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.
They Could be Wrong
Lianne La Havas Lyrics
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The way you breathe when you're leaving
I know you know then I'm not myself
Mm, and when you're home feel your footsteps
I count alone in the darkness
In the darkness
They could be wrong
And when they say our love won't last forever
They could be wrong
They could be wrong
The way you smile when I'm speaking
I feel how clearly you see me
How clearly you see me
They say our love won't last forever
They could be wrong
And when they say our love won't last forever
They could be wrong
They could be wrong
They could be wrong
They could be wrong
(Ooh)
We could be wrong
Hear me out
Just hear me out
Oh hear me out
Just hear me out
Oh hear me out
Just hear me out
Oh hear me out
Just hear me out
Hear me now
Just hear me now
Oh hear me now
Don't push me out
Oh hear me now
Don't push me out
Oh hear me now
They say our love
Oh they could be wrong
Yeah they could be wrong
We proved ourselves wrong
They say our love won't last forever
They say our love won't last forever
In "They Could be Wrong," Lianne La Havas sings about the doubts and criticisms that can come from others about a relationship. Her lyrics describe her intimate knowledge of her partner's movements and presence, even when they are not together. She feels invisible in the darkness without her partner and cherishes the way she is seen and heard when they are together. The repeated refrain, "They say our love won't last forever, they could be wrong," implies that there is judgment or negativity from others about the longevity of their relationship, but La Havas is determined to prove them wrong.
The song's repetition of the phrase "They could be wrong" suggests a questioning and challenging of societal norms and expectations about love and relationships. La Havas suggests that despite external criticism, it is possible for a relationship to last much longer than others expect or anticipate. By referring to "our love," La Havas implies a shared commitment and connection with her partner that goes beyond simple attraction or infatuation.
Overall, "They Could be Wrong" is a hopeful and optimistic song about the endurance of love, even when others may doubt it. It speaks to the importance of a deep emotional bond between two partners and the power of love to overcome societal norms and expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
The way you move when you're sleeping
I love observing you sleep and the way you move in your sleep.
The way you breathe when you're leaving
I notice the way you breathe and it reminds me that you're leaving, which makes me sad.
I know you know then I'm not myself
You know when I'm not okay and when I'm not acting like myself.
Mm, and when you're home feel your footsteps
When you enter the home, I can hear your footsteps and feel your presence. It reassures me.
I count alone in the darkness
When you're not home, I feel alone in the darkness and I often count the time until you come back.
They say our love won't last forever
People have doubted our love and think it won't last forever.
They could be wrong
I believe that our love will surpass all doubt and be everlasting.
The way you smile when I'm speaking
When I talk to you, I can see how much you understand and care about what I'm saying through the way you smile.
I feel how clearly you see me
You have an understanding and clarity about me that I haven't found in anyone else.
We could be wrong
Though we have proved doubters wrong about our love, we may be wrong about something else.
Hear me out
Listen to what I have to say and understand my perspective.
Just hear me out
Please just listen to me and don't interrupt.
Don't push me out
Don't distance yourself from me or push me away when I'm trying to communicate with you.
We proved ourselves wrong
Though we may have had doubts before, we were capable of making our love work regardless.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LIANNE CHARLOTTE BARNES, MATTHEW NICHOLAS HALES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind