She was born in Par… Read Full Bio ↴Yaël Naïm is a French-Israeli singer and songwriter.
She was born in Paris in 1978 to Jewish-Tunisian parents. At the age of four, she moved with her family to Ramat HaSharon, Israel, where she learned Hebrew and trained as a pianist. She served in the Israel Defence Forces as a soloist in the Israeli Air Force Orchestra. She began her singing career with a part in the musical "Les Dix Commandements," and her first solo album, In A Man's Womb, was released in 2001. According to a Songfacts interview with her, it disappointed Yael, who decided she would be much happier giving up her dreams of stardom and making music on her terms.
She also sang the song "You Disappear" by Bruno Coulais for the film Harrison's Flowers directed by Elie Chouraqui. For her early work she was credited simply as Yaël.
Naïm joined forces with percussionist David Donatien, and over a period of two years they arranged and recorded thirteen of Naïm's songs in a studio in Naïm's own appartment in Paris, and these were released as her second album, Yael Naim, in the fall of 2007 on the Tôt Ou Tard label. The songs are in French, English, and Hebrew and received critical acclaim, and the album entered the French album chart at #11 the week after its release. The style has been described as having a touch of folk and a touch of jazz, with mysterious and evocative words sung with a delicate and intentionally slightly husky voice.
In January 2008, her song "New Soul" was featured in the debut commercial for the MacBook Air laptop. The song gained fame from being featured in the ad, and it has peaked, as of February 1 2008, at #2 on the iTunes Top 100 Downloaded Songs.
Discography
* 2001: In A Man’s Womb
* 2007: Yael Naim
This is NOT an incorrect tag for Yael Naïm. The correct spelling of her name is Yaël Naïm and the correct spelling of her releasing name and 2007 album is Yael Naim.
Coward
Yael Naim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and knowing I can travel far
but now, i'm only standing here
completely paralyzed with fear
the fear of who i'll come to be
of all the weaknesses in me
I truly thought i was prepared
But how did i become a coward ?
I lived alone and i was free
to do whatever came to me
but i was craving to share
If only i could ever dare
to care for someone else but me
If our two created three ?
but can i let go of the thrill
turn it into something real
how did i become a coward ?
little girl, little boy
do you feel my fear and do you feel my joy ?
now you've entered my body, straight to heart and into my soul...
come ... grow ...
and now a voice inside my head
Is telling me to go ahead
you're not a coward
But how did i become a coward ?
The lyrics of Yael Naim's song Coward speaks about the fear of the unknown and the fear of change. The artist expresses her longing for her guitar and friends, and the nostalgia of being able to travel without being tied down. However, she feels paralyzed with fear, and she questions who she will become and what her weaknesses are. Despite feeling prepared initially, she is now panicking and scared of the challenges that lie ahead. She states, "how did I become a coward?"
The second verse continues the theme of fear, expressing how the artist is used to living alone and being free to be selfish. But she craves to share her life with someone else, and feels the fear of caring for someone else and the responsibility of creating a family. She wonders if she can let go of the thrill of being alone and turn it into something real. She repeats the question again, "how did I become a coward?"
Towards the end of the song, the artist addresses a little girl and little boy, who represent the potential of new life and a new beginning. She asks if they can feel her fear and her joy. She acknowledges that they have entered her heart and her soul and encourages them to grow. She hears a voice inside her head that tells her to go ahead and take the leap. It assures her that she is not a coward.
Line by Line Meaning
I miss my friends and my guitar
I long for the comfort of my friends and my guitar.
and knowing I can travel far
I crave the freedom of travel and adventure.
but now, i'm only standing here
But now, I am stuck in one place, unable to move forward.
completely paralyzed with fear
I am terrified and unable to take action.
the fear of who i'll come to be
I am afraid of who I might become.
of all the weaknesses in me
I am afraid of all the flaws and vulnerabilities I possess.
I truly thought i was prepared
I believed I was ready to face my fears.
but now i'm panicked, and i'm scared
But now I am overwhelmed and scared.
But how did i become a coward ?
But how did I become so paralyzed with fear?
I lived alone and i was free
I used to live alone and enjoy my freedom.
to do whatever came to me
I could do whatever I wanted.
but i was craving to share
But I yearned to share my life with someone else.
If only i could ever dare
If only I had the courage to take a risk.
to care for someone else but me
To care for another person instead of just myself.
If our two created three ?
If we had a child together?
but can i let go of the thrill
But can I give up the excitement of living for just myself?
turn it into something real
To turn my dreams into reality.
how did i become a coward ?
How did I lose my courage and become so afraid?
little girl, little boy
Addressing children, representing the voice of her hopes and dreams.
do you feel my fear and do you feel my joy ?
Do you understand my hopes and fears?
now you've entered my body, straight to heart and into my soul...
Children have transformed her and have become intertwined with her very being.
come ... grow ...
Grow with me, let's experience life together!
and now a voice inside my head
An internal voice speaks to her.
Is telling me to go ahead
Encouraging her to take the leap and overcome her fears.
you're not a coward
You are not a powerless victim of fear, but can face it and overcome it.
But how did i become a coward ?
But how did I fall into the trap of being afraid of everything?
Lyrics © LILI LOUISE MUSIQUE, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID DONATIEN, YAEL NAIM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fatima Boubekeur
I miss my friends and my guitar
Knowing I can travel far
But now I'm only standing here
Completely paralyzed with fear
The fear of who I come to be
Of all the weaknesses is in me
I truly thought I was prepared
But now I'm panicked and I'm scared
But how did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
(Coward, coward, coward...)
I lived alone and I was free
To do whatever came to me
But I was craving to share
If only I could ever dare
To care for someone else but me
If I were to create a three
But can I let go off the three
And turn it into something real
But how did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a ...
How did I become a ...
How did I become a coward?
(Coward, coward, coward...)
Little girl, little boy
Do you feel my fear?
And do you feel my joy?
Now you've entered my body
Straight to my heart
And into my soul
Grow, grow
And now the voice inside my head
Is telling me to go ahead
You're not (coward! coward!...)
But how did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a...
How did I become a...
How did I become a coward?
woah dub
This song is beautiful like her other songs <3 I don't know why she is so underrated
Michael Esquea
Because sadly people always want the next new thing
pieter deramoudt
your voice is amazing, the song went right through my soul... thank you for being so amazing.
Jestem Łukasz
A girl played me this song and I immediately fell in love with both her and the music.
Jean-Philippe Garneau
This song is inherently magnificent. But this clip adds something more. Something truly powerful. Something so deeply rooted in every one of us. Thank you Yael and the video crew.
Vladdop
there are so many things I want to say about this song. that woman in the videoclip is beautiful and full of grace. What an amazing song and videoclip.
phuong Vn
Vladdop ,qo
avec2ailes
Je viens d'entendre cette chanson à la radio il y a quelques minutes et suis tombée instantanément sous le charme!. Cela m'évoque Bach, et Bohemian Rapsody, le tout avec une voix pleine de très belles nuances. J'ai beaucoup aimé le clip aussi et son atmosphère futuriste et chimérique. Il m'a fallu plusieurs fois pour comprendre l'histoire de cette dame, ancienne héroïne volante, qui croit qu'elle peut encore, et qui tombe... obligée alors d'aller dans une maison pour personnes agées...mais qui croise à nouveau l'amour (et le monsieur est tellement chou). MERCI. Une belle et riche oeuvre ;)
Fatima Boubekeur
I miss my friends and my guitar
Knowing I can travel far
But now I'm only standing here
Completely paralyzed with fear
The fear of who I come to be
Of all the weaknesses is in me
I truly thought I was prepared
But now I'm panicked and I'm scared
But how did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
(Coward, coward, coward...)
I lived alone and I was free
To do whatever came to me
But I was craving to share
If only I could ever dare
To care for someone else but me
If I were to create a three
But can I let go off the three
And turn it into something real
But how did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a ...
How did I become a ...
How did I become a coward?
(Coward, coward, coward...)
Little girl, little boy
Do you feel my fear?
And do you feel my joy?
Now you've entered my body
Straight to my heart
And into my soul
Grow, grow
And now the voice inside my head
Is telling me to go ahead
You're not (coward! coward!...)
But how did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a coward?
How did I become a...
How did I become a...
How did I become a coward?
Jonte' Griffin
I sooo love her voice and style😍