the inability to depend on the other person for emotional support, symbolized by the imagery of leaning on someone ("I can't lean on you").
The verses delve deeper into the conflicting emotions experienced. Kali Uchis expresses a yearning to find humor in difficult situations, wanting to laugh but not at the expense of the other person ("Rollin' on the floor laughin', but it ain't at your feet"). There is a desire for a deeper connection, expressed through the longing for the other person's presence ("I really wish that it were your feet").
The second verse reveals the pain and vulnerability felt in the relationship, as Kali Uchis confesses to sobbing and feeling abandoned while her cousins are enjoying themselves. The line "They say I deserve better" suggests that others have recognized the toxicity of the relationship. The reference to writing a love letter and sealing it with a kiss highlights a desperate attempt to express love and seek validation. However, the realization that this love is unreliable leads to frustration and a sense of being let down ("When I need you most, it's a hit or miss").
In the bridge, Kali Uchis expresses a struggle with her emotions and mental state, questioning why she still holds onto resentment from the past and where her tears have gone. The lyrics convey a sense of self-awareness, acknowledging that staying in this relationship is detrimental to her well-being ("I'm better off alone love's a losing game, I'd rather stay at home"). The song concludes with the repeated refrain of not being able to lean on the other person, emphasizing the lack of support and the realization that they cannot provide the emotional stability she desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Rollin' in my own car fuck a passenger seat
Feeling empowered and in control, disregarding the need for someone else's support or validation
Rollin' on the dashboard
Embracing a carefree attitude and enjoying life's adventures
Fuck being discreet
Rejecting the idea of hiding one's true feelings or desires
Rollin' on the floor laughin'
Finding joy and amusement without any inhibitions or restrictions
But it ain't at your feet
Although it may seem so, the laughter is not directed towards you
But I kinda wish that, it were your feet
Secretly desiring to share moments of laughter with the person who is not present
Sike, I really wish that it were your feet
Admitting the genuine longing to share laughter and happiness with the person
And I ain't in a car
Contrary to the previous statements, not feeling in control or stable
I'm passed out on some concrete
Feeling emotionally drained and defeated, lying vulnerable and helpless
Sike, I ain't doin' that
Retracting the statement of feeling defeated and expressing resilience
I'm sobbin' in your laundry
Seeking solace and comfort in familiar surroundings connected to the person
While my cousins are all mobbin' in some palm trees
Seeing others around having fun and enjoying life while feeling left behind
They say I deserve better
Receiving advice and opinions from others, suggesting a need for higher quality in relationships
I wrote you a love letter
Expressing deep emotions and pouring out affection through written words
Lipstick on, sealed it with a kiss
Adding a personal touch and finalizing the letter with a symbol of love
When I need you most, it's a hit or miss
Experiencing inconsistency and uncertainty when seeking support and understanding
So I tape the letter up and then
Taking measures to preserve and conceal the vulnerable emotions expressed in the letter
I ball it in my fist
Symbolizing the frustration and disappointment of unrequited feelings
Up down, up down high low high low
Experiencing fluctuating emotions and mood swings due to the turbulent nature of the relationship
Why so resentful bout shit from years ago?
Questioning the lingering resentment and unresolved issues from the past that still affect the present
Where'd my tears go? Fuckin' up my mental
Feeling confused and overwhelmed, struggling to cope with the emotional turmoil
Got a bitch hoping that she gonna go parental
Desiring someone to step up and fulfill the role of a supportive figure or parental figure
Sike that's the old me
Rejecting the previous sentiment and acknowledging personal growth and change
I'm better off alone love's a losing game
Realizing that being alone is preferable to being involved in a love relationship that consistently brings pain and disappointment
I'd rather stay at home
Preferring solitude and isolation as a means of self-preservation
'Cept it's really not
Contradicting the statement of enjoying solitude, implying a sense of longing and yearning
Please pick up the phone
Desperately needing connection and communication with the person to alleviate feelings of loneliness
Damn you got me feelin' like a dog and you're the bone
Feeling emotionally dependent and easily manipulated by the person, like a dog chasing after their desired object
Tryna be like, 'oh well'
Attempting to adopt an indifferent and nonchalant attitude
Ya fuckin' blew it
Expressing frustration and blame towards the person for ruining the relationship
When we got back together i shoulda knew it
Regretting the decision to give the relationship another chance, realizing that the outcome would not be different
That just don't feel that way
Not experiencing the same emotions or connection as before
I misconstrue it when I'm dreamin'
Misinterpreting the nature of the relationship when in a dreamlike state, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy
I'm believin' I had a gift from your semen
Deluding oneself into believing that the person's offspring would be a precious gift and a symbol of love
I can't lean on you i can't lean on you
Realizing and accepting that the person is not dependable or reliable for support
I can't lean on you i can't lean on you
Reinforcing the previous realization about the lack of reliance on the person
I can't lean on you i can't lean on you
Acknowledging the inability to find emotional support and stability in the person
I can't lean on you i can't lean on you
Repeatedly emphasizing the impossibility of depending on the person for emotional solace
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sidvacant9382
This just makes me feel so nostalgic for something that never happened
@victoria-py8eu
right
@paigeb1442
She's come so far. So proud of her ✨
@anthonyfantanosgirlfriend7346
The swinging scene... full circle moment on the telepatia using video
@amandipa8368
damn u got me feelin like im the dog n u the bone
@kimberlyluna8908
Emotionless thoughts- capital STEEZ 🥺♥️
@CDOVAA
STILL LISTENING IN 2020
@darrenestrada1052
yessir
@caroslimabeann5912
I miss your old style ❤ love you then and love you now. You’ve come so far, been listening to you since 2012. Can’t believe it, this song brings me back 🖤
@msq-hologram7838
Omg this song, and the video! A mood right now.