So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
We were waiting for the bus
No-one much around but us
Then I see this young boy cut a look at me
I'm stunned
In a daze
He had the whole street set ablaze
It's only love they say
Makes you feel this way
She liked his eyes she wanted more
The baby gonna have your smile for sure
He saw a lovely girl
Smelling sweet and soapy like fresh air
She saw him looking acted like she didn't care
That's how we knew
And so love grew a flower
A flower that is you
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Even to the angels it may sound like a lie
For you child
He has the troops and extra backup standing by
For you child
For you he's the best he can be
For you child
For you he's the best he can be
Oh child don't you know
Your daddy love come with a life time guarantee
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Yeah daddy love you child
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Daddy love you yeah
It's only you he'll say
Made the young boy hungry for the man he is today
It' only love, love, love, love
Can make you feel this way
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Yeah daddy love you child
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy love come with a life time guarantee
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Daddy love you, yeah
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Did I tell you your daddy loves you
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Oh child don't you know
Your daddy love come with a life time guarantee
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Daddy love you yeah
No-one much around but us
Then I see this young boy cut a look at me
I'm stunned
In a daze
He had the whole street set ablaze
It's only love they say
Makes you feel this way
She liked his eyes she wanted more
The baby gonna have your smile for sure
He saw a lovely girl
Smelling sweet and soapy like fresh air
She saw him looking acted like she didn't care
That's how we knew
And so love grew a flower
A flower that is you
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Even to the angels it may sound like a lie
For you child
He has the troops and extra backup standing by
For you child
For you he's the best he can be
For you child
For you he's the best he can be
Oh child don't you know
Your daddy love come with a life time guarantee
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Yeah daddy love you child
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Daddy love you yeah
It's only you he'll say
Made the young boy hungry for the man he is today
It' only love, love, love, love
Can make you feel this way
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Yeah daddy love you child
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy love come with a life time guarantee
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Daddy love you, yeah
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Did I tell you your daddy loves you
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Oh child don't you know
Your daddy love come with a life time guarantee
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Daddy love you yeah
Lyrics submitted by youaintright20
Babyfather Lyrics as written by Helen Adu Andy Nicholls
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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For me this song is about a pregnant woman who gets puzzled when she sees a young boy in the street. She sees in his smile the smile her baby will have. Then we turn to the father's point of view and the description of the moment he met his future wife, a very cute girl who seemed not to notice him. From their love story comes a baby, and the rest of the song is about the very relationship between the baby and his father and how the father promises never to let him down. ("Your daddy love comes with a life time guarantee")
I believe this is about two people who meet and are very attracted to each other. The song briefly describes their meeting. Then it tells how they had a baby together - And so love grew a flower. Next the song talks about the father and how he tries to be the best he can be for the baby. How his love comes with a lifetime guarantee.
the meaning's quite obvious. i definitely sense that this song is personal for sade adu. she had her daughter with a jamaican musician that she is no longer with and the lyrical composition as well as the reggae influences on this song definitely convey to me that this song was written for her daughter.
love it. love sade. <3
I definitely agree with willworkforchanel; I think the song is to her daughter, saying even though her and the man aren't together anymore, her father still loves her with all his heart <3
Like the previous 2 posters, I think we are supposed to imagine that this song is being sung by Sade to her daughter, to soothe/comfort the daughter. In this respect, I see it as similar to "Lullabye" by Billy Joel. Joel's song was in response to his daughter's questions about death. Here I think we are to imagine that this song is in response to Sade's daughter's questions about her father, whom she never sees, and whose absence bothers her. Sade has concocted - true or not we do not know - an origin story, in which she describes a first meeting between a man and woman so perfect that it would sound like a lie "even to angels". She also extols her daughter's father as a good man in general, and in particular, that he is inspired by the daughter to be an even better man ("the best he can be"), and that he will love the daughter always, even though he rarely sees her. The subtext of the line, "Your daddy's love comes with a lifetime guarantee" might be something like, "Even though you never see him... Your daddy's love etc." Long-winded, yes. I just felt like it.
Like the previous 2 posters, I think we are supposed to imagine that this song is being sung by Sade to her daughter, to soothe/comfort the daughter. In this respect, I see it as similar to "Lullabye" by Billy Joel. Joel's song was in response to his daughter's questions about death. Here I think we are to imagine that this song is in response to Sade's daughter's questions about her father, whom she never sees, and whose absence bothers her. Sade has concocted - true or not we do not know - an origin story, in which she describes a first meeting between a man and woman so perfect that it would sound like a lie "even to angels". She also extols her daughter's father as a good man in general, and in particular, that he is inspired by the daughter to be an even better man ("the best he can be"), and that he will love the daughter always, even though he rarely sees her. The subtext of the line, "Your daddy's love comes with a lifetime guarantee" might be something like, "Even though you never see him... Your daddy's love etc." Long-winded, yes. I just felt like it.