Kae's epic poem Brand New Ancients won both the Ted Hughes Prize for innovation in poetry and a Herald Angel Award. It is published by Picador and toured nationwide until April 2014. After a sell out show at St Anne's Warehouse, Brooklyn, Brand New Ancients received a rave review in the New York Times and came to international attention.
Kae continues to work with music, and featured on the track Our Town, a collaboration with producer duo letthemusicplay (Greco-Roman) They also featured on the track Hot Night Cold Spaceship (Speedy Wunderground) and has collaborated with Sinéad O'Connor, Damien Dempsey and Bastille.
In 2014, Tempest released their debut album Everybody Down (Big Dada, Ninja Tune), which was produced by the acclaimed Dan Carey and was nominated for the 2014 Mercury Prize.
Kae has performed at Glastonbury and all major UK festivals, as well as performing internationally. They sold out the Old Vic Theatre in London for the launch of Everything Speaks… and has appeared on BBC TV and radio many times performing her poems. Kae has been commissioned to write for The Royal Shakespeare Company, Amnesty International, Barnado’s and Channel 4 Television.
Their second poetry collection was published by Picador in Autumn 2014.
In April 2016, Kae's debut novel The Bricks That Built The Houses was published by Bloomsbury and was a Sunday Times Bestseller. It won the Books Are My Bag Best Breakthrough Author Award.
In September 2016, it was announced that Tempest would curate the 2017 Brighton Festival. They released the album Let Them Eat Chaos on 7 October 2016. It debuted at no. 28 on the UK Albums Chart, and was also released in book format (Picador). The album was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2017. They were nominated for Best British Female Solo Performer at the 2018 Brit Awards.
In 2019 Tempest released their 4th studio album, The Book of Traps and Lessons, and went on to tour it around the world, reaching Australia in January 2020.
Tempest's song "People's Faces" was used for the Facebook commercial "We're Never Lost If We Can Find Each Other", created by the agency Droga5, and released on 9 April 2020.
Sites: YouTube, [url=https://kaetempest.shopfirebrand.com/[/url] and Twitter
The Truth
Kate Tempest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One thought, many thinkers
One flame, many cinders
One view, many windows
Love in a time without sacrifice
We want what we want
And what's more, we deserve it
We run around panicking
Nervous, thinking
Could this be the one?
Man, they're perfect
Couple years later
You're chained to the circuit
Breaking them down
As if you're determined to waste what you've found
But what's true about you?
Is it the things that you claim to be true
Or is it deeper?
Lurking in places that you
Don't dare to journey to
Faced with a new
Way of seeing it
Are you type to accept
Or the type to clench fists and reject?
Whose truth even counts?
Is it the person who doubts
What a person proclaims they're about?
Whose version is perfect?
Is there a truth that exists
Outside of perception?
This is the question
It's true if you believe it
The world is the world
But it's all how you see it
One man's flash of lightning ripping through the air
Is another's passing glare, its hardly there
Two people
One thinks Two's deceitful
Two thinks One's plain evil
One loved Two so much it was like worship
Two thought One was perfect
One said to Two
'I'm awful, trust me
You're so pure that you should not touch me.'
Two said
'I don't care, I love you
I can't wait to know you.'
One said
'I'm scared, I will show you
The bad side that I don't like.'
Two said
'Be yourself and I will be myself
We don't need no one else
With their opinions
The past is gone, let's move on
Make present.'
Two said
'Ok, you're the best.'
Well, you know the rest
It all went sour
And now Two thinks One is mad for power
One thinks Two tried to devour
Everything that made One One
But Two thinks One got Two too wrong
So if there's one truth that lasts forever
Can two truths ever exist together?
If One loves Two but Two don't love
Whose truth is true and is truth enough?
It's true if you believe it
The world is the world
But it's all how you see it
One man's flash of lightning ripping through the air
Is another's passing glare, its hardly there
In the back of the cab
The girls look at each other, like
'What the fuck was that?'
'I thought it was that In Da Club one.'
'I don't know,' says the diver, 'I never liked rap.'
'Well, can't you put it on Magic then
Or something like that?'
The lyrics of Kate Tempest's song "The Truth" explore the concept of truth and its relativity. The first verse suggests that truth is subjective and varies from person to person. The second verse delves into the theme of love and how we often feel entitled to it without making sacrifices. We run after what we want without considering the cost or worth of what we already have.
The narrative of the song revolves around the relationship between two people who were once in love but now have conflicting views about each other. The third verse emphasizes the conflict of truth and perception in relationships. One person may love the other, but the feeling may not be reciprocated, and in that dilemma, whose truth is the real truth? The final verse depicts a cab ride where a group of girls has different musical tastes, but each person's preference seems to be deemed unacceptable to others, indicating that the concept of what constitutes 'truth' is subject to personal opinions.
The song's overall message is that no one's truth is superior, and it's all a matter of perspective. The truth we perceive is situational; it can evolve through time, relationships, circumstances, and is never constant.
Line by Line Meaning
It's all relative, right?
The way we see the world is subjective and based on individual perspectives.
One thought, many thinkers
A single idea can be interpreted in many different ways by different people.
One flame, many cinders
A single source can create many different outcomes.
One view, many windows
Different people see the same thing in different ways, based on their own experiences and context.
Love in a time without sacrifice
People today have high expectations for love without wanting to make sacrifices for the relationship.
We want what we want
We have high expectations for what we desire.
And what's more, we deserve it
We feel entitled to having our desires met and often expect them to be fulfilled without compromise.
We run around panicking
We often act impulsively and without proper consideration for our actions or decisions.
Nervous, thinking
We're always thinking and worrying about the next step we should take.
Could this be the one?
We're always looking for the next big thing that will bring us happiness or contentment.
Man, they're perfect
We often put people on a pedestal and view them as flawless or without fault.
Couple years later
After some time has passed and relationships have evolved.
You're chained to the circuit
We get trapped in the routine of our lives and are often unable to break away from them.
Breaking them down
We often sabotage ourselves and our relationships, breaking them down rather than building them up.
As if you're determined to waste what you've found
We sometimes take for granted what we have and do not appreciate it until it's gone.
But what's true about you?
We must question and explore our own truths and beliefs about ourselves.
Is it the things that you claim to be true
Are the things that we say true to who we really are?
Or is it deeper?
Is there a deeper truth within us that we're not acknowledging or recognizing?
Lurking in places that you
Within these hidden places of ourselves lies the truth about who we really are.
Don't dare to journey to
We often avoid exploring these hidden parts of ourselves out of fear or uncertainty.
Faced with a new
When we're presented with a new truth to consider or explore.
Way of seeing it
A different perspective or way of looking at things.
Are you type to accept
Will we accept this new perspective or reject it?
Or the type to clench fists and reject?
Will we be stubborn and refuse to consider other viewpoints?
Whose truth even counts?
Which truth is the right truth when everyone sees things differently?
Is it the person who doubts
Is the person who questions things the one who holds the truthful perspective?
What a person proclaims they're about?
Or is it the one who is confident in their beliefs?
Whose version is perfect?
No one version is perfect, as everyone sees things differently.
Is there a truth that exists
Is there actually a universal truth that exists outside of our own perception?
Outside of perception?
Or is everything subjective and based on our own perspective?
Two people
A relationship between two people.
One thinks Two's deceitful
One sees the other as dishonest.
Two thinks One's plain evil
The other sees One as mischievous or malevolent.
One loved Two so much it was like worship
One felt an intense, almost religious love for Two.
Two thought One was perfect
The other thought One was without flaw or mistake.
One said to Two
One talked to Two.
'I'm awful, trust me
One's self-esteem was low and didn't feel worthy of love.
You're so pure that you should not touch me.'
One felt Two was too good to be with One.
Two said
Two replied.
'I don't care, I love you
Two didn't care about One's insecurities and loved One anyway.
I can't wait to know you.'
Two was eager to know One more deeply.
One said
One replied.
'I'm scared, I will show you
One was afraid to reveal their flaws and shortcomings to Two.
The bad side that I don't like.'
The parts of One's self that One doesn't like.
Two said
Two replied.
'Be yourself and I will be myself
Two encourages One to be honest and authentic, and promises to do the same.
We don't need no one else
We don't need anyone else's opinions or input to define our relationship.
With their opinions
Referring to others' viewpoints or judgment.
The past is gone, let's move on
The past can be left behind and the focus should be on the now and future of the relationship.
Make present.'
The focus should be on being present in the moment.
Two said
Two replied.
'Ok, you're the best.'
Two affirms and praises One's qualities.
Well, you know the rest
The rest of the relationship went downhill despite these efforts.
It all went sour
The relationship ended poorly.
And now Two thinks One is mad for power
Two believes One seeks to have control or influence over others.
One thinks Two tried to devour
One believes Two was too demanding or needy in the relationship.
Everything that made One One
Two expected One to be someone different than who One truly is.
But Two thinks One got Two too wrong
Two believes that One misunderstood Two's intentions or actions.
So if there's one truth that lasts forever
If there is one universal truth that is always true.
Can two truths ever exist together?
Can two people hold different truths and still have a successful relationship?
If One loves Two but Two don't love
If One has strong feelings for Two but Two does not feel the same.
Whose truth is true and is truth enough?
Whose perspective is the right one in this scenario, and does the truth matter if the feelings are not mutual?
In the back of the cab
In a taxi cab.
The girls look at each other, like
The girls exchange looks with each other.
'What the fuck was that?'
The girls are confused and don't understand what they just heard.
'I thought it was that In Da Club one.'
One of the girls thought they were listening to a different song.
'I don't know,' says the diver, 'I never liked rap.'
The driver of the cab expresses their disinterest in rap music.
'Well, can't you put it on Magic then
One of the girls asks the driver to change the channel to a different station.
Or something like that?'
They ask for a different type of music on the radio.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL DE MUSSENDEN CAREY, KATE TEMPEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
andrew james Bunting
Lyrics
It’s all relative, right?
One thought, many thinkers
One flame, many cinders
One view, many windows
Love in a time without sacrifice
We want what we want
And what’s more, we deserve it
We run around panicking
Nervous, thinking
Could this be the one?
Man, they’re perfect
Couple years later
You’re chained to the circuit
Breaking them down
As if you’re determined to waste what you’ve found
But what’s true about you?
Is it the things that you claim to be true
Or is it deeper?
Lurking in places that you
Don’t dare to journey to
Faced with a new
Way of seeing it
Are you type to accept
Or the type to clench fists and reject?
Whose truth even counts?
Is it the person who doubts
What a person proclaims they’re about?
Whose version is perfect?
Is there a truth that exists
Outside of perception?
This is the question
It’s true if you believe it
The world is the world
But it’s all how you see it
One man’s flash of lightning ripping through the air
Is another’s passing glare, its hardly there
Two people
One thinks Two’s deceitful
Two thinks One’s plain evil
One loved Two so much it was like worship
Two thought One was perfect
One said to Two
‘I’m awful, trust me
You’re so pure that you should not touch me.’
Two said
‘I don’t care, I love you
I can’t wait to know you.’
One said
‘I’m scared, I will show you
The bad side that I don’t like.’
Two said
‘Be yourself and I will be myself
We don’t need no one else
With their opinions
The past is gone, let’s move on
Make present.’
Two said
‘Ok, you’re the best.’
Well, you know the rest
It all went sour
And now Two thinks One is mad for power
One thinks Two tried to devour
Everything that made One One
But Two thinks One got Two too wrong
So if there’s one truth that lasts forever
Can two truths ever exist together?
If One loves Two but Two don’t love
Whose truth is true and is truth enough?
It’s true if you believe it
The world is the world
But it’s all how you see it
One man’s flash of lightning ripping through the air
Is another’s passing glare, its hardly there
In the back of the cab
The girls look at each other, like
‘What the fuck was that?’
‘I thought it was that In Da Club one.’
‘I don’t know, ’ says the diver, ‘I never liked rap.’
‘Well, can’t you put it on Magic then
Or something like that?’
jackson demir
this is so good especially that bass part at 0:27
Monique van Riel
I am so impressed, the lyrics is very strong the performance authentic. You inspire me,Thank you !!!
andrew james Bunting
Lyrics
It’s all relative, right?
One thought, many thinkers
One flame, many cinders
One view, many windows
Love in a time without sacrifice
We want what we want
And what’s more, we deserve it
We run around panicking
Nervous, thinking
Could this be the one?
Man, they’re perfect
Couple years later
You’re chained to the circuit
Breaking them down
As if you’re determined to waste what you’ve found
But what’s true about you?
Is it the things that you claim to be true
Or is it deeper?
Lurking in places that you
Don’t dare to journey to
Faced with a new
Way of seeing it
Are you type to accept
Or the type to clench fists and reject?
Whose truth even counts?
Is it the person who doubts
What a person proclaims they’re about?
Whose version is perfect?
Is there a truth that exists
Outside of perception?
This is the question
It’s true if you believe it
The world is the world
But it’s all how you see it
One man’s flash of lightning ripping through the air
Is another’s passing glare, its hardly there
Two people
One thinks Two’s deceitful
Two thinks One’s plain evil
One loved Two so much it was like worship
Two thought One was perfect
One said to Two
‘I’m awful, trust me
You’re so pure that you should not touch me.’
Two said
‘I don’t care, I love you
I can’t wait to know you.’
One said
‘I’m scared, I will show you
The bad side that I don’t like.’
Two said
‘Be yourself and I will be myself
We don’t need no one else
With their opinions
The past is gone, let’s move on
Make present.’
Two said
‘Ok, you’re the best.’
Well, you know the rest
It all went sour
And now Two thinks One is mad for power
One thinks Two tried to devour
Everything that made One One
But Two thinks One got Two too wrong
So if there’s one truth that lasts forever
Can two truths ever exist together?
If One loves Two but Two don’t love
Whose truth is true and is truth enough?
It’s true if you believe it
The world is the world
But it’s all how you see it
One man’s flash of lightning ripping through the air
Is another’s passing glare, its hardly there
In the back of the cab
The girls look at each other, like
‘What the fuck was that?’
‘I thought it was that In Da Club one.’
‘I don’t know, ’ says the diver, ‘I never liked rap.’
‘Well, can’t you put it on Magic then
Or something like that?’
Gabriel Chukuezi
Perception, perspective and standpoint. What a blessing Ms Tempest is, inspiring, a female genius, emotion personified - in a very positive manner. Give us a scholarship please, Kate!! I need an honorary aswell!!!
Mathilskategirl
all her songs and her lyrics are so damn beautiful
Manifest Station
masterpiece, one of Kae's best
Louisa Dyer
wow. love it. I need lyrics please
G H
this woman is on point.
Chabaud Mariette
J'cromprends rien...mais quel rythme !
Force puissance performance 💙
N H
Le chanson, c’est a propos de deux gens en amour, et le mensonges qu’ils parlent a l’autre. Ce fait mon coeur mal (fait mal?). Desolé mon francais n’est pas bien!:)