Papa can you hear me
N-Dubz Lyrics

DAP's to the Y
A colloquial greeting to another person.

Nah, nah, frickin'
An expression of frustration.

And this is for my dad Uncle B, yeah
The song is dedicated to the singer's father and uncle.

I don't mean to bore, you know my name?
An acknowledgement of the singer's fame and desire to express their pain.

Chill for a second, just hear my pain
A request to listen and empathize with the singer's emotional pain.

If you've lost any loved ones, you'll feel what I'm saying
A statement that others who have lost loved ones can relate to the singer's pain.

I hope it's peaceful down there where they layin'
A hope that the deceased loved ones find peace in the afterlife.

When someone you loved, who put you up from the start
A reference to a loved one who supported the singer from the beginning.

Built you up and made you into who you are
Acknowledging the role the loved one played in the singer's personal growth and success.

Who always believed, saying that you'll be a star
A recognition of the loved one's belief in the singer's potential for success.

Then all of a sudden they just passed
A reference to the sudden loss of the loved one.

He dash the reaper from on top of ma wardrobe
An expression of disbelief towards death.

Slap them crack from side of the mouth
A desire to physically confront death.

Put me on stage in front of a crowd
A recognition that the loved one played a role in the singer's performance career.

Now we're picking up awards while he's under the ground
An acknowledgement that the loved one is no longer alive to see the singer's success.

My daddy this and my daddy that
An expression of affection towards the singer's father.

Well, I found mine dead on a couch in ma flat
A statement about the singer's father's death.

So much to say, I wish I coulda said bye
A recognition of the singer's regrets towards their father's death.

The only time I'll talk to him is when I look into the sky, yeah
A reference to the singer's perception of their father's presence in the afterlife.

All I've got is these pictures of ya
A recognition of the limited physical reminders of the singer's father.

And your light blue crack down Nokia
A specific memory of the singer's father's phone.

Things in my house still smell of ya
A reference to the lingering scent of the singer's father in the singer's home.

Papa if you can hear me
A direct address to the singer's father in the afterlife.

I regret every bad thing that I said
An expression of regret towards negative interactions with the singer's father.

Please forgive me if you hear me
A request for forgiveness from the singer's father in the afterlife.

Never knew how much I loved ya till you was dead
A recognition of the depth of the singer's love towards their father after his death.

If only you knew what you went and done
An acknowledgement of the impact the singer's father had on their life.

See all I know is I'm proud to be your son
A statement of pride in being the singer's father's child.

There ain't a way in the world
A recognition of the unlikelihood of the singer's success without the support of their uncle.

It's how I thought it would end up
An acknowledgement of unexpected success.

If it wasn't for you B there wouldn't be N-Dubz
An expression of gratitude towards the singer's uncle for his role in the group's success.

Kept us together never knowing we'd end up
A recognition of the unexpectedness of the group's success.

Moving onto Mobo's pushing the bench up
A reference to the group's success at the Music of Black Origin Awards and their ability to elevate themselves from humble beginnings.

You pushed and pushed when no one wanted to believe
Acknowledging the persistence and passion of the singer's uncle towards the group's success.

But back then it was all a dream
A reference to the group's aspirations before their success.

It's like you sacrificed your life
An acknowledgement of the difficulty and stress of the singer's uncle's role in the group's success.

For the love of success and a life full of stress, I'm vexed 'cause
A recognition of the hardships and frustrations that come with success.

First they love you, second they hate you
A recognition of the fickleness of fans and the public towards celebrities.

They talked about you, when they tried to play you
A reference to negative media coverage of the group and their uncle.

Behind your back they were tryna betray you
An acknowledgement of betrayal and disloyalty from others in the music industry.

But B, I never had a chance to repay you
An expression of regret towards the inability to repay the singer's uncle for his contributions to the group's success.

For the things you done for me, put me on the right path
An acknowledgement of the positive influence the singer's uncle had on their life and career.

Kept me from steering left, yeah we had a right laugh
An acknowledgement of the singer's uncle's guidance and their shared sense of humor.

But I be feeling like Bruce Willis
A humorous reference to the actor's iconic role in the movie Die Hard.

Each and everyday I really wanna 'Die Hard'
An expression of the singer's exhaustion and desire for rest and relief from stress.

Remember everything that you said
A recollection of the singer's uncle's advice and guidance.

The fights and the laughter
Reminiscence of both the difficult and joyful times shared between the singer and their uncle.

The success and disasters, no
Acknowledging both positive and negative experiences in their shared journey towards success.

But nothing seems clearer than the day you were gone
A recognition of the finality and clarity of the singer's uncle's death.

You said despite all the stress you have to fight till the death
A recollection of the singer's uncle's advice to persist despite difficulties.

'Cause little girl you're a star, don't let 'em kill who you are
An expression of the singer's uncle's belief in their potential and the importance of staying true to oneself.

You see you gave me a chance and now look where I am
An acknowledgement of the singer's uncle as an instrumental figure in their success.

You are the reason, I can't wait to see you again
An expression of love and longing towards the singer's uncle in the afterlife.

N-Dubz, Tulis, I have to say I dropped a tear when I done this shh
An acknowledgement of the emotional weight and significance of the song.

Like you'll say, you dunno what you got till you lose it
A recognition of the universal experience of valuing and missing someone after their death.

B you know, I'm gonna fulfill your wish
A promise to honor the singer's uncle's wishes and memory.

And take care of mum's in the yard
An expression of responsibility towards the singer's mother.

Please forgive me if you hear me
A repeated request for forgiveness towards the deceased loved ones in the afterlife.