Spiked by the interest of Lewis Capaldi performing a global hit “Someone You Loved” live on BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend on May 26, 2019, we are stepping back to the roots where it all began. Lewis Capaldi found overnight success on his debut track “Bruises” on Spotify, and this is the story of its making.
Then 20-year-old Lewis Capaldi set a new record when he uploaded “Bruises,” a song written by himself, on Spotify where is gathered 28 million streams worldwide, being released on June 19, 2017. This makes him the fastest ever artist to reach 25 million plays on Spotify who is also unsigned to a record label. He was shortly signed to Virgin EMI Records and Capitol Records.
The inspiration for this song comes from a very personal spot for Lewis, as he explained with Genius;
I wrote the song the October before last, on my 20th birthday. I had just broke up with my girlfriend of like a year and a half. It was an amicable split, because I was getting really busy with music and she was doing her own thing as well. I didn’t really have any or harbor any bad feelings about the relationship or anything like that, but obviously it was still a bit raw and a bit fresh.
I don’t think the song is about heartbreak or anything. I think it’s just about missing someone that you kinda had something with, and things didn’t pan out for whatever reason.
“Bruises” later made on to Lewis’s debut studio album ‘Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent’ released in May 2019. Lewis also released a music video for the song, which features music from a keyboard only.
Watch “Bruises” Music Video by Lewis Capaldi
Download “Bruises” on iTunes and Amazon
Buy ‘Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent’ Album on iTunes and Amazon
Lyrics Review and Song Meaning of “Bruises”
Verse 1
In the first verse, Lewis explains us the reasoning behind the sad tune of the song. The singer is biting the bitter end of an expired relationship. May be it has only been a few days since she broke up with her, but he is having trouble moving on from the memories. He still has the slightest hope that she just might return to him. He feels empty inside without the love that completed him before.
Pre-chorus
These lyrics certify that the singer does not in fact want to move on yet. He says that he hopes not to lose the bruises that she left on him. This includes the bad times, since bruises symbolize fights. If someone is cherishing even the bad times of a past relationship, there really is no hope for him to move on.
It is no surpirse that the singer turns to the Lord for help–not to move on, but to get her back by his side.
Chorus
The singer’s life used to be filled with love and joy when he was in the relationship with this girl. Now that she is gone, it seems as if the world is going cold on him too. What felt warm and nourishing before, now feels cold and deteriorating.
Verse 2
It is often easier to judge behaviour in hindsight- you have all the information you need. But the past cannot be altered. Learning from hindsight and moving forward is the way of life that should be.
Often after a serious relationship, our mind wanders around the positives of the relationship. We tend to bypass the negatives and lament on the positives.
What do you think about this heartbreak track by Lewis Capaldi? Let us know in the comments below.
Complete Lyris to “Bruises” by Lewis Capaldi