The Devil
Nadine Shah Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The devils in the detail
He's hiding in the cracks
He came to shake me hand
And then he
Stabbed me in the back

Was I just your fun time
Was I just your release
Does it feel good
To know I'm here to please

Where withered flowers rest
I let new ones blossom and grow
There was happiness
Dust it down so it may show

Let not a single tear
Roll down a wrinkled cheek




For sorrow of a love
That wasn't mine to keep

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Nadine Shah's song "The Devil" portray a theme of betrayal and deception. The title of the song, "The Devil," refers to the person who has betrayed the singer in the song. The first line "The devil's in the detail" means that the person responsible for the betrayal is hiding in the small details or cracks of their actions. The phrase "he came to shake me hand and then he stabbed me in the back" is a metaphorical expression of treachery or betrayal of trust.


In the second verse, the singer questions whether they were just the person's "fun time" or a release. The individual has used the singer and taken advantage of their kindness. The following line "Does it feel good to know I'm here to please" portrays how the person has been pleased while taking advantage of the singer. The song suggests that the relationship may have been one-sided; the person only uses the other person for their own desires without any reciprocation of affection.


The third verse speaks of the singer's grief and the pain of betrayal. The reference to the "withered flowers" suggests that the singer has been hurt before, but they have learned to move on and let go of what no longer serves them. The line "let not a single tear roll down a wrinkled cheek" means that the singer does not want to cry anymore for what they have lost. They know that the love they had was not meant to be.


Line by Line Meaning

The devils in the detail
The source of danger or difficulty is in the fine points or particulars


He's hiding in the cracks
He's lurking in the crevices, waiting for an opportunity to strike


He came to shake me hand
He came to greet me in a friendly manner


And then he stabbed me in the back
And then he betrayed my trust or friendship by doing something harmful


Was I just your fun time
Was I only there to amuse or entertain you


Was I just your release
Was I only there to satisfy your physical or emotional needs


Does it feel good To know I'm here to please
Does it make you happy to know that I exist solely for your satisfaction


Where withered flowers rest
Where dead or dying flowers are found


I let new ones blossom and grow
I allow new flowers to flourish and develop


There was happiness
There was once joy or contentment


Dust it down so it may show
Clean it off so that it may be visible or evident once again


Let not a single tear Roll down a wrinkled cheek
Do not allow any tears to fall from an aged cheek


For sorrow of a love That wasn't mine to keep
For the sadness of a love that was not meant for me to hold forever




Contributed by Gabriel C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

labrini komporozou

The devil is in the detail
He's hiding in the cracks
He came to shake me hand
And then he
Stabbed me in the back

Was I just your fun time
Was I just your release
Does it feel good
To know I'm here to please

Where withered flowers rest
I let new ones bloom and grow
There was a happiness
Dust it down so it may show

Let not a single tear
Roll down a wrinkled cheek
For sorrow of a love
That wasn't mine to keep



All comments from YouTube:

labrini komporozou

The devil is in the detail
He's hiding in the cracks
He came to shake me hand
And then he
Stabbed me in the back

Was I just your fun time
Was I just your release
Does it feel good
To know I'm here to please

Where withered flowers rest
I let new ones bloom and grow
There was a happiness
Dust it down so it may show

Let not a single tear
Roll down a wrinkled cheek
For sorrow of a love
That wasn't mine to keep

MeloLand

I love her voice.

Nejib

This is so underrated... I feel sad to see real artists not getting what they deserve.

sara zuccon

I cannot stop listening to this song

dereksmallsuk

Praise the sun

FRATERGAUDINISTHXXI

sublime morceau... PJ Harvey n'est pas si loin. NADINE SHAH is the revelation of this year!!!

Philippe Cottet

on écoute, on réécoute. On ne se lasse pas ! Magnifique ...

Mychael Helmz

Finally! A Song About Me....

jeanclume

Praise the sun

Black Raven

Dark Souls seems to always lead to some good music, anyone else got that problem lol

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