La Havas was born in London, England to a Greek father and Jamaican mother. She was raised in Tooting and Streatham, spending the majority of her time with her grandparents, following her parents' separation as a child. La Havas' cites her parents' diverse musical tastes as having the biggest influence on her music. She began singing at seven. Her mother played Jill Scott and Mary j. Blige, while her father, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, taught her the basics of guitar and piano. Lianne wrote her first song at the age of 11 but did not learn to play the guitar until she was 18 years old. At 18, Lianne began attending Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise College for Girls in Croydon, where she studied art and planned to take her A-Levels in art foundation. However, she left college and decided to pursue a career in music full-time.
While attending sixth-form in Croydon, a friend of La Havas', (who attended the Brit School) introduced her to other musicians who assisted La Havas in the recording of her first demos. Through that same friend, La Havas was also introduced to British singer, Paloma Faith; she later sang backing vocals on tour for Faith. La Havas was co-writer and performer in 'The Paris Parade' alongside Christian Pinchbeck (who designed the artwork for Lost & Found) and also is now part of the duo Elephant (Memphis Industries). They had a short career but it began La Havas' career in commercial music. In 2010, Lianne signed to Warner Bros. Records, spending two years developing her songwriting skills before releasing music publicly.
La Havas made her television debut on October 21, 2011, broadcast of BBC Two's Later, with Jools Holland, a program that also featured Wisconsin folk band Bon Iver. Following her appearance on Later, with Jools Holland, it was announced on October 25, 2011 that La Havas would be the supporting act for Bon Iver's December 2011 North American tour.
La Havas released her debut EP, Lost & Found, on October 12, 2011 on the Labour of Love label and featured Willy Mason on the opening track, No Room For Doubt. That same month, La Havas released a live EP, titled Live in LA, which was made available for free download on her website. La Havas released her third EP titled Forget, on December 30, 2011 on the label Warner Brothers.
Her official debut single, Lost & Found was released in the UK on April 30, 2012. Her debut album, Is Your Love Big Enough?, was released on July 9, 2012 in the UK on Warner Brothers.
Paper Thin
Lianne La Havas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
God only knows the pain you're in
But the future's bright
You've got God on your side, He's listening
Love yourself
Or else you can't love no one else
I know your pain is real
But you won't let it heal
Paper-thin
If you're trying to lose, you'll never win
It's your life
But you're not the only one who's suffering
That's enough, I know you're made of better stuff, baby
You gotta roam free, please
Don't forget about me
Oh, give me the other key
Oh, your heart's wide open
There must be another key
Left your heart wide open
Just give me the other key
Your heart is an open door
So let me love you
I just wanna love you
Paper-thin
You understand the pain I'm in
Slipping in and out
Of such confidence
And overwhelming doubt
But if I love myself
I know I can't be no one else, oh no
Don't go
'Cause I need you so
Oh, give me the other key
Oh, your heart's wide open
There must be another key
Left your heart wide open
Just give me the other key
Your heart is an open door
So let me love you
I just wanna love you
They say they're scared of you
I'm like, "Me too, me too"
("Me too, me too") "Me too"
You say you're scared of me
We both just want to be free
(Be free, be free) Be free
Oh, give me the other key
Oh, your heart's wide open
There must be another key
Left your heart wide open
Just give me the other key
Your heart is an open door
Let me love you, uh
Your heart's wide open
Your heart's wide open (just give me another key)
Your heart's wide open
(Just give me another key)
Your heart's wide open
Just give me another key
Your heart is an open door
So let me love you
I just wanna love you
The song "Paper Thin" by Lianne La Havas is a deeply introspective and emotionally raw track. Throughout the song, she addresses someone who is clearly enduring a great deal of pain and suffering, letting them know that they are not alone and that there is hope for a brighter future. La Havas recognizes that it can be difficult to love oneself and that the pain of the past can be hard to shake, but encourages the person to keep moving forward and not give up.
The repeated phrase "Paper-thin" suggests that the person she is speaking to is fragile and vulnerable, but it also hints at the idea that this vulnerability can be a strength. The lyric "Love yourself, or else you can't love no one else" highlights the importance of self-love and how it can enable us to connect more deeply with others.
The chorus of the song is a plea for the person to let their guard down and allow themselves to be loved. The repeated request for "the other key" suggests that love is something that needs to be unlocked and that both people in the relationship need to be willing to open up and be vulnerable in order for it to work.
Overall, "Paper Thin" is a moving and powerful track that deals with themes of self-acceptance, healing, and love.
Line by Line Meaning
Paper-thin
The subject is feeling vulnerable and fragile
God only knows the pain you're in
The subject is experiencing a lot of pain and suffering
But the future's bright
Despite the current hardships, things will get better
You've got God on your side, He's listening
The subject can turn to their faith for comfort and support
Love yourself
The subject needs to prioritize self-love before loving others
Or else you can't love no one else
Without self-love, the subject cannot form healthy relationships
I know your pain is real
The pain the subject is feeling is not imagined or trivialized
But you won't let it heal
The subject is having difficulty moving past their pain and trauma
If you're trying to lose, you'll never win
Negative patterns or habits cannot lead to positive outcomes
It's your life
The subject is responsible for their own choices and actions
But you're not the only one who's suffering
Others are also struggling and can empathize with the subject
That's enough, I know you're made of better stuff, baby
The subject has inner strength and resilience
You gotta roam free, please
The subject should embrace their freedom and individuality
Don't forget about me
The singer wants to continue being a part of the subject's life
Oh, give me the other key
The singer wants to deepen their connection with the subject
Oh, your heart's wide open
The subject is emotionally available and vulnerable
There must be another key
The artist wants to uncover more layers of the subject's personality
Left your heart wide open
The subject has already let someone in emotionally
Your heart is an open door
The subject is willing to give love and receive it
So let me love you
The artist wants to show the subject love and care
You understand the pain I'm in
The artist and the subject both have experienced pain
Slipping in and out
The subject is oscillating between confidence and doubt
Of such confidence
The subject is capable and strong
And overwhelming doubt
The subject also feels weak and unsure at times
But if I love myself
The singer knows self-love is important for personal growth
I know I can't be no one else, oh no
Being true to oneself is crucial for happiness and fulfillment
Don't go
The singer wants the subject to stay in their life
'Cause I need you so
The artist values the subject's presence and affection
They say they're scared of you
Other people may be intimidated by the subject
I'm like, "Me too, me too"
The singer can relate to feeling scared
"Me too, me too"
The singer emphasizes their shared experience with the subject
You say you're scared of me
The subject is also scared of the artist to some extent
We both just want to be free
Both the artist and subject desire freedom from fear and pain
(Be free, be free)
The artist emphasizes the importance of freedom
Your heart's wide open
The subject is emotionally available and vulnerable
(just give me another key)
The artist wants to deepen their relationship with the subject
Just give me another key
The singer wants to unlock more of the subject's personality
Let me love you, uh
The singer wants to show the subject love and affection
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lianne Charlotte Barnes, Matthew Nicholas Hales
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
HanaGlow
❤❤❤❤
Paper-thin
God only knows the pain you're in
But the future's bright
You've got God on your side, He's listening
Love yourself
Or else you can't love no one else
I know your pain is real
But you won't let it heal
Paper-thin
If you're trying to lose, you'll never win
It's your life
But you're not the only one suffering
That's enough, I know you're made of better stuff
Baby, you gotta roam free
Please don't forget about me
Oh, give me the other key
Oh, your heart's wide open
There must be another key
Left your heart wide open
Just give me the other key
Your heart is an open door
So let me love you
I just wanna love you
Paper-thin
You understand the pain I'm in
Slippin' in and out of such confidence
And overwhelming doubt
But if I love myself
I know I can't be no one else
Oh, no, don't go
'Cause I need you so
Oh, give me the other key
Oh, your heart's wide open
There must be another key
Left your heart wide open
Just give me the other key
Your heart is an open door
So let me love you
I just wanna love you
They said they're scared of you
I'm like, "Me, too, me, too"
("Me, too, me, too") "Me, too"
You say you're scared of me
We both just want to be free
(Be free, be free) Be free, mm
Oh, give me the other key
Oh, your heart's wide open
There must be another key
Left your heart wide open
Just give me the other key
Your heart is an open door
Let me love you
Your heart's wide open
Your heart's wide open (Just give me another key)
Your heart's wide open (Just give me another key)
Your heart's wide open
Just give me another key (Just give me another key)
Your heart is an open door
So let me love you
I just wanna love you
Leo Brenin
If you're on this side of YouTube you have excellent taste, my friend.
Maged Hosny
thanks :D
badgalruth
🌊🌊
The Collective Bore
I love it here 🌞🌞🌞
David Hernandez Loves You
indeed
Claire C
I know
Ooz
My personal interpretation of this song is that it's about loving yourself, the good and the bad. The first verse is the side of you that's strong and hopeful, pleading to the side of you that's hurt and depressed. The second verse is the hurt side expressing self-pity and doubt, but also understanding of themselves, as they plead for the strong side to stay so they can continue to cope. And that's why in the chorus there are two keys and they both open the same door because it's the same heart. Both sides just want to love the other and be free. They won't give up their key because one won't give up their hope, and the other won't give up their trauma. As long as they're at odds, you can never heal, be complete, or fully accept and love yourself.
Evan Pettigrew
love it. Thank you for sharing.
Samoiah Russell
Appreciate this. Thank you ❤
Genesis Martinez
Request for Sour Flower?