Lewis Capaldi’s debut studio album ‘Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent’ is getting an extended version. The new album version is said to have three additional tracks more than the 12 tracks on the standard edition. Before the extended edition drops in a couple of days, Lewis Capaldi released a brand new single “Before You Go.” Let us take an inside look at the meaning of this new song.
Lewis Capaldi’s debut studio album ‘Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent’ released on May 17, 2019, and produced some hit tracks such as “Someone You Loved,” “Bruises,” “Hold Me While You Wait” and more. However, the new album has three more tracks namely; “Before You Go,” “Leaving My Love Behind” and “Let It Roll.” The former track was released on November 19, 2019.
In an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music’s Beats 1, Lewis Capaldi explained the meaning of these lyrics; “It’s about suicide. Not necessarily the act of it, but, like, after it happens, the aftermath of it. And people kind of blaming themselves or starting to think, you know, “What could I have done to help that person?” or whatever. When I was five or six, my aunt committed suicide and I just remember recently speaking to my mom about her feelings. About going through that sort of rigmarole in your head of like, you know, “What could I have done here? Could I have done anything?”
Listen to the track below.
Download “Before You Go” Single on Apple Music and Amazon
As Lewis explained in the above interview, “Before You Go,” is a song about all the things Lewis could have said and done to his friend who is no longer with them now. In the first verse, Lewis admits that he is at fault for not paying much attention to his friend. Maybe ‘adulthood’ happened to both of them and they got busy with life. Lewis starts to think about all the fond memories he had with this special friend. But now these memories are getting replaced with more gruesome thoughts and guilt.
In the pre-chorus, Lewis thinks to himself that this departure is going to hurt him a lot. It is the same way his friend was hurting on the inside before he took his life.
In the chorus of “Before You Go,” Lewis throws out questions at the sky. He wonders if there was anything he could have said that could have prevented this tragedy. He wonders if his words could have healed his friends wounded soul. Lewis has not let his friend go out of his heart yet. Hence, the song title “before you go,” even though the friend is already dead.
Lewis also blames his friend’s actions on his mind. Taking your own life is a seriously tough call to make and even tougher call to execute. So someone has to develop a very strong mindset to commit suicide. Lewis Capaldi blames himself that he was not there for his friend to help him build a strong mind towards recovery.
The second verse of the song is also a highlight reel of what and where things could have gone wrong in the relationship with his friend. Lewis regrets that he did not have time to talk with his friend. When he called Lewis was busy and vice versa. This continued until they lost touch altogether. Now that his friend is becoming a permanent scar on his memory, Lewis cannot stop but think about him. It must be torture.
Let us know what you think about “Before You Go” by Lewis Capaldi in the comments below. Relatable song or not?
Update:
Lewis Capaldi premiered a beautiful music video for “Before You Go” celebrating life. The video features American actress Sasha Lane. Watch below.
Check out the complete lyrics and further meaning breakdown below.
I’m 62 years old so I don’t listen to newer music and never heard this song until today. But it stopped me in my tracks when I heard it in the store. My daughter overdosed on 2/20/2020. Ever since then all I can think about is all the pain she was in for so much of her life, and how I didn’t comfort her and hug her enough and make sure she knew how much she was loved. Within my family I was all she had. I am so devastated and heartbroken, and only now am I beginning to understand my daughter’s pain.
This reminds me of when my 17 year old cousin died in a car crash and his sister was so sad that she killed her self my aunt was devastated that she lost both of her children but I never really knew them though but I know it hurt my whole family.
It’s about his aunt’s suicide when Lewis was 5 or 6. Read the whole apple interview
My nephew was murdered two years ago and was not until after his murder we found out so many things. How he was trapped in a situation that he believed he couldn’t get out of. Made us say “if only we had known” ” if only he had of said” . Makes you feel we could of prevented his murder because of the life he became involved in. We can really never know what’s inside someone else’s head seems so easy to say but those that live it it’s not. Beautiful song with such wonderful lyrics made hairs stand up in my arms
Today I was driving past the cemetery where my daughter is laid to rest, (a term I don’t care for but don’t know how else to put it). This song came on a few seconds before I drove by the cemetery. I don’t think it was a coincidence.
My beautiful daughter took her life at the age of 27 (’88-2016). I think she “knew” I knew she’couldnt stay in this world. She was in so much pain, physically and emotionally. If I had not read her poignant letters, I may have gone on thinking that I should have/could have said something to relieve her pain. I know in my heart that I had done everything I could have done. She made that abundantly clear as well. Here’s the twist. I also interrupt this song as our loved ones reaching out to us to say “Is there something I could have said to lessen the pain you are carrying in your heart?
My brother took his life. at age 27. Feb 7 2021. I do not think it was coincidence this is the only comment i read here. He is still in a vault. One day at a time. No matter how many years that go buy. One day at a time. Matthew 18 entire chapter. KJV.
My son is a hear-transplant recipient and I just learned that his donor killed himself. My son has listened to this song for months now and we love it. Now that I know a little more about our donor it makes me wonder if my son is picking up on the trauma from the boys self inflicted death. This amazes me so much.
I’m on a journey to helps my friend to get past her trauma, a lot has happened to her. she hides her feelings pretty well, she always seemed to be enjoying life. our other friends seem to be clueless about her true feelings. then one day this song came to me again and the lyrics just hit me so deep it tells me how much I would hate losing her. it motivates me to keep doing my best to watch her back. for now, she seems to be relieved for having someone to talk to. I hope God would give her the power she needs to live her life to the fullest.
This is a very bittersweet song I love the lyrics but it reminds me of when my best friend killed herself Dec.31, 2019 She knew I would help her with anything but her mind was set
my dad took his life on 2012 …i thought time can heal..but as the song said, this won’t…I’ll play it over and over again until the time heal me
Hi sorry about your nephew but the part where you said “get people talking about young men taking their lives” what about young girls/ womens taking their , realy you should have put talking about young people taking their lives .(sorry just had to be mentions) once again I am terrible sorry about your nephew.
My nephew took his life on the 20th of January 2020 this song is everything and more it relates to exactly how I feel we played it at his funeral I hope this song goes mad on the charts and get people talking about young men taking their own lives because we need to get the world more aware of it x
It’s hard to believe that the woman in this video would kill herself. She seems to have such a happy life. I wish the video would’ve shown the woman sinking into a dark place, that would’ve explained how she fell into depression. Otherwise a gorgeous, well done, and haunting video that will stick with me for a long time.
You put on a good front. It’s not surprising to me she seemed happy. It’s what you do to make others happy, even if you aren’t.
That is just it though, many who commit suicide hide what they are feeling and thinking very well. More often than not, suicide survivors never saw the suicide coming and are shocked and effected far more than you can fathom. This song describes this perfectly. Capaldi did such an amazing job with this song.
I think the video was perfect and on point. I recently lost my bother to suicide and everyone described him as such a happy, grateful person. No one, including his wife of 10 years, best friends, family members, or daughter had ANY idea about the inter turmoil he faced and it makes no sense to any of us that he choose this path.