The empathy with the musical instruments started with the guitar. It was with the guitar that she realised were the chords of her parent’s music come from. From The Beatles and from many others. And it was on an early age that she gave herself to the unique melodies that the jazz immortalized. The capacity of a melody to stand by itself, without the instruments. She embraced such artists as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzerald, Chet Baker, and many others and with them in her heart she set off to the Berklee College of Music, in Boston, USA, to study music. In her 4 year stay in Boston she was nominated for the «Best Jazz Song» at the Malibu Music Awards (2008); «Best Jazz Artist» at the Hollywood Music Awards ; «International Songwriting Competition» (2007) and «The John Lennon Songwriting Competition» (2008).
More than being nominated or completing her studies, Luísa was also discovering herself every year that went by. Her musical identity would further develop in New York, where she moved after finish her degree in Boston (2009). In her bags a lot of what would eventually give shape to songs that where already wandering inside her head. Hers and her mother’s who confessed to her she had dreamed that her first album would be called «The Cherry on My Cake». Maternal magic that made a dream come true.
The learning of the jazz standards, the practice done by playing a Brazilian music in bars and the stamina of her creativity all filtered into songs that would either gain live in paper or in chords. One after another. Well thought melodies with images inside. «I Would Love To», «Don`t Let Me Down», «Why Should I», among other songs that came together in an EP («My Funny Clementine»). The emphasis on the starting theme was obvious: «Not There Yet». A triple time rhythm, like a jazz waltz, colorful, an imposing chorus and violins in heaven. The record composition wasn’t to become limited to the English language. Between trips to and from Portugal, Luisa performed at the Super Bock Super Rock festival in Stock 2009. At this gig she mentions how much she would like to have a song in Portuguese. Upon her return to the States Luisa sketches a poem and melody for “O Engraxador” (the shoe shine man). That is followed by “Xico and Dolores”. For the upcoming record the will for a Portuguese cover song was still very much present. Nobody would be better to fill this part than Rui Veloso, artist that Luisa’s father listens to insistently. Luisa registers Carlos Te’s lyric and tries a different version of “Saiu para a Rua”.
«The Cherry on my Cake» is the result of all of this: of the person who dreams to live in Paris - totally inspired by French cinema. Result of the hectic New York vibe, of the familiar affection for Lisbon. From Regina Spektor to Elis Regina. From Billie Holiday to Bjork. From the 50’s to ingenuousness. From sound to image. From voice and talent: “I have a good life” she concludes.
Don't Let Me Down
Luísa Sobral Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I’m about to go on strike
And leave my tears at sea
Don’t let me down
I’m about to loose my mind
And it's clear to me
But you’ve got nothing to lose - that's right
And I am hanging
Like a pair of tied shoes
Don’t let me down
You know I’d die for you
And still celebrate
Don’t let me down
You know my life is blue
Without you cherry on my cake
Don’t let me down
You know that I will be
The mean old lady down the street
The one that everyone is scared to see
The one who pities sympathy
But you started something
And you’ve got nothing to lose
But I am hanging
Like a pair of tied shoes
Luísa Sobral's song "Don't Let Me Down" is a heartfelt plea to a lover not to let the relationship die. The first stanza, "Don’t let me down, I’m about to go on strike and leave my tears at sea," expresses the fear that the singer is about to walk away from the relationship and leave behind a trail of tears. The next stanza reinforces this idea with, "Don’t let me down, I’m about to lose my mind, and it’s clear to me." The singer is on the verge of losing control and needs the lover to help her find her way back.
The chorus of the song, "But you started something, and you’ve got nothing to lose, but I am hanging like a pair of tied shoes," creates a metaphor of the relationship being like two shoes tied together. If one shoe is not careful, it could easily trip up the other, causing both to fall. The singer feels that she is the one being held back in the relationship and needs the lover to step up and help her move forward.
The final stanza, "Don't let me down, you know that I will be, the mean old lady down the street, the one that everyone is scared to see, the one who pities sympathy," paints a picture of the singer's future if the relationship fails. She will become bitter and angry, and instead of being the person people go to for help, she will be the one everyone avoids. The song is a powerful reminder that love takes work, and sometimes we need to be reminded that we shouldn't let each other down.
Line by Line Meaning
Don’t let me down
Please don't disappoint me
I’m about to go on strike
And leave my tears at sea
I am feeling emotional and about to give up
I’m about to loose my mind
And it's clear to me
I am on the verge of losing my sanity
That you started something
But you’ve got nothing to lose - that's right
And I am hanging
Like a pair of tied shoes
You initiated something that you don't care about, while I am stuck dealing with the consequences
You know I’d die for you
And still celebrate
I love you so much that I'd sacrifice anything for you
You know my life is blue
Without you cherry on my cake
My life is incomplete without you
You know that I will be
The mean old lady down the street
The one that everyone is scared to see
The one who pities sympathy
If you let me down, I will become bitter and unapproachable
But you started something
And you’ve got nothing to lose
But I am hanging
Like a pair of tied shoes
You are carelessly involved in something that is affecting me negatively
Contributed by Harper L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.