Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats is a soulful American band formed in … Read Full Bio ↴Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats is a soulful American band formed in 2013 by singer and songwriter Nathaniel Rateliff.

Some artists undergo reinventions. What Nathaniel Rateliff accomplishes on his first LP with the Night Sweats — transforming himself from folk troubadour to funky soul bandleader — is a revelation. Rateliff comes on like Van Morrison fronting Booker T. & the MG's, reviving the glory days of the Stax label.

I've Been Failing
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats Lyrics

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Well I needed you and not just someone
I've been so long failing you dear
I said I'd care for all of this darling
Yet I buried all of it again

Ah yeah come on baby
Yeah, it could be good
Ah, honey

Ah, it's just the two
Of us now

Now that all seems dark and light has gone away
I've been out there bending in the wind
Now I'm standing here to be beside you
And for all I know and all I care

I said don't you weep and don't you worry
Don't you weep and don't you worry
Don't you weep and don't you worry
Don't you weep and don't you worry
Don't you weep and don't you worry
Don't you weep and don't you worry
Don't you weep and don't you worry

I've been failing you
I've been failing you
I've been failing you
I've been failing you

I can't stop trying
I can't stop trying
I can't stop trying
Yeah, I can't stop trying
Yeah, I can't stop trying
Yeah, I can't stop trying
Yeah, I can't stop trying
I can't stop trying
Yeah I can't stop trying

Oh, but I can't stop trying
Yeah I can't stop trying

Overall Meaning

The song "I've Been Failing" by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats is a love song with raw honesty about the emotional turmoil of trying to be there for someone and always falling short. The opening lines "Well I needed you and not just someone, I've been so long failing you dear," set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is admitting to their lover that they have not been able to be there for them wholeheartedly, and that they have buried their commitment to them. The repetition of "I've been failing you" emphasizes the guilt and sense of inadequacy the singer feels, and the repetition of "I can't stop trying" reveals their determination to keep working on the relationship.

The second verse seems to be a pledge of loyalty and support, with the singer standing by their lover in both good times and bad. The line "Now that all seems dark and light has gone away" suggests that there have been hard times, but that the singer is going to stay committed to their relationship. The repetition of "Don't you weep and don't you worry" is an attempt to provide comfort and stability, despite the singer's previous failures. The concluding lines "I've been failing you, but I can't stop trying" reveal that the singer knows they have made mistakes, but they are committed to making it work.

Overall, the song is a powerful testament to the complexities of love and relationships, and the struggles that often come with trying to be there for someone. It's a reminder that, even when we fail, it's important to keep trying, and to keep striving to be there for the ones we love.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I needed you and not just someone
I required your presence and your attention, not just somebody's.

I've been so long failing you dear
I have been failing to meet your expectations for a long time, my love.

I said I'd care for all of this darling
I promised to take care of everything, my dear.

Yet I buried all of it again
Yet, I ended up neglecting everything again.

Ah yeah come on baby
Come on, my love.

Yeah, it could be good
Yes, it could be a positive thing.

Ah, honey
Oh, my sweet one.

Ah, it's just the two
Oh, it's just us two now.

Of us now
Only the two of us are left now.

Now that all seems dark and light has gone away
Now that everything seems hopeless and there is no hope left.

I've been out there bending in the wind
I have been struggling for so long.