After college, Kaye moved to New York to pursue music. She played bass and guitar in several Brooklyn bands (including shredding as Slash in an all-girl Guns N’ Roses cover band called ‘Guns N’ Hoses’). In 2014, a mutual friend connected her with San Fermin’s Ellis Ludwig-Leone. Impressed with her voice, he asked her to be San Fermin’s new lead vocalist. This led to five years of collaboration and touring with San Fermin, with Kaye’s blistering frontwoman energy propelling their albums Jackrabbit and Belong to international audiences and festivals worldwide. This included tours supporting alt-J, The National, and St. Vincent.
She released the critically acclaimed album Conscious Control, her first full-length in four years, in November 2020.
Closer Than This
Kaye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quarter after three
Tell me what you want to do to me
I’m your dream girl
Hazy in your mind
Baby you fit into me like a hook into an eye
Let’s play pretend
I don’t need to see your edges
or your complicated bits
Let’s have an understanding
Let’s play pretend
We never really see each other
Cuz the glow’s where we live
I’m never gonna call it love
I’m never gonna open up
I’m never gonna let you closer than this
I’m never gonna be the one
So quit it with the real stuff
I’m never gonna let you closer than this
Give me what i want
This is how it works
You don’t get to know me
You don’t get to hurt me first
Let’s have an understanding
Let’s play pretend
I don’t care about your sister
Or your band from Michigan
Let’s have an understanding
Let’s play pretend
We never really see each other
Cuz the glow's where we live
I’m never gonna call it love
I’m never gonna open up
I’m never gonna let you closer than this
I’m never gonna be the one
Cuz I don’t need a real touch
I’m never gonna let you closer than this
Don’t you wanna call it love?
You really wanna let me closer than this
Saying I could be the one
This could be the real stuff
But I won’t ever let you closer than this
The lyrics in the song Closer Than This by Kaye speak about a relationship that is not an actual relationship, but more of a physical and emotional connection that is built on pretending and established rules. The song begins with a request for a picture from the other person, and the conversation leads to asking what the other person wants to do to them. The singer sings, "I'm your dream girl, hazy in your mind, baby you fit into me like a hook into an eye," indicating that the other person perceives them as a fantasy, and they fit perfectly into each other.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's unwillingness to commit and build a real relationship with the other person. They sing, "I'm never gonna call it love, I'm never gonna open up, I'm never gonna let you closer than this, I'm never gonna be the one, so quit it with the real stuff, I'm never gonna let you closer than this." Here, they make it clear that they do not want to risk being hurt by love or any real connection with the other person, and they prefer to keep their relationship superficial.
The rest of the lyrics further establish the tone of the relationship, which is built on rules and make-believe. The other person is not allowed to know them or hurt them, and they don't care about the other person's personal life or family. In the end, the singer asks if the other person wants more, but they firmly state that they will never let them get closer than what they have.
Overall, the song portrays a relationship that is based on a person's preference to keep their emotions and feelings guarded, avoiding any real connection that could lead to pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Send a picture, babe
Share your desires with me.
Quarter after three
It doesn't matter what time it is, I'm always willing to hear you out.
Tell me what you want to do to me
Share your desires and fantasies with me.
I’m your dream girl
I can make your fantasies come true.
Hazy in your mind
I am the object of your desire, clouding your judgment.
Baby you fit into me like a hook into an eye
We are a perfect match, fitting together like two puzzle pieces.
Let’s have an understanding
We need to be on the same page.
Let’s play pretend
Let's ignore reality and enjoy our fantasy.
I don’t need to see your edges or your complicated bits
I don't need to know everything about you, let's keep it simple.
We never really see each other, cuz the glow’s where we live
We are focused on the fantasy, not the reality.
I’m never gonna call it love
This is just a fantasy, not love.
I’m never gonna open up
I will keep my guard up and not let you in completely.
I’m never gonna let you closer than this
We have a fantasy and that's where it will stay.
I’m never gonna be the one
I won't be anyone's everything.
So quit it with the real stuff
Let's stay focused on the fantasy and not get bogged down with real-life details.
Give me what I want
Let's focus on my desires.
This is how it works
This is the fantasy we have created.
You don’t get to know me
We will keep it impersonal to maintain the fantasy.
You don’t get to hurt me first
I won't be vulnerable to anyone.
I don’t care about your sister or your band from Michigan
I'm not interested in the details of your personal life.
Don’t you wanna call it love?
Is this enough for you or do you want more?
You really wanna let me closer than this
Do you want to get closer to the reality?
Saying I could be the one
You see me as a potential partner or someone significant.
This could be the real stuff
This could be more than just a fantasy.
But I won’t ever let you closer than this
I won't let this fantasy turn into something more.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Charlene Kaye, Kirk Schoenherr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@goharmalik543
This song
is epicccccc
@hilaryadams295
Still dropping bangers after all these years. Great to see you back in action, girl!!!
@etraziel
ThaLos brought me here!
@poppyjones1211
Yesss!
@xxcagedriotxx
Same, and I went right back. lol
@Parasite_Gang
Same
@poison03nae
Me too
@tristan_off
Meeee toooo
@Ashestoashesjc
bless this bop 😩
@nokiaarmor
why is this not like super popular