Yorke, is an Australian musician, singer and songwriter from Byron Bay, Aus… Read Full Bio ↴Yorke, is an Australian musician, singer and songwriter from Byron Bay, Australia.
Her debut single First Light was released in October 2018.

Promise
Yorke Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I swore to you back when we were younger
That I'd build you a home and a garden
I never thought you'd never want this
I made a promise to your father
Was it enough? Oh was I ever enough?
I gave you everything, oh, I gave you love
I didn't think you'd give up easy
'Cause I made a promise to your mother

I watch you float, I slowly sink
I know now that I'm already gone
You're haunting me, out of my reach
You hold him and I don't have a choice

Down, down the further I go
Drinking to bottom like I should've known
You've played me like a halftime comeback
Now I need to brace for impact
Down, down the further I go
Drinking to the bottom like I should've known
You've played me like a halftime comeback
And I don't have a choice

Remember your sister when she called me
And told me if I would ever leave you
She'd curse me with fire, she'd call me a liar
I made a promise to your sister
Was it enough? Oh was I ever enough?
I gave you everything 'til you left me numb
Don't wanna hear all of your reasons
'Cause I made a promise not to grieve you

I made a promise to your sister
Swore to myself I'd never leave you

I made a promise to your sister
When I made a promise not to leave you

I watch you float, I slowly sink
I know now that I'm already gone
You're haunting me, out of my reach
You hold him and I don't have a choice

Down, down the further I go
Drinking the bottom like I should've known
You've played me like a halftime comeback
Now I need to brace for impact
Down, down the further I go
Drinking to the bottom like I should've known
You've played me like a halftime come back
And I don't have a choice

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Yorke's song Promise are about a broken promise made by the singer to his lover's family. He promised to build them a home and a garden, and even made a promise to the lover's sister never to leave her. But despite his intentions, the lover has left him and moved on with someone else. The singer is haunted by this broken promise and feels like he is sinking while the lover is floating.

The lyrics are full of angst and regret, as the singer questions whether he was ever enough for the lover and her family. He gave them everything he had, including his love, but in the end, it wasn't enough to keep the lover from leaving him. The singer also feels like he has no choice in the matter, as he braces for the impact of their separation.

Overall, the song is a powerful exploration of the pain and disappointment that can come from broken promises, especially when they are made to those we love the most.

Line by Line Meaning

I swore to you back when we were younger
I made a promise to you when we were young

That I'd build you a home and a garden
That I would provide a home and garden for you

I never thought you'd never want this
I never imagined you wouldn't want what I promised you

I made a promise to your father
I made a promise to your father

Was it enough? Oh was I ever enough?
Did I fulfill my promise adequately? Was I ever sufficient?

I gave you everything, oh, I gave you love
I provided everything to you, especially love

I didn't think you'd give up easy
I didn't expect you to give up so easily

'Cause I made a promise to your mother
Because I promised your mother

I watch you float, I slowly sink
I see you rising while I am sinking

I know now that I'm already gone
I realize that I have already lost you

You're haunting me, out of my reach
You are tormenting me and I cannot have you

You hold him and I don't have a choice
You are with him and I am powerless to stop it

Down, down the further I go
I am spiraling downward

Drinking to bottom like I should've known
I am drowning myself, something I should have realized earlier

You've played me like a halftime comeback
You've manipulated me like a sports game comeback

Now I need to brace for impact
Now I must prepare for the consequences

Remember your sister when she called me
I recall your sister calling me

And told me if I would ever leave you
She warned me that if I ever left you

She'd curse me with fire, she'd call me a liar
She threatened to curse me with fire and call me a liar

I made a promise to your sister
I made a promise to your sister

Was it enough? Oh was I ever enough?
Did I fulfill my promise adequately? Was I ever sufficient?

I gave you everything 'til you left me numb
I provided everything to you until I became numb after you left

Don't wanna hear all of your reasons
I don't want to hear your justifications

'Cause I made a promise not to grieve you
Because I decided not to grieve for you since I promised myself

Swore to myself I'd never leave you
I promised myself never to leave you

When I made a promise not to leave you
When I promised myself not to leave you

And I don't have a choice
And I have no other option

Writer(s): Timothy Martin Powell, Miranda Eleanor De Fonbrune Cooper, Brian Thomas Higgins, Carla Maria Williams, Nick Coler, Kieran Rhys Jones, Jason Peter Resch

Contributed by Chloe F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Comments from YouTube:

@lnv8088

4y↑1

This song is a masterpiece. 👏❤

@dodo_today

I don't understand how this song can be so underrated. This is a masterpiece, it's a song that takes me far away every time I listen to it, I wander in my thoughts and drown in my emotions. The best songs are underrated songs already. 🤍