“It’s about religion, but more importantly, it’s about my father. In your childhood, your father is like God. He is the person you fear more on Earth, and also the person whose love and respect you deserve more than anyone else on Earth”
This is how Daniel Caesar describes his album, “Son of Spergy”. The album, intrinsically woven with verses from the Bible, depicts Caesar in a wonderful character development arc, from a broken man at rock bottom to a man of virtue. This hour long audio experience begins with Caesar in an abusive relationship, which causes him to sin and to stray further from God. The themes of divinity and vulnerability are echoed repeatedly in each verse, in every song. From the description of the divine in Baby Blue (Feat. Norwill Simmonds), to the mentions of the anxious and vulnerable character of Caesar in Who Knows.
Its majestic lyrics, gently interwoven with Bible verses, also appear frequently in the album. Caesar’s strong point of delivering impactful and heartfelt verses while weaving in a complex story arc was perfectly shown off. Instead of his time skips feeling abrupt, Caesar’s use of them further added another layer of depth into the storyline, jumping from the end of his relationship, to the middle, to the beginning, and finally to his self-empowerment. Even though critics did not approve of his sophomore album (with Pitchfork giving it a 5.6/10), Caesar had done amazingly well to provide a tough but realistic story, in my opinion. It has the same pacing and raw emotions seen in Kendrick Lamar’s best album of all time, “good kid, m.A.A.d city”, yet with a refreshingly new emphasis on religion, in a time where belief is fragile.
For me, “Son of Spergy” is not just another normal album; it is a testimony of faith, suffering, and redemption.
Rain Down (feat. Sampha)
It is a gentle introduction to the album, with the repeated lines of “Lord, let your blessings rain down”, signifying that the album is headed towards a direction more associated with gospel, a stark difference from the other albums made by Daniel Caesar.
“Spergy’s son, can I see him?”
Spoken in a nurturing female tone, Spergy is the nickname for Caesar’s father, whose name is Norwill Simmonds. He also appears later in the album. The impact of including his father in his album speaks volumes after their tough backstory. Simmonds, a devout follower of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, trained Caesar in gospel music. Yet, Caesar rebelled against his father, straying away from the Church, resulting in him getting kicked out from home.
“Lord, bless me with Your blood’s power”
With this, Caesar’s story arc begins, with a gentle piano ballad fade into his next song, and one of the more impactful songs, Have a Baby (With Me).
Have A Baby (With Me)
(a freeze-frame from the music video of “Have a Baby (With Me)”)
“You hold my hand, but in your head, you’ve already left”
“You free yourself of patience / You sit on the bed but your shadow is getting dressed / You’ve had too many years of waiting”
“I know you’re not coming, to the life that we wanted / What if it cut short with the fires I’ve started?”
The gentle piano ballad with soft hi-hats is overshadowed by Caesar’s prominent voice. He is depicting a fading relationship, with its end unwillingly prolonged by his partner. His partner still held a belief in their tough relationship earlier, but still held on to the sinking ship. Yet, in a moment of self-reflection, Caesar realises his mistakes and regrettably admits that their dream life was unattainable.
“Have a baby with me”
This chorus shows that Caesar believes that having a child is the best way to mend their failing relationship. Children are physical manifestations of love, something Caesar desperately needs in his turbulent relationship. Pure intentions aside, a child is also one way Caesar can force his partner to interact with him, this time as separated parents.
“What if we married? What if you believed? / In God, this world, and hell, and all the things that this could be”
“But you need to leave, you want to see what this world can offer you outside of me”
Caesar is still holding onto the what-ifs and deluding himself with them, rather than accepting that his lover wants to leave. The references to belief and religion are another prominent theme in this album, which further complicates another difficulty inflicted on Caesar’s life. Sensing his relationship is nigh over, Caesar tells his partner to let go, while subconsciously hoping that she would find a depressing world outside, making her go back to him.
“We could leave something here / It’s too late for our dreams / We can make a new dream”
Caesar is pleading with his lover to stay with him, while also urging her to let go. This shows the dilemma he faces. His desperation is shown by begging her to re-establish their relationship with a “new dream”.
In conclusion, this song depicts the ugly end of a relationship. Desperate for a rekindling, Caesar finds any form of attachment, albeit short-sighted, aptly shown as him wanting a child. His pushing and pulling of his lover further complicates his problems, but it is normal in a fleeting love. He wants his lover back, but he is his own worst enemy, which he regrettably realises. All in all, Caesar has perfectly laid the emotional foundation of this story, and all future songs relate to the lyrics in this song one way or another.
Call on Me
(a freeze-frame from the music video of “Call on Me”)
“Finally, you’re right where you want to be / Comfortably, inside of my arms”.
“I seen it coming / We was manic / Pleasantly”
“Whatever that means, oh baby”
A sharp electric guitar pierces Caesar’s gentle singing, with more catchy pop drums playing, a complete 180 from the previous song, Have a Baby (With Me). This song is set at the beginning of his relationship, with Caesar pleased that their relationship had blossomed, after an uncomfortable struggle. His love? Volatile and uncontainable, just like any new boyfriend.
“Whenever you feel your tummy rumble / Need something to eat / Whenever you feel your pockets empty / Can call on me”
Caesar is willing to spoil his partner with food or with money. This obviously shows that Caesar and his lover are still in the honeymoon stage of their relationship, still open to dropping everything to help one another.
“You change your energy when we get home / Get all you need and then I’m all alone”
“Blesings rain down upon me / Baby it’s no harm if you really want my money / Come and take it from me, come and take it from me / Take advantage of my better nature”
Their relationship is now set at a later stage. It depicts a spiteful Caesar, viewing his lover with contempt. When his lover lets her guard down, Caesar views it negatively. He accuses her of taking his divine gift of money and fame, then subsequently leaving him to feel alone. He notices his flaws, yet chooses to wallow in contempt, rather than confronting her and finding a resolution. This may have well been one of the fires Caesar had started.
“I burn through money, yeah I’m burning paper / Who needs it? Not me”
An egotistical Caesar is being shown. He devalues money to nothing but paper, depicting another flaw Caesar possesses. This flaw, compounded by his contempt, undoubtedly fueled the fire which burned through his relationship.
In conclusion, this song depicts the beginning and the middle stages of the relationship between Caesar and his lover. It started as a form of puppy love, before rampantly escalating to contempt and dissatisfaction. He negatively views his lover by saying that she is there just to take his money away, without emotional companionship. This builds strain in their relationship, which is unchecked and unresolved, burning away a strong love.
Baby Blue (Feat. Norwill Simmonds)
(a freeze-frame from the lyric video of “Baby Blue (feat. Norwill Simmonds)”)
“Baby blue / I’m privileged to know you / And from this point on, your delight is my delight”
“Baby blue / I like your eyes they sparkle”
“You found me in a dark hole / But now I know, you’re my light”
The song, written like a love song to Jesus, has a gentle acoustic guitar repeating the same chords, while Caesar sings with sustain. Caesar is grateful that Jesus helped him in his darkest moments during his tumultuous relationship, while commenting on His beautiful and sparkly “baby blue” coloured eyes. Caesar further states that Jesus’ happiness and his are intertwined, showing reconciliation.
“You oversee o’er all of me, you do / It’s true / The heavens above they suit you”
“I’m glad you pree’d my energy / It’s much like yours, be assured”
“So many people to choose from, I choose you”
Caesar added in Jamaican Patois, an English-based language, into his verse, as shown by (“pree’d”, which means “sampled”). This use acknowledges Caesar’s Jamaican roots from his father. Caesar indicates that he is of good intentions, like Jesus, and that Caesar willingly chose to return to Christianity. Caesar also receives God to guide him and supervise his actions.
“Some days I feel blue too / But when I look at you / My melancholy dissipates”
“I too shall rise on the occasion, to the occasion / It’s worth my time cause you’re divine”
Caesar feels vulnerable in this phrase and looks towards God to ease his worries, while seeking comfort in the warm embrace of God. Additionally, by using “rise”, Caesar connects his verse with the Biblical account of Jesus rising on the Third Day, which ties in the religious and divine undertones of this song.
“Jesus paid for all of our sins / On calvary’s cross, he bled and died / Is there greater love than this? / What good have I done to / Deserve his love, this awesome love to me? / Can you feel his love?”
This outro hymn is sung by Caesar’s father, a gospel singer, whose voice is accompanied by a choir. By fitting in with his father’s work, Caesar shows the listener that he has reconciled and made peace with his family after their turbulent relationship.
In conclusion, this song is a heartfelt testament to Caesar’s familial reconciliation and spiritual breakthrough. At the lowest point in his life, Caesar found the love of Jesus and wholeheartedly accepted it. Caesar was guided towards healing through religion, while also mending the bond between him and his father. Caesar had rediscovered love, both from his father and Jesus.
Root of All Evil
(a freeze-frame from the lyric video of “Root of All Evil”)
“What have I done, what should I do / Forces of evil pull me away from you”
“I let ‘em in, granted them entry / Now that you’re gone, nobody gets me”
Caesar views himself negatively, as an inherently evil person. He feels that his relationship with God is strained and degrading due to him succumbing to his own vices and temptations. Caesar’s self-deprication is exemplified by blaming himself for his moral failings, which caused him to lose sight of himself.
“Am I a man, or a beast? / Somebody please discipline me / For I am a sinner, a sinner”
By rhetorically asking himself about his character, Caesar continues on with his negativity. In his eyes, he is a sinner. He was blinded by his own inherent urge to sin, making him need an authoritative figure to set him back on the path of good. His use of the word “beast” relates to Christianity, to the Beast, a figure who opposes God in the Book of Revelation.
“I know I should stay away but I can’t / I’m too drawn to evil / I know that I’ve gone astray, here I am / So many pretty people”
“Good of my heart, where will it lead? / It’s only a door for people will leave me”
“If I take you back, what will I turn to? / Sin is a gesture that I know you see through”
Caesar feels that he is unable to live a life free of sin, especially when he is surrounded by other like-minded people. Caesar believes that his good nature (as sung in Call on Me) is being taken advantage of by the people around him, while also worrying about his negative relationship with God. Caesar hopes that God sees his sins as shallow and that He can discern Caesar’s real intentions.
“Am I a man, or a mouse? / Inside your house, stuck can’t get out / Sin is a weakness, and you see it”
Caesar feels weak and feeble whenever he falls into temptation and sin. He especially feels suffocated when he enters God’s house – the Church – because the moral weight of his sins pushes him down. He knows he is sinning, yet he is unable to stop.
In conclusion, this song is one of temptation. Caesar had sinned and felt guilty for doing so, to the extent that he questions himself and sees himself as the “Root of All Evil”. He longs to make amends with God, but is still worried whether He will understand Caesar’s real intentions. He feels weak for falling for his vices, yet is still optimistic that God can understand his reasoning for such.
Who Knows
(a freeze-frame from the lyric video of “Who Knows”)
“I’ll probably be a waste of your time, but who knows? / Chances are I’ll step out of line, but who knows? / Lately, you’ve set up in my mind / Yeah girl you, and I like that”
“Lately, I’ve been thinking that perhaps I am a coward / Hiding in a disguise of an ever-giving flower / Incompetent steward of all that sweet, sweet power”
“Who Knows” is Caesar’s magnum opus in this album. Its popularity on Spotify speaks volumes, and was also performed by Caesar on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. This song is set at the start of his relationship, with Caesar worrying whether he is the right fit for his partner. Caesar’s doubts are sown deeply in his mind, furthering his self-deprecation. Caesar shows characteristic signs of imposter syndrome. Without the strong backbone of familial love and religion, he feels inept to handle the burden of a relationship with his lover.
“Yesterday was feeling so good, now it’s gone / I’d feel like that always if I could, is that wrong? / Tell me about the city you’re from / Is it hot? Does it snow there?”
“Lately, I’ve been thinking ‘bout my precarious future / Will you be there with me by my side, my girl, my shooter? / Who’s to say who calculates? Not me, I’m no computer”
Caesar portrays the first few interactions with his lover. He had asked simple questions about his lover, mirroring the beginning of a talking stage, which blossomed into a new love. Yet, in the middle of this happiness, Caesar still laments about his future with her. He questions her loyalty and wonders if she is his “ride-or-die”, which reveals trust issues and future uncertainties between them (which is shown in “Have a Baby (With Me)”).
“Is it a crime to be unsure? / In time, we’ll find if it’s sustainable / You’re pure, you’re kind, mature, divine / You might be too good for me, unattainable”
“Maybe we get married one day, but who knows? / Think I’ll take that thought to the grave, but who knows? / I know that I’ll love you always / Yeah girl you, and I like that”
Caesar portrays the anxiety felt by a boyfriend by pulling himself down. He only mentions his lover’s strengths while emphasising his weaknesses. He is pedestalling his lover to be divine, recalling back to Baby Blue (Feat. Norwill Simmonds), while questioning whether their love is genuine. Caesar is committed to his lover for his foreseeable future, but is unsure if his commitment is reciprocated.
In conclusion, this song is one filled with the negative and self-deprecating thoughts of a boyfriend who recently got into a relationship. Caesar second-guesses himself while questioning his lover’s commitment to him. She is infallible, almost perfect like the divine, but Caesar is a flawed man, tainted with sin. It encapsulates the fear that one day his lover will leave him, while questioning her trust and loyalty, the foundation of any relationship. The song wraps up the themes in the first half of the album and serves as a transition to the next half.
Moon (Feat. Bon Iver)
(a freeze-frame from the solo live acoustic performance of “Moon”, without Bon Iver)
“Hit dogs will holler, I’ll howl at the moon / I’m not who I wanna be at the moment, maybe soon / Fighters keep fighting, I’ll fight ‘till I’m blue / And filled up with lactic acid, fighting produced”
“I’d rather fight for you the only way I know / That ain’t sustainable / Who’s gonna fight for me? Who will advocate?”
This song again begins with a gentle repeating chord from an acoustic guitar, with “shiny” piano notes being played after each repetition. Caesar is singing softer, with the sound of the instruments overpowering his gentle vocals. The song is split into two distinct main topics, one about the moon and another about violence, which is separated by a short period of silence before Caesar’s layered voice abruptly starts the next verse.
Caesar describes a werewolf, who transforms and howls when there is a full moon, which shows his imposter syndrome again. At the moment, he does not feel like himself, yet he is willing to fight through his own demons, without giving up, no matter the pain and suffering (which is the “lactic acid” mentioned). Caesar is willing to fight and advocate for his lover, which draws parallels to Jesus being the advocate of the Father, a topic touched on in the Bible.
“Who’s gonna be my Jesus? Pull up on a cloud / Play that trumpet loud, carry me home / Who’s gonna be my Jesus? Who will advocate?”
Caesar repeats his emphasis on Jesus from his previous verse, while relating divinity to his lover with the mention of clouds and trumpets. He infuses the promise God gave in the Book of Isaiah, where He will carry the righteous upon clouds, into his verse, where he hopes his lover will reciprocate his advocacy for him.
“Violence is as violence does / Man is but a pile of dust / Why are you a weapon formed up against me? / Is this what you call love?”
“Someday I will leave your home / I’ll be a man, make my own / And I’ll set this world on fire, you can’t stop me / There I will rest my bones”
Caesar’s layered voice, accompanied only by synths, sings this portion of the song. It transports us back to the present in his story. Caesar questions why his lover had hurt and betrayed him. Caesar also draws parallels to how Adam was formed from dust by God (yet again referencing divinity), to how he is also made with dust, something fragile and easy to destroy. Caesar showcases his vulnerability while concluding the song with spite and resentment, yet he shows self-empowerment too.
This song perfectly bridges the emotions of excitement, volatility, and commitment found at the start of a relationship, with the emotions of betrayal, hatred, and resentment present at the end of one. It shows Caesar’s vulnerability and fragility with respect to his lover. The song blends the feelings of happiness and optimism in Who Knows, with the betrayal and desperation in Have a Baby (With Me). The album now continues with songs where Caesar describes his feelings when his lover broke up with him, mixed with his raw emotions and self-empowerment.
Touching God (Feat. Yebba & Blood Orange)
(a freeze-frame from the lyric video of “Touching God (Feat. Yebba & Blood Orange)”)
“I know you’re sick and tired of words / Floating ‘round the universe in spite / Of all the time and all the work / You put in, I know it hurts, and I”
“I’ve seen you lose your ground to lowly skies, fell too fast, can’t get the chance to cry”
Caesar paints divinity in a more informal context, as a conversation between him and God. It begins with God affirming Caesar’s feelings. Caesar felt unjust that after all of the time and effort he put in, his relationship still fell apart, while ignoring that he was the main cause of all of their problems. God then narrates how he saw Caesar fall from His grace, by succumbing to many sins and temptations. It caused Caesar to lose all forms of stability in his life, as he is now without religion, family, or love.
“Who will you ever be without their eyes? / What good’s your voice if no one really minds?”
“Settle down ‘til the moment comes around / There’s a plan you won’t understand, for now / I was going so crazy couldn’t run”
“I know there’s a God that’s withholding His help / I know you made me but I hate myself”
Caesar now questions his own self-worth. He feels that without his voice and fame, no one would care for him, drawing correlations back to his imposter syndrome. God then tells Caesar that He has a plan already laid out for Caesar, weaving in a verse from the Book of Proverbs. Caesar knows that God’s creations are perfect, yet he deems himself flawed, causing self-hate. Furthermore, Caesar feels ignored by God’s mercy, relating to his guilt and suffocation in the Church, in Root of All Evil.
“And I know, when I know that it’s buried somеwhere elsе / And I know that I’ll find my moment / ‘Cause what good’s your voice if no one really minds?”
The final line is sung with a hopeful tone, where Caesar realises the path God had paved for him, but is still unable to shake off his worthlessness by reiterating the earlier line about his voice and imposter syndrome.
In conclusion, this song is a short conversation between Caesar and God, where Caesar opens up about his imposter syndrome and his worthlessness without eyes on him. His success, which drove him to a new low, compounded by the soon-to-be end of his relationship, caused Caesar to sin and stray further from God. Yet, Caesar starts to open his heart up, realising that God is still with him, no matter what he has done. Caesar starts to realise that his true purpose has not yet been achieved, even though he still thinks negatively about his own worth.
Sign Of The Times
(a freeze- frame from the lyric video of “Sign of The Times”)
“Mister, mister”
“I heard God speaks to man through signs / Well I think I just seen mine / ‘Cause when I kissed her, I pictured bringing forth life / Like Madonna and her child”
“No need to be alarmed, it’s just love / And the future, but so what?”
This song begins with Caesar confessing his feelings to his pastor. Caesar is transported back to the start of his relationship. By relating his kiss to the birth of Jesus from Madonna (the Virgin Mary), he implies that his relationship is yet another miracle. At that moment, he believed that God had given him a sign that they were meant to be, yet he showed unease and anxiety at their future together.
“Mister, mister / Do you think I should let her know / Or wait it out, let colours show? / ‘Cause when I’m with her / Impulsivity pulls at me / I’m stronger now than I used to be”
“It might be too late / I’ve gone, and spilled my guts / But it feels so great, it’s risky / So what?”
Caesar is asking the pastor whether he should confront his lover, given that she has been pulling away from him, or let the ebbing of time erode the relationship. Caesar feels impulsive when with her, which causes him to sin. Now, Caesar feels independent from his lover. He felt obligated to confess his sins to the pastor, which made him feel safe and comfortable. Yet, Caesar still feels afraid and worried to trust someone else, especially after his lover’s betrayal of him.
“I think it’s finally ‘bout that time, a ***** nearly thirty / Find some soil to plant a seed, Lord, send me someone worthy / I was chasing ‘round my ******* lady like a sycophant / But you brought me up and out of Egypt with your single hand”
Sycophant – a person who acts obsequiously to someone important to gain an advantage. Caesar realises that he is getting old, yet he is without any religious support. He hopes that God will send someone worthy of his love, while calling his lover a people-pleaser who takes advantage of him. Caesar felt released from the shackles of his relationship, like the people in Egypt referenced in the Book of Exodus.
“My homie crashed the Tesla and that **** went up in flames / The Lord, he got him out in time, I wanna tell Him, “Thanks” / Sometimes I feel it should’ve been me inside of the passenger side / Then it would’ve been me ‘stead of —”
On April 3rd, 2023, there was a tragic accident in the streets of Hollywood, where a Tesla exploded into flames, critically injuring two and sadly killing the rider in the front passenger seat, Monica Suh. She was a renowned fashion designer, and Caesar felt guilty as his friend was the driver. Yet, Caesar thanks God for saving the other victims, while wishing he had been killed in place of Monica. He felt that dying in the accident would be the atonement of his sins, showing his negative mindset, mentioned in Root of All Evil.
“Is it my fault? God decides who stays, who goes / Can I ask the question? ‘Cause I really wanna know / I was at home in my bed, my spirit felt a disturbance / Signs are all around me, I’m just trying to interpret / I know, I know, I know, yes, I know / I know a sign when I see one, sign when I see one”
A vulnerable Caesar felt a deep disturbance in his heart, feeling the exact moment when Monica passed away. He questions God on why He decided to take Monica away, and uses this moment to realise that he needed to reconnect with God, using this tragedy as his sign, referring to the beginning of the song.
This song is the striking pivot where sin and despair are traded for religious belief and hope. Caesar juxtaposes these two opposite emotions perfectly by splitting the song into two sections, just like Moon (Feat. Bon Iver). Caesar repeatedly mentioned “signs” in this song, which he believes is the way God communicates with him. The main “sign” given was showing Caesar the fragility of life. It urged Caesar to start attending Church and to realise that God is everywhere. Caesar came to the revelation that his lover was using him for her own personal gain after speaking with his pastor. He then wishes that he could find another love that appreciates his character.
Emily’s Song
(a freeze-frame from the lyric video of “Emily’s Song”)
“Why don’t you answer my calls no more? / Is it something that I’ve said? / Tired of checking my telephone / You’re running through my head”
“We used to stay up for hours, many nights / Fussin’ and fightin’, ******’ and lyin’ / Nights in Miami, tears at the Grammys”
The song starts with an acoustic guitar segment with a catchy strumming pattern, with Caesar now explicitly naming his love interest as Emily. Caesar feels heartbroken and trapped, as Emily is pulling away from him. Desperate to mend their broken relationship back to health, Caesar tried talking to Emily, but it failed, causing him to blame himself for their separation. This fuelled his self-negativity. Caesar then uses a line from his song “Always” in the album “Never Enough”. He used it to reminisce about how Caesar and Emily spent the most intimate moments and biggest achievements with each other, showing that Caesar knows no other love than the one with her.
“Just want to thank you / For being my mirror / Showing me myself / I just want to thank you / You help me see clearer / Like nobody else”
Caesar thanks Emily for all she has done, even though she had caused so much hurt to him. It showcases how much Emily had meant to him during their relationship, while using it as an opportunity to reflect on his actions. This causes his character development to reach a climax in this chorus, where he picks apart his own mistakes and realises that Emily was also in anguish in their relationship.
“Now that the feelin’ is floated away / And I got a bit of clarity / Addicts are addicts and will never change / But we were never scared to be”
“I’ll get it all out my system, by God’s grace / I’ll never regret you, it’s heaven that sent you / But I’ll never go back, I hope that you know that”
Caesar’s residual feelings towards Emily after their breakup have faded away. He compares himself to an addict, addicted to sin and love, while stating that they were not scared to love each other. The song ends more upbeat, with Caesar grateful for the lessons he had learnt. He realises that Emily is yet another “sign” sent by God to teach him how to be a better person, instead of a destined eternal companion. Caesar also feels empowered enough not to settle for less with her.
To summarise this song, it is one of acknowledgement, repentance, and empowerment. Caesar realises his mistakes and is actively striving to be a better person. He takes the lessons learnt with Emily as a blessing in disguise, while also feeling that he deserves more than her love, recalling the theme of Call on Me and Sign of The Times, where Caesar describes Emily as a sycophant. This song is a strong character development for Caesar, as he realises that God is still with him. It culminates in an ending which shows that repentance gives way to empowerment, and his heartbreak has suddenly become a holy moment.
No More Loving (On Women I Don’t Love) (Feat. 646yf4t)
(a freeze-frame of the lyric video of “No More Loving (On Women I Don’t Love) (Feat. 646yf4t)”)
“No more loving on women I don’t love / **** these power-tripping ****** that be lyin’ on God above / **** the world, ‘cause the truth is at stake / Give you all the lemons and say **** you made”
Caesar’s lyricism in this song is in stark contrast with the other songs before, filled with numerous expletives, obviously telling the listener that they are never getting back together. The verse is a contradiction to the warm and fuzzy lyrics of Who Knows, as Caesar pieces together Emily’s true intentions and goes on a tirade. Caesar describes the world as one full of lies, and rebukes the power-tripping Emily with a twist on the saying, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”.
“I’m no better, no better / Make promises that float like feathers / But I try, try, try / I still try, try, try”
“Give you the best of me, nothing lesser / Go out swinging, a real warrior’s end / Drown my face in blood and sweat / Call on Jesus for my death”
646yf4t (pronounced “Babyfat”) starts this verse, where he describes Caesar’s promises as feathers, something that floats down but never holds up. Caesar then justifies his anger as he had poured a lot of effort into the relationship, which he felt was unrequited by Emily. Caesar had fought an uphill battle for Emily, but “died” like a warrior, metaphorically. He is then “raised from the dead” by Jesus, showing that Caesar had isolated and corrected his mistakes, while repenting to God, falling back into His favour. Caesar’s lyricism beautifully symbolises the suffering of love and the security of religion.
“Although I walk through the valley / Of the shadow of death / I will fear no evil, fear no evil”
This phrase is repeated until the song ends. It is directly lifted from the Book of Psalms, where it states that God is there to help and comfort people in need. Caesar feels unafraid of any future challenges, as he believes that God will be by his side to aid him, contradicting the worry he felt in Root of All Evil, and Touching God (Feat. Yebba & Blood Orange).
This song concludes Caesar’s character arc. He started as a non-believer who sinned and fell for temptation, pulling him down and causing him to spiral out of control. He had relied on his toxic and failing relationship to cope, but when that ended too, he was at rock bottom. Caesar uneasily and uncomfortably opened up to God, worried that He would judge him for all of his mistakes. Yet, Caesar found comfort and started striving to be a better person. Caesar realised all of the ill Emily had caused him, which outraged him.
His character arc ends with him declaring that the world is made of lies, realising that the people around him have impure intentions. Caesar accepted that he only needs to maintain the relationship between him and God, as God is his only real supporter. With the ending of this song, Caesar’s story ends, with him learning countless life-long lessons.
Sins of The Father (Feat. Bon Iver)
(a freeze-frame of the lyric video of “Sins of The Father (Fear. Bon Iver)”)
“Oh Lord, I bear this weight / My mom and my daddy, upon me they’ve placed / I have no words to say / It’s written there all over my face”
“Oh Lord, perpetual pain / I can’t be at home where my father lays / In time we’ll fade away / Hopefully it’s to the same place”
In this outro, Caesar delivers an emotional reflection on how he is slowly becoming his father. He describes that he is bearing the weight of his parents’ mistakes, as his emotional fragility is due to their mistakes in raising him. Even though Caesar is in pain, yearning to be with his father, he still forgives him. He hopes God will forgive his father too, so they can reunite in paradise.
“Father, You said You’d love me / Like my own never could / How could I ever thank Thee? / You are good”
“There is no one like You / You gave Your life so I wouldn’t have to / Where there is one, there’s two / It’s me and You”
Caesar then thanks God for loving him in a way his own father could not. Caesar appreciates His presence in his life, reaffirming that God is good. Caesar then thanks Jesus for cleansing mankind from sin with his Crucifixion, and states that God is with him wherever he goes. As where there is one (Caesar), there are two (Caesar and God).
“I’ve got all this hate in my heart / But I got no place to put it / Tried to leave it all behind, but I couldn’t / I need alchemical transmutation”
“Dad was forgetful, he promised a lot / Thankfully, he never got caught / Passed it to me now, I finally can see / Forgetting’s a gift, thank you, God”
Even though Caesar is trying to forgive every who has wronged him, he finds it hard to do so without needing external help to transmute his hatred into kindness. Caesar confesses that this challenge is something he cannot face alone. He then recalls how forgetful his father was, which is an excuse for his father not to follow through on promises. This bad trait was inherited by Caesar, making him realise that he is not much different from his father.
“Forgot your birthday, I’m sorry, my dear / At least my stance remains clear / I’ll forget your birthday like every year / Who gives a **** anyways”
Previously, Caesar had forgotten Emily’s birthday while they were together, a trait inherited from his father. But now, Caesar is actively trying to forget her birthday as a way to move on.
“Those are the sins of the father”
This line is repeated multiple times in different variations, closing the story of Daniel Caesar.
Written By: Dylan
Design By: May
