Tori Kelly first rose to attention when her cover of Frank Ocean’s “Thinkin Bout You,” went viral, racking up over 22 million views. To date, her YouTube channel boasts over ONE MILLION YouTube Subscribers with over 89 million views. Now, two EP’s later Handmade Songs, which Kelly self-penned, produced, mixed and released, and Foreword, she plans to release her first full length debut this spring.
Kelly co-wrote “Nobody Love” off her 2015 Spring debut alongside Rickard Goransson and Max Martin. Martin says, "After hearing Tori sing, we felt so inspired that we had no choice but to get involved. It’s been such a pleasure to be a part of her journey.” She also co-wrote with such vets as Savan Kotecha, Toby Gad, Claude Kelly, Chuck Harmony, Wolf Cousins, and Ed Sheeran. The album, she says, does not depart from her soulful roots. “It’s like a marriage between that soulful urban thing and a mainstream pop vibe. It was hard to get to that place, but once we had ‘Nobody Love,’ I knew we’d cracked the code. It felt seamless.”
Working with one of the most successful hit makers in the industry is a long way from Kelly’s early years making songs in her bedroom and posting them online. Born and raised in Temecula, California, Kelly is the daughter of musicians, her dad is a singer and bassist and her mom plays piano and saxophone. She sites early influences like gospel singer Crystal Lewis, Jill Scott, Jeff Buckley, and Maxwell.
Over the past year and a half, Kelly has sold out shows in several major cities (including The Troubadour and The Roxy in Los Angeles, the Bowery Ballroom and Gramercy Theatre in New York City, and Bush Hall in London), headlined a nine-city sold-out U.S. tour, and supported Ed Sheeran, and Sam Smith on tour.
“I'm excited to get out and play for people. That's always the dream.”
I Say a Little Prayer
Tori Kelly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The moment I wake up
Before I put on my makeup (makeup)
I say a little prayer for you
While combing my hair now
And wondering what to wear now (wear now)
I say a little (for you)
(Forever) forever, (forever) ever
You'll stay in my heart and I will love you
(Forever) forever, (and ever) ever
We never will part, and oh, how I love you
(Together) together, (together) together
(That's how it must be) to live without you
Would only be heartache for me
Ooh
I run for the bus, dear
While riding I think of us, dear (us, dear), hey
I say a little prayer for you, oh (oh, shawty)
At work I just take time
And all through my coffee break time (break time)
I say a little prayer for you
(Forever, forever) forever (ever)
(You'll stay in my heart and I will love you) oh yeah
(Forever and ever) ever
(We never will part, oh, how I love you) oh, I will love you
Together (together), together yeah
(That's how it must be to live without you) oh yeah
Would only be heartbreak for me
Only be heartbreak for me, ooh
The song "I Say A Little Prayer" by Tori Kelly is a cover of the classic hit by Dionne Warwick. The song describes the daily routine of a woman who is deeply in love with her partner. As soon as she wakes up, she reveals that she says a little prayer for him, hoping that his day will go well. This shows the deep care and love that she has for him. The woman proceeds to go about her day, but her thoughts always return to her partner, and she often takes moments to pray for his well-being.
The chorus of the song repeats "forever and ever" as well as "together, together, that's how it must be." This shows the woman's desire for a long-lasting and meaningful relationship with her partner. She loves him deeply and cannot imagine a life without him. Throughout the song, she repeats the phrase "I say a little prayer for you" both as a way to express her love and as a reminder of the importance of prayer in her life.
Line by Line Meaning
Say a little prayer for you
Expressing her desire to pray for the person she loves
The moment I wake up
Right after waking up, she remembers the person she loves
Before I put on my makeup (makeup)
Even before getting ready, she plans to offer a prayer
While combing my hair now
She thinks about the person she loves while getting ready
And wondering what to wear now (wear now)
She still keeps thinking of the other person and what they might like
I say a little (for you)
Her prayer is dedicated to the person she loves
Oh, baby
Expressing her fondness for the person she loves
(Forever) forever, (forever) ever
Their love is eternal
You'll stay in my heart and I will love you
She promises to love this person forever and hold them in her heart
(Forever) forever, (and ever) ever
Again, reiterating that their love will last forever
We never will part, and oh, how I love you
She loves this person so much and knows they will always be together
(Together) together, (together) together
They will be together forever
(That's how it must be) to live without you
It's impossible for her to imagine life without this person
Would only be heartache for me
Without them, life would be miserable for her
I run for the bus, dear
Even while rushing for work, she thinks of the person she loves
While riding I think of us, dear (us, dear), hey
During her commute, she thinks about their future together
At work I just take time
She takes short moments to pray for the person she loves, even at work
And all through my coffee break time (break time)
Even when taking a break, she is thinking about them
I say a little prayer for you
Again, she prays for the person she loves when she has a moment to herself
(Forever, forever) forever (ever)
Reinforcing the idea of eternal love
(You'll stay in my heart and I will love you) oh yeah
She will always love this person and they will always be close to her heart
(Forever and ever) ever
Their love will last for eternity
(We never will part, oh, how I love you) oh, I will love you
No matter what happens, their love will never die
Together (together), together yeah
They will always be together no matter what happens
(That's how it must be to live without you) oh yeah
Without this person, life wouldn't be worth living
Would only be heartbreak for me
Her life would be full of sadness without this person in it
Only be heartbreak for me, ooh
Emphasizing just how much she needs this person in her life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Burt Bacharach, Hal David
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind