Shah's parentage is Norwegian and Pakistani.
Sites: SoundCloud, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and NadineShah.co.UK (official)
Evil
Nadine Shah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like I, I'm am the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I, I'm the living devil
Look, I'm standing right here before you
I can only offer what I've been taught
And you look on with eyes from another
And tell your followers that I'm crazy
If it stops them questioning anymore
Oh, keep them tidy, keep them beside you
And keep them coming back for more
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I, I'm the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I, I'm the living devil
Look, I'm standing right here before you
I can only offer what I've been taught
And you look on with eyes from another
How can I compete with an ingrained thought
And tell your followers that I'm crazy
If it stops them questioning anymore
Oh, keep them tidy, keep them beside you
And keep them coming back for more
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I, I'm the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I, I'm the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I, I'm the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I, I'm the living devil
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I, I'm the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I, I'm the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I, I'm the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I, I'm the living devil
The lyrics of Nadine Shah's "Evil" explore the idea of being perceived as evil and how society's preconceived notions can shape and influence people's perceptions. The opening lines depict the singer, who is often judged to be wicked or immoral, being compared to the devil. The chorus repeats the lines "All these folk, they think that I'm evil," emphasizing the singer's frustration at being labeled and misunderstood.
The second verse discusses how people's beliefs about her are rooted in their own limitations and biases. The singer describes how her opponents judge her, not because of her words or actions, but because of their preconceptions. The lyrics "How can I compete with an ingrained thought?" suggest that it's challenging to change people's minds when their opinions have been formed around a stereotype.
The verse goes on to describe how these people have their followers or supporters, who are content with their skewed perception of the world. The lyrics "Keep them tidy, keep them beside you, and keep them coming back for more" depict the idea that these individuals seek to control and manipulate their followers by demonizing those they perceive as "evil." In doing so, they perpetuate the narrative that individuals who don't conform to their belief systems are the "devil."
Overall, the song seems to be about the singer's struggle to fight against societal perceptions and preconceived notions that paint her as evil. It's a commentary on the danger of allowing misleading beliefs to spread and how they can be used to control and manipulate people.
Line by Line Meaning
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
The singer is misunderstood and labeled as a bad person by others
Like I, I'm am the living devil himself
The singer feels as if she is viewed as the ultimate embodiment of evil by those around her
Look, I'm standing right here before you
The singer is present and available to be seen and heard
I can only offer what I've been taught
The artist has limited knowledge and experience, and can only share what she has learned
And you look on with eyes from another
Others view the artist from a different perspective and don't fully understand her reality
How can I compete with an ingrained thought
It's difficult for the singer to change others' preconceived notions or beliefs
And tell your followers that I'm crazy
The singer is being labeled as insane or irrational by others' followers
If it stops them questioning anymore
The artist's label as crazy prevents others from questioning their own beliefs or actions
Oh, keep them tidy, keep them beside you
Those in power want to control their followers and keep them close
And keep them coming back for more
Powerful people want to continue to have a hold over their followers
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Reiteration of earlier lines conveying that the singer is once again being labeled as evil
Like I, I'm the living devil himself
Reiteration of earlier lines conveying that the artist feels as if she is viewed as the ultimate embodiment of evil by those around her
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Reiteration of earlier lines conveying that the singer is once again being labeled as evil
Like I, I'm the living devil himself
Reiteration of earlier lines conveying that the singer feels as if she is viewed as the ultimate embodiment of evil by those around her
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Reiteration of earlier lines conveying that the singer is once again being labeled as evil
Like I, I'm the living devil himself
Reiteration of earlier lines conveying that the artist feels as if she is viewed as the ultimate embodiment of evil by those around her
Lyrics © Mute Song Limited
Written by: Nadine Petra Katarina Shah, Benjamin Geoffrey Mitchell Hillier, Benjamin George Roy Beal Nicholls
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MusicismyDrug12
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I am the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I am the living devil
Look, I'm standing right here before you
I can only offer what I've been taught
And you look on with eyes from another
How can I compete with an ingrained thought
And tell your followers that I'm crazy
If it stops them questioning anymore
Oh, keep them tidy, keep them beside you
And keep them coming back for more
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I am the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I am the living devil
Look, I'm standing right here before you
I can only offer what I've been taught
And you look on with eyes from another
How can I compete with an ingrained thought
And tell your followers that I'm crazy
If it stops them questioning anymore
Oh, keep them tidy, keep them beside you
And keep them coming back for more
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I am the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I am the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I am the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I am the living devil
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I am the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I am the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I am the living devil himself
All these folk, they think that I'm evil
Like I am the living devil
@jmerrill08
Peaky Blinders. Season 5, episode 2
@johannaariza1012
Yep !!!
@MrCuthillable
And the most beautiful song about the search for the self.
@jeanbardie8421
Daaaamn right
@luisantonio6545
S5 ep2 brought me here
@alexthomson4224
Yep thats why im here
@lv2465
What a fu*king voice....this woman has soul, a lot of it.
@bonomark6299
Believe it or not peanky blinders brought me here and i love it 👌🏾💯
@user-rh8ey5by9x
"Welcome to Birmingham, Jin Grey"
@rmk8160
We are the people we’ve had enough