Kaskade is the stage name for Ryan Raddon, a DJ/producer/remixer/artist who… Read Full Bio ↴Kaskade is the stage name for Ryan Raddon, a DJ/producer/remixer/artist who was born in Evanston, Illinois in 1972. He went to college at BYU Provo prior to serving a church mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Japan, and when he came back he transferred the University of Utah and lived in Salt Lake city Utah. He now resides in Los Angeles, CA.

Prior to being a recording artist, he was a record store owner and a club DJ at a nightclub in Salt Lake City as a way to make ends meet for him and his wife. After he and his wife moved to San Francisco he landed a job as a A&R man at OM records, where in addition to reviewing demos for the label he also submitted his own material, which would pay off big time for him. In 2001 he went from behind the desk to behind the turntables and the recording studio as an artist in his own right. In 2003 Kaskade released his first album, "It's You It's Me", which was well received by critics.

It would be his follow up, "In The Moment" in 2004, that would put Kaskade on the map. The first single off the set "Steppin' Out" would become a major hit on the Dance Radio Airplay that year as well as a top 10 hit on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. His biggest breakthrough would come the week of May 14, 2005, when his follow up, "Everything," would go all the way to #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

Fake
Kaskade Lyrics

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Fake
That's all I really am to you
Fake
But when I hit the ground
I won't break into your pretty baby
Or scratch my gold
'Cause I can't fake it

Fake
You wanna see me lie to you
Fake…
A place that you can't take me
I won't fall onto your pretty body

Or taste your gold
'Cause I can't fake it

Overall Meaning

The song "Fake" by Kaskade is a tale of someone who is tired of being fake and pretending to be someone they are not. The lyrics delve into the idea of feeling like a fraud and not knowing how to escape the cycle of pretense. The singer acknowledges that to the person they are singing to, they are nothing but fake. Despite this, they refuse to pretend anymore as they find it exhausting and disingenuous. They know that they will eventually "hit the ground" and that they won't be able to sustain the act. However, they would rather not be accepted than be accepted for someone they are not.

The song also alludes to the idea of materialism and how it can be a shallow way to measure one's worth. The line "Or scratch my gold" implies that the singer is aware of the obsession with possessions that people have, but is not willing to fall under the same trap. They don't want to taste the other person's "gold," meaning they don't want to be a part of the superficial world that values material gains over true values. The repetition of the word "fake" reinforces the idea that the singer feels trapped in an inauthentic world, but is determined to break out of it.

Overall, "Fake" is a powerful anthem against superficiality and pretense. The song encourages listeners to be true to themselves and not be swayed by societal norms that prioritize material wealth and appearances over character and authenticity.

Line by Line Meaning

Fake
I am not real

That's all I really am to you
You see me as just a fake

Fake
I cannot be genuine

But when I hit the ground
When I am faced with challenges

I won't break into your pretty baby
I won't succumb to your charm or be fooled by your façade

Or scratch my gold
Nor will I be lured by your material possessions

'Cause I can't fake it
I cannot pretend to be someone that I am not

Fake
You demand me to be phony

You wanna see me lie to you
You expect me to deceive you

Fake
I will never be authentic to you

A place that you can't take me
You cannot force me to be fake