Born to Chilean and Peruvian parents and based in Brooklyn -- though Washin… Read Full Bio ↴Born to Chilean and Peruvian parents and based in Brooklyn -- though Washington, D.C. is his hometown -- Nick Hakim arrived in 2014 as a purposefully raw and refined balladeer with an old soul. Prior to his breakout year, he appeared on Gizmo's Red Balloon album beside the likes of Gwen Bunn and Casey Benjamin, but 2014 was when he released a pair of warmly received EPs. The predominantly acoustic Where Will We Go, Pt. 1 (July) and Where Will We Go, Pt. 2 (September) pitched him somewhere between Jeff Buckley and Anthony Hamilton, albeit in a strictly low-key, singularly intimate fashion. Hakim steadily grew a fan base through his performances, including stints opening for Maxwell and King. Green Twins, his debut album, was made over the course of three years and released on the ATO label in 2017. The follow-up, Will This Make Me Good was released in May 2020, preceded by the single Qadir.

CRUMPY
Nick Hakim Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This town
Has really started to grow on me
My face
Has become one with the concrete
My limbs
Have rashes from the road
My voice
Sounds like

The screaming train
That you've been riding
Oh dear
Is this where you've been hiding?
Come on now let's go back home

This town
By the sea will one day drown me
Six drinks in
And I start to sink
But you're voice
Is the sound that saves me
God damn
I wish my baby was here
Cause I have violence

Lingering inside but you help me fight it
Come on now let's go back home

Overall Meaning

In Nick Hakim's song "Crumpy," the singer initially expresses a sense of detachment and discomfort with the town they are in. They describe feeling like they are becoming one with the concrete, indicating a loss of individuality and perhaps a sense of being trapped. The singer's voice, too, has become like the sound of a screaming train, suggesting feelings of anxiety and unrest.

However, the singer then shifts into a more positive tone. They mention the sea and how it will eventually drown them, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for the overwhelming nature of life or emotions. Despite this, the singer also mentions the sound of a voice that saves them when they start to sink - the voice of the person they wish was with them. The singer acknowledges that they have violence and inner turmoil, but with the help of this person, they are able to fight it.

Overall, "Crumpy" highlights feelings of discomfort and turmoil while also providing a sense of hope and connection through the power of human relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

This town
The place where the singer currently lives

Has really started to grow on me
The singer has begun to enjoy living in this town

My face
The physical aspect of the singer's presence

Has become one with the concrete
The artist has spent a lot of time outside and the experience has roughened their face

My limbs
The physical aspect of the artist's presence

Have rashes from the road
The singer has been outside so often that they have developed skin irritation from contact with the asphalt

My voice
The way the singer sounds when speaking

Sounds like the screaming train
The artist's voice has become hoarse from all the yelling and noise in the city

That you've been riding
The artist is referencing the metaphorical train of life

Oh dear
An expression of displeasure

Is this where you've been hiding?
The singer is questioning whether or not the listener has been living in the same place and experiencing the same things

Come on now let's go back home
The artist wants to leave the city they're in and go back to a place that feels like home

This town
The place where the singer currently lives

By the sea will one day drown me
The singer feels like they're going to be consumed by the ocean surrounding the town they're in

Six drinks in
The singer has had six alcoholic beverages

And I start to sink
The artist feels like they're sinking, both physically and emotionally

But you're voice
The way the listener sounds when speaking

Is the sound that saves me
The listener's voice is comforting to the singer and helps them when they feel overwhelmed

God damn
An expression of surprise or shock

I wish my baby was here
The artist misses their significant other and would find comfort in their presence

Cause I have violence
The artist has angry feelings

Lingering inside but you help me fight it
The listener is someone the artist trusts and values for their help in coping with their negative emotions

Come on now let's go back home
The singer still wants to leave the city they're in and go back to a place they find more comfort in

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Nicolas Hakim, Spencer Murphy, Vishal Nayak

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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