Kristine Flaherty grew up outside of Chicago, devouring her father's classic rock records and staying up late dancing to Parliament-Funkadelic in the living room. It was this same musical open-mindedness that would later spark her artistic development. She found her musical voice in college, fusing the eclectic power of the Bay Area hip hop scene with her own unique presence, inspired by strong, independent female artists ranging from Missy Elliott and Lauryn Hill to Fiona Apple and Liz Phair.
On stage, K.Flay is a one-woman whirlwind: whether she’s creating beats, singing, rapping or playing guitar, her wit and acerbic charm shine through. Her talents have led her to share the stage with artists including Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, and 3OH!3, where she quickly won over audiences who hadn’t seen anything quite like her before. Further setting her apart from the pack, she serves as her own producer in the studio, methodically infusing her hip hop swagger with a dose of sonic exploration.
With one mixtape (the genre-hopping MASHed Potatoes) already available online, K.Flay is spending the rest of 2010 recording in San Francisco and touring with Passion Pit in October and 3oh!3 in November.
Danger Starts
k.flay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Forever humming a sad tune
Memories wish I could tattoo
Dad I've been meaning to ask you
Were you scared when you died?
Or did you feel relief?
Were you terrified, or just at peace?
When I came to collect your things, fourteen only a kid
It was like you had just stepped out, items all in their place
But there was one thing left out, you, blank space
Did you care about family?
Did you wish you'd abandon me?
Now you can't see what I became
Too weak to try to change
Can't speak I'm so angry
Recall your voice just vaguely
Sorta seems like lately, man it's all fading
And I worry that my life might be some kinda facsimile
Your doomed trajectory silently impressed on me
Shit happens to everyone, but this story's mine
And I can't help but think I'm next in line
I'll break your heart to keep you far from where all danger starts
Drank til the bottle ran out, now we got a man down
And it made no sound
Except the crack of his skull on the ground
Dad, did it fade out easily?
Did you see the light?
Were you sad to be leaving me or just sick of life?
Tried desperately to get you sober
Dope hidden in the trunk, doubled over
Red spots on the tile
Couldn't understand as a child
Still really don't and you're long gone so I really won't
Never really know what it meant, if anything at all
Left with nothing but what I can recall
Objects are imbued with the essence of you but I sense that it's false
Mind playing tricks phone messages but you'll never get the calls
If you had the chance to say one thing
Would you tell me that you love me?
I hope so, carry you everywhere I go
I'll break your heart to keep you far from where all danger starts
The lyrics of K.Flay's song "Danger Starts" explore the complex emotions of losing a loved one through drug addiction and suicide. The song starts with the singer mourning her father's death and questioning his state of mind when he passed away. She wonders if he was scared, relieved, terrified, or at peace at the time of his death. She then reflects on the memories she has of her father, wishing she could immortalize them in a tattoo. She recounts the moment she had to collect her father's things and how it felt like he had just stepped out, but the one thing missing was him.
The second verse delves into the singer's own struggles with addiction and the fear that she may end up the same way her father did. She reflects on the pain and heartbreak of watching someone she loves succumb to addiction and questions if her father loved her or if he wished he could abandon her. She is angry that he is not around to see what she's become and that his actions have left a lasting impact on her own life.
The chorus is particularly haunting, with the singer vowing to break people's hearts in order to keep them away from the danger that caused her father's death. It's a dark and anguished song that leaves the listener feeling the weight of loss and the fear of repeating history.
Line by Line Meaning
Bled to death in a bathroom
I am haunted by the memory of finding you dead in the bathroom, from bleeding to death
Forever humming a sad tune
Your memory leaves a long-lasting sadness that I can't shake off
Memories wish I could tattoo
I wish I could preserve our memories together as a permanent tattoo to keep it forever
Dad I've been meaning to ask you
I have questions about your death that have been nagging me for years, Dad
Were you scared when you died?
I wonder if you were frightened when you died
Or did you feel relief?
Is it possible that you felt relieved when death came to you?
Were you terrified, or just at peace?
Did you feel an overwhelming sense of fear and dread or a deep sense of inner peace during your final moments
When I came to collect your things, fourteen only a kid
It was heartbreaking for me to gather your belongings, I was only a kid then
Fingerprints on magazines, milk still in the fridge
I felt the weight of your absence when I saw your fingerprints on the magazines, and milk still in the fridge
It was like you had just stepped out, items all in their place
Your belongings were arranged as if you had just gone out of the house, and that made me miss you even more
But there was one thing left out, you, blank space
Even though your things were there, you were still absent, leaving an unbearable blank space
Did you care about family?
I wonder if you ever cared for the family you left behind
Did you wish you'd abandon me?
Did you regret not leaving me behind?
Now you can't see what I became
I wish you lived long enough to see what I became, but you didn't
Too weak to try to change
I feel helpless and weak that I can't change the past and bring you back
Can't speak I'm so angry
I am too angry to speak and express my feelings towards your death
Recall your voice just vaguely
Your voice is fading from my memory and I can only recall it vaguely
Sorta seems like lately
Recently, everything seems off and different
Man it's all fading
Everything about you, our moments together, the memories; it's all slowly fading away
And I worry that my life might be some kinda facsimile
I constantly worry that my life is just an imitation of yours
Your doomed trajectory silently impressed on me
Your tragic end made an indelible mark on my life and influenced my path silently
Shit happens to everyone, but this story's mine
I know that every family has their own tragic stories, but this is ours
And I can't help but think I'm next in line
I am constantly haunted by the fear that I am the next in the family's line of tragic ends
I'll break your heart to keep you far from where all danger starts
I will deliberately hurt you to protect you from the danger that I am trying to shield you away from
Drank till the bottle ran out, now we got a man down
We drank until there were no bottles left, now there's a man lying on the floor unconscious
And it made no sound, except the crack of his skull on the ground
There was no other sound, only the sound of his skull breaking as it hit the ground
Dad, did it fade out easily?
I wonder how easy death was to you, Dad
Did you see the light?
I wonder if you experienced a near-death experience where you saw the light
Were you sad to be leaving me or just sick of life?
What was going through your mind during the last moments of your life - leaving me, or a deep sense of being tired of life?
Tried desperately to get you sober
I did everything in my power to get you clean and sober
Dope hidden in the trunk, doubled over
I found narcotics hidden in the trunk of your car, it was too much for me to take and handle
Red spots on the tile
I still remember the red spots on the bathroom tiles where you bled to death
Couldn't understand as a child
As a child, I was too young to understand what was happening around me
Still really don't, and you're long gone, so I really won't
Even now, as an adult, I still don't fully understand why you had to leave or the reasons behind it
Never really know what it meant, if anything at all
I still don't know the meaning behind the events that lead to your tragic end, or even if there was any
Left with nothing but what I can recall
All I have left of you are the memories that I can recall
Objects are imbued with the essence of you, but I sense that it's false
Even though objects are imbued with your essence, it's not the same as the real you being present
Mind playing tricks phone messages but you'll never get the calls
My mind plays tricks on me and makes me think I'm about to receive your phone calls, but I know deep down that I never will
If you had the chance to say one thing
If you had one last chance to say something to me
Would you tell me that you love me?
Would you express your love for me one last time?
I hope so, carry you everywhere I go
I hope that you loved me, and I carry the memories of you wherever I go
Contributed by Lucas L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Symbol Lavender
Lyrics:
Bled to death in a bathroom.
Forever humming a sad tune.
Memories wish I could tattoo
Dad I've been meaning to ask you
Were you scared when you died?
Or did you feel relief?
Were you terrified, or just at peace?
When I came to collect your things, fourteen only a kid.
Fingerprints on magazines, milk still in the fridge
It was like you had just stepped out, items all in their place.
But there was one thing left out, you, blank space.
Did you care about family?
Did you wish you'd abandon me?
Now you can't see what I became,
Too weak to try to change.
Can't speak I'm so angry,
Recall your voice just vaguely,
Sorta seems like lately, man it's all fading.
And I worry that my life might be some kinda facsimile.
Your doomed trajectory silently impressed on me.
Shit happens to everyone, but this story's mine.
And I can't help but think I'm next in line.
I'll break your heart, to keep you far from where all danger starts, danger starts.
I'll break your heart, to keep you far from where all danger starts, danger starts.
Drank til the bottle ran out, now we got a man down.
And it made no sound,
Except the crack of his skull on the ground.
Dad, did it fade out easily?
Did you see the light?
Were you sad to be leaving me or just sick of life?
Tried desperately to get you sober,
Dope hidden in the trunk, doubled over.
Red spots on the tile,
Couldn't understand as a child.
Still really don't and you're long gone so I really won't,
Never really know what it meant, if anything at all.
Left with nothing but what I can recall.
Objects are imbued with the essence of you but I sense that it's false.
Mind playing tricks phone messages but you'll never get the calls.
If you had the chance to say one thing,
Would you tell me that you love me?
I hope so, carry you everywhere I go.
I'll break your heart, to keep you far from where all danger starts, danger starts.
I'll break your heart, to keep you far from where all danger starts, danger starts.
I'll break your heart, to keep you far from where all danger starts, danger starts.
I'll break your heart, to keep you far from where all danger starts, danger starts.
iusethisplatform
This is the most emotional, vulnerable, and genuine song I think I've ever heard. K.Flay is a true artist.
Kodi Kash
For 5 years this song has brought me comfort. We are not alone 💙
Krissy Marie
me too ❤
747caveman747
K.Flay, my own dad committed suicide when I was 10, and damn this song made me cry so badly. It just... wow... it really hits home :)
Alex Harris
This song is about feeling like you're going to follow the cycle of addiction that often runs in families. Anyone with an addict close to them can relate to this I'm sure
Valerie 🖤 Knoxx
I've been listening to this song for 11 years. My dad struggled with heroin addiction since I was a baby. He tried to kill himself when I was 15. I still have his suicide letter. He wasn't successful, but died 2 years later. I relate so much to this song as do so many here. Much Love to everyone here missing someone and in pain. 🖤 thank you K.Flay for this beautiful raw song.
Symbol Lavender
Lyrics:
Bled to death in a bathroom.
Forever humming a sad tune.
Memories wish I could tattoo
Dad I've been meaning to ask you
Were you scared when you died?
Or did you feel relief?
Were you terrified, or just at peace?
When I came to collect your things, fourteen only a kid.
Fingerprints on magazines, milk still in the fridge
It was like you had just stepped out, items all in their place.
But there was one thing left out, you, blank space.
Did you care about family?
Did you wish you'd abandon me?
Now you can't see what I became,
Too weak to try to change.
Can't speak I'm so angry,
Recall your voice just vaguely,
Sorta seems like lately, man it's all fading.
And I worry that my life might be some kinda facsimile.
Your doomed trajectory silently impressed on me.
Shit happens to everyone, but this story's mine.
And I can't help but think I'm next in line.
I'll break your heart, to keep you far from where all danger starts, danger starts.
I'll break your heart, to keep you far from where all danger starts, danger starts.
Drank til the bottle ran out, now we got a man down.
And it made no sound,
Except the crack of his skull on the ground.
Dad, did it fade out easily?
Did you see the light?
Were you sad to be leaving me or just sick of life?
Tried desperately to get you sober,
Dope hidden in the trunk, doubled over.
Red spots on the tile,
Couldn't understand as a child.
Still really don't and you're long gone so I really won't,
Never really know what it meant, if anything at all.
Left with nothing but what I can recall.
Objects are imbued with the essence of you but I sense that it's false.
Mind playing tricks phone messages but you'll never get the calls.
If you had the chance to say one thing,
Would you tell me that you love me?
I hope so, carry you everywhere I go.
I'll break your heart, to keep you far from where all danger starts, danger starts.
I'll break your heart, to keep you far from where all danger starts, danger starts.
I'll break your heart, to keep you far from where all danger starts, danger starts.
I'll break your heart, to keep you far from where all danger starts, danger starts.
Blue Is Here
so this was in the description.
Phished123
So many musicians who do Hip-hop( Rap if you prefer that nomenclature) now refrain from making music that touches people on a real level. They just want to make music that can be played in clubs or bars, in hopes that it catches on and blows up so they can get famous. K.Flay is an a true artist of music who creates pieces that really make you feel and have emotional reactions. Not just lyrically, but everything meshes together in a way to enhance the experience of listening to music more than just hearing something with your ears.
dinosaurparty618
i really like how honest your lyrics are. like with your dad and stuff. its so refreshing