Blending hypnotic bumps with flower petal lullabies, his sorrowful and emotional tracks feel like dancing with the lights off. Like crying and smiling at the same time. Perhaps a fitting manifesto of his music can be heard on the track “onoffonoff,” when Keshi sings “kiss me when you hurt me.” Emotional, heartfelt, and sincere, his bedroom blues will remain in your head for days/weeks to come.
i swear i'll never leave again
Keshi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can you tell me who I am?
I think that I forgot
So remind me once again
Maybe I was going too fast
Babe, I'd give it all to go back (Yeah-hea-eah)
Baby I'm better, I promise
Know that I've never been honest
Maybe I never forgot it (Forgot it)
Daily reminder
Tattoos of tigers
Cigarette lighters
Laughter and cider
(Daily reminder)
(Tattoos of tigers, forgot it)
(Cigarette lighters)
(Laughter and cider)
(Swear I'll never leave again)
(Maybe I was going too fast)
(Forgot it)
(Babe, I'd give it all to go back)
(Swear I'll never leave again)
Ohh (Ohh)
Ohh (Yeah)
(Hea-hea-hea)
I don't deserve this
All in your arms
All your forgiveness
I don't belong
I swear
I swear I'll never leave again
(Daily reminder)
(Tattoos of tigers, forgot it)
(Cigarette lighters)
(Laughter and cider)
(Swear I'll never leave again)
(Maybe I was going too fast)
(Forgot it)
(Babe, I'd give it all to go back)
So this is love
Just hold me close
I'll never leave
I won't let go
Oh, I swear I'll never leave again
In Keshi's song "I Swear I'll Never Leave Again", the singer is experiencing a feeling of dissociation from his true self. He is asking the mirror on the wall to remind him of who he really is as he feels like he has forgotten. The chorus suggests that the singer is trying to make up for something he did wrong or could have done differently but he cannot change the past. The lyrics "Maybe I was going too fast, Babe, I'd give it all to go back" suggests he has made a mistake of some sort and wants to go back in time to fix it. He then speaks of having daily reminders such as tattoos of tigers, cigarette lighters, laughter, and cider. This stanza further shows his sense of disconnect from his past as if he is trying to hold on to it through these possessions.
The chorus repeats "I swear I'll never leave again" with a more heightened sense of urgency and conviction at the end. The line "I don't deserve this, all in your arms, all your forgiveness, I don't belong" suggests that he feels like he is not worthy of forgiveness but is seeking it. The last verse, "So this is love, just hold me close, I'll never leave, I won't let go" suggests that he has found love that he wants to hold onto and will not let go of, even though he fears being left alone. Overall, the song unpacks the complexities of human emotions, relationships and the things we do to hold onto them, even when they have slipped away from us.
Line by Line Meaning
Mirror on the wall
Reflecting on myself, seeking self-awareness
Can you tell me who I am?
Asking for help to regain my sense of identity
I think that I forgot
Feeling lost and confused
So remind me once again
Asking for someone to bring clarity to my situation
Maybe I was going too fast
Realizing that I was moving too quickly and need to slow down
Babe, I'd give it all to go back (Yeah-hea-eah)
Expressing regret and a desire to go back in time
Baby I'm better, I promise
Assuring someone that I've changed for the better
Know that I've never been honest
Admitting to not always telling the truth
Maybe I never forgot it (Forgot it)
Considering the possibility that I never truly forgot what was important
(Daily reminder)
A daily prompt to remember what's important
(Tattoos of tigers, forgot it)
A permanent reminder of what's important
(Cigarette lighters)
A symbol of personal vice
(Laughter and cider)
Moments of joy and celebration
(Swear I'll never leave again)
Making a promise to never leave again
(Maybe I was going too fast)
Reflecting on my past actions
(Forgot it)
Feeling forgetful or absent-minded
(Babe, I'd give it all to go back)
Desperately wanting to go back in time
Ohh (Ohh)
Expressing a feeling of sadness or yearning
Ohh (Yeah)
An acknowledgement of something positive
(Hea-hea-hea)
An unknown vocalization, potentially an expression of emotion
I don't deserve this
Feeling undeserving of forgiveness or love
All in your arms
Finding comfort and safety in someone's embrace
All your forgiveness
Grateful for the forgiveness given by someone else
I don't belong
Feeling out of place or like I don't fit in
I swear I'll never leave again
Making a promise to stay and never leave
(Daily reminder)
A daily prompt to remember what's important
(Tattoos of tigers, forgot it)
A permanent reminder of what's important
(Cigarette lighters)
A symbol of personal vice
(Laughter and cider)
Moments of joy and celebration
(Swear I'll never leave again)
Making a promise to never leave again
(Maybe I was going too fast)
Reflecting on my past actions
(Forgot it)
Feeling forgetful or absent-minded
(Babe, I'd give it all to go back)
Desperately wanting to go back in time
So this is love
Making a realization about the feeling of love
Just hold me close
Asking for physical affection and comfort
I'll never leave
Making a promise to stay
I won't let go
Committing to holding onto something, potentially a person or feeling
Oh, I swear I'll never leave again
Reiterating the promise to never leave again
Contributed by Riley O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.