Born in Manchester, England, and raised in Haselmere, van den Broek's musical endeavors began when he got a guitar for Christmas at the age of 11. With influences that include Ray Charles, Mac DeMarco, and Thundercat, he started releasing stand-alone singles as a teen in late 2015. His debut EP, Harmless Melodies, arrived in November 2016. Yellow Days continued to release periodic singles in 2017, some of which appeared on his debut LP, Is Everything Okay in Your World?, that October. It featured a guest spot by hip-hop artist Rejjie Snow. Early the next year, "Gap in the Clouds," from his first EP, reached a broader audience when it accompanied the trailer for the second season of Donald Glover's show Atlanta. Yellow Days followed up in April 2018 with the single "The Way Things Change" and a week's worth of club shows in the U.S. that quickly sold out, before continuing the tour in Europe. The musician's sophomore effort arrived in 2020: titled A Day in a Yellow Beat, the project was written and recorded primarily in L.A., with van den Broek sourcing new inspiration from local collaborators.
Nothing's Going to Keep Me Down
Yellow Days Lyrics
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Everything′s too much, everything's too real
Lord, just know it′s hard to be alone
Talking to myself and I, in my empty home
I'll show you how, how
Nothing's going to keep me down, yeah
Nothing′s going to keep me down
Nothing's going to keep me down, yeah
Lord, just know it′s hard to be alone
Talking to myself and I, in my empty home
Left with thoughts, some to break a man
But you keep on going like no one can
Left with broken parts, you make a man
It's a sad fact that no one will understand
I′ll show you how, how
Nothing's going to keep me down, yeah
Nothing′s going to keep me down, yeah
Nothing's going to keep me down
Nothing's going to keep me down, yeah
Nothing′s going to keep me down, yeah
(Nothing′s going to keep me down)
Nothing's going to keep me down, yeah
(Nothing′s going to keep me down)
Nothing's going to keep me down
(Nothing′s going to keep me down)
Nothing's going to keep me down, yeah
(Nothing′s going to keep me down)
In "Nothing's Going to Keep Me Down," Yellow Days presents listeners with a raw portrayal of personal struggles that many can relate to. The lyrics suggest that the singer is dealing with issues that overwhelm him and make him feel entirely alone, leaving him to talk to himself in his empty home. Yellow Days uses the lyrics "everything's too much, everything's too real" to express the intensity and urgency of whatever the singer is going through. Despite these struggles, Yellow Days communicates a message of resilience and determination by repeating the line "Nothing's going to keep me down," suggesting that the singer will rise above whatever is getting in his way and keep pushing forward.
The song's outro brings the theme of loneliness home with the lyrics, "Left with thoughts, some to break a man, but you keep on going like no one can, left with broken parts, you make a man, it's a sad fact that no one will understand." The line "you keep on going like no one can" underscores the importance of resilience and the ability to keep moving forward even when it feels impossible.
Line by Line Meaning
Darling, you know how I feel
Addressing someone who understands your emotional state and struggles
Everything's too much, everything's too real
Feeling overwhelmed by the intensity of life
Lord, just know it's hard to be alone
Acknowledging the emotional difficulty of being alone
Talking to myself and I, in my empty home
Describing the loneliness of life without companionship
I'll show you how, how
Confidently asserting that you can overcome your struggles
Nothing's going to keep me down, yeah
Resolute determination to not let obstacles defeat you
Lord, just know it's hard to be alone
Repeating the acknowledgement of loneliness
Talking to myself and I, in my empty home
Repeating the description of loneliness
Left with thoughts, some to break a man
Feeling burdened by overwhelming and negative thoughts
But you keep on going like no one can
Determining to persevere despite the challenges
Left with broken parts, you make a man
Despite experiencing hardship, growing stronger and more resilient
It's a sad fact that no one will understand
Feeling isolated and unsupported
Nothing's going to keep me down, yeah
Reaffirming determination to overcome obstacles
Nothing's going to keep me down, yeah
Repeating the affirmation of resilience
Nothing's going to keep me down
Stating that life's difficulties won't derail or defeat you
Nothing's going to keep me down, yeah
Final assertion of determination and resilience
Writer(s): George Van Den Broek
Contributed by Lincoln Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.