Singles ‘Hurt Me’ and ‘Falling Short’ confirmed her as one of the most exciting new songwriting talents, whilst DJ Koze’s disco edit of ‘Operator’ produced an instant dancefloor classic.
Second album Through Water marked a shift from adolescence into womanhood and from introverted bedroom producer to a more confident, conscious artist – lead single ‘Womxn’ proudly asserted her queer identity and a more assured, upbeat direction.
Holly has since asserted herself as a successful writer and top liner within the music industry, having recently signed publishing with Young and Sony, and returning with her own original music with ‘‘32 Floors’. A bold reintroduction to Låpsley as an artist, ‘‘32 Floors’ is a song about falling in love - but also, into obsession - ahead of much more music to follow soon.
Tell Me The Truth
Låpsley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some in other doors and feel it's breaking me down
The feeling of a loss, I need to see she ain't
The feeling that I had before you took me right down
I ping you when I start to get a short high
Short amount of time before the birds fly by
The lighting in your room was always too low
We said our goodbyes before we said hello
In a small place, you changed me
In a crowded place, you isolated me
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Boy you've been throwing shadows on a long flight
Just pulling my feet under, move my face from your side
The feeling always lingers past the comfortable state
Make stories up in my head, you can question them now
I touch you in the dark for satisfaction
There's life in my sentimental attraction
The lighting in your room was always star lit
Just tell me something right, babe, and I'll believe it
In a small place, you changed me
In a crowded place, you isolated me
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
I'm numb to the pain, there's no fire, there's no burn
The house down playing the [?]
Feed the ego
And will these eyes let me go? [x2]
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
Låpsley's "Tell Me the Truth" is a song about two people in a complicated relationship that is hurting them both. The first verse sees the singer confessing to taking things they don't want to take, and feeling as though it's breaking them down. They also mention a feeling of loss and a need to see that the other person isn't the one causing it. As the verse continues, the singer mentions pinging the other person for a "short high," which suggests that they are possibly using drugs together. The lighting in the other person's room is also mentioned as always being too low, indicating a lack of openness or transparency in their relationship.
The chorus then repeats the plea for the other person to "just tell me the truth," suggesting that they have been lying or hiding things from each other, and that the lies are causing more pain than the truth would. The second verse sees the other person being accused of throwing shadows on their relationship and pulling the singer's feet out from under them. The singer also mentions making up stories in their head and touching the other person in the dark for satisfaction. The lighting in their room is described as always being starlit, which seems to be a contrast to the earlier mention of the low lighting in the other person's room.
The bridge of the song is more abstract, with the singer saying that they are numb to the pain and that there is no fire or burn left. They mention feeding the ego and wondering whether their eyes will let them go. Overall, the song suggests a relationship that is based on lies and illusions, and that is causing both parties a great deal of emotional pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Boy I've been taking things that I don't want to take
I've been accepting things I don't want just to keep the peace
Some in other doors and feel it's breaking me down
Sometimes it feels like it's destroying me
The feeling of a loss, I need to see she ain't
I need reassurance that everything is okay
The feeling that I had before you took me right down
The way I felt before you brought me down
I ping you when I start to get a short high
I reach out to you when I'm feeling good for a brief moment
Short amount of time before the birds fly by
A fleeting moment before it's gone
The lighting in your room was always too low
The atmosphere was always too dark and gloomy
We said our goodbyes before we said hello
It was over before it even began
In a small place, you changed me
You had a profound impact on me in a confined space
In a crowded place, you isolated me
Despite being surrounded by people, you made me feel alone
Just tell me the truth, it'll hurt less, I guess
I'd rather know the truth, even if it's painful
Boy you've been throwing shadows on a long flight
You've been casting doubts on our long journey together
Just pulling my feet under, move my face from your side
You're slowly distancing yourself from me
The feeling always lingers past the comfortable state
The unease persists even when things seem fine
Make stories up in my head, you can question them now
I've been creating scenarios in my mind that need to be addressed
I touch you in the dark for satisfaction
I seek comfort from you when no one else is around
There's life in my sentimental attraction
I'm emotionally attached to you
The lighting in your room was always star lit
The atmosphere was always romantic and dreamy
Just tell me something right, babe, and I'll believe it
I just need something reassuring from you to feel better
I'm numb to the pain, there's no fire, there's no burn
I'm emotionally distant and don't feel anything anymore
The house down playing the [?]
The music is loud enough to drown out my thoughts
Feed the ego
Boost my confidence
And will these eyes let me go? [x2]
Will I ever be able to move on?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Holly Fletcher Lapsley, Paul Redmond O'Duffy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind