Kele Okereke released his first solo album, titled The Boxer on 21 June 2010, through Wichita / Polydor in the UK and Europe and Glassnote Records for the rest of the world. The album was released under the name Kele, dropping his surname. Okereke explained the album title, saying "as a boxer, you have to rely on nobody else but yourself to achieve what it is you want to achieve. Even though you take hits, you have to keep focus on your priorities and keep going. I thought that was an inspiring image". The first single from the album Tenderoni was released on 14 June 2010.
Okereke sees the 'Kele' brand as a way for him to embrace his interest in dance music. "I've been into clubbing for years. I've said from the beginning I'm into dance, it gets me excited and I think this record is going to go some way to prove that to people, hopefully." - Kele Okereke
In September 2011 it was announced that Kele would be releasing a follow up to The Boxer; an EP titled The Hunter.
On 23 July 2014 Kele announced his second solo album, entitled Trick, to be released on his own label Lilac Records via Kobalt Label Services on 13 October 2014.
He released his third album Fatherland on 6 October 2017 under his full name Kele Okereke. The album features the singles Streets Been Talking and Grounds For Resentment feat. Olly Alexander. Fatherland also features the duet Versions of Us with Grammy-winning English singer and songwriter Corinne Bailey Rea
In January 2019, Leave to Remain a new musical written by Okereke and Matt Jones debuted in London. Announced in September 2018, the musical about an interracial gay couple was preceded by the single Not the Drugs Talking which showed a move back towards beats following the more acoustic Fatherland. Telling a love story through the Prism of Brexit, the new show is accompanied by a tie-in album of new songs. Speaking about the subject matter and his feelings on the UK in 2019, Okereke claimed that “It’s not a time that I’ve been proud to be British. It’s an ugly time”.
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05 Everything You Wanted
Kele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can tell that something has changed
I see the pain written over your face
And I know I pushed you too far
If you want to leave me
You must know one thing
Everything you wanted, everything you needed
I could have given you
Everything you wanted, everything you needed
I could have given you
Everything you wanted, everything you needed
I could have given you
Everything you wanted, everything you needed
I know times, I am lost and gone
I am told I'm only half dead
But you were there in my thoughts
In my head, in my heart above the left side
I know the time for us has past
But you must know one thing
I could have given you
Everything you wanted, everything you needed
I could have given you
Everything you wanted, everything you needed
I could have given you
Everything you wanted, everything you needed
I could have given you
Everything you wanted, everything you needed
And I say, dale, dale, I'm a dido
Finding it hard to breathe
And I say, dale, dale, I'm a dido
Finding it hard to breathe
I say, dale, dale, I'm a dido
Finding it hard to breathe
And I say, dale, dale, I'm a dido
Finding it hard to breathe
I could have given you
Everything you wanted, everything you needed
I could have given you
Everything you wanted, everything you needed
I could have given you
Everything you wanted, everything you needed
I could have given you
Everything you wanted, everything you needed
In "Everything You Wanted," Kele Okereke sings about a relationship that has ended or is on the brink of ending due to his actions. He can see the signs that his partner is hurt and possibly preparing to leave. He acknowledges that he has pushed them too far and admits that he could have given them everything they wanted and needed. However, it seems too little too late, as he states that the time for them has passed. Okereke also references feeling lost and half-dead at times, but knowing his partner is always on his mind and in his heart.
The song displays a sense of remorse and regret, as well as a desire to make things right. It conveys the feeling of realizing what one has lost and wishing they had done things differently. The repetition of "I could have given you everything you wanted, everything you needed" emphasizes the weight of the missed opportunity and the importance of communication and action in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I see the bags in the empty hallway
The singer notices bags in the empty hallway indicating that something has changed and the person they are addressing might be leaving.
I can tell that something has changed
The singer recognizes a shift in circumstances and they suspect that it has to do with their behavior.
I see the pain written over your face
The singer can see the pain and distress on the person's face that they care about.
And I know I pushed you too far
The artist acknowledges they went too far with their behavior and it led to the current situation.
If you want to leave me
The artist directly addresses the person they care about and recognizes that they may want to leave.
You must know one thing
The singer proceeds to convey something that the person they are addressing should be aware of.
I could have given you Everything you wanted, everything you needed
The singer declares that they had the ability to provide everything their partner could have wanted or needed.
I know times, I am lost and gone
The artist admits that there have been times when they were lost or absent from the relationship.
I am told I'm only half dead
The artist reveals they have been given feedback indicating that they are not fully present in the relationship.
But you were there in my thoughts, in my head, in my heart above the left side
Despite their struggles, the artist reflects that their partner is still very much on their mind and heart.
I know the time for us has past
The singer comes to terms with the fact that the relationship has run its course.
And I say, dale, dale, I'm a dido, finding it hard to breathe
The artist expresses their internal struggle by declaring that they feel like they're suffocating (a reference to the mythical Didon) and incorporating Spanish slang (dale) to reflect their mixed heritage.
I could have given you Everything you wanted, everything you needed
The singer repeats their assertion that they could have met their partner's every need and want.
I say, dale, dale, I'm a dido, finding it hard to breathe
The singer again expresses their internal struggle and incorporates the same Spanish slang.
I could have given you Everything you wanted, everything you needed
The singer continues to repeat their regret about not fulfilling their partner's needs and wants.
I could have given you Everything you wanted, everything you needed
The artist repeats their previous statements emphatically and poignantly as a final admission of their remorse.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KELE OKEREKE, ALEX XXXCHANGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind