Blame by Calvin Harris: Lyrics Meaning And Interpretation
The song, Blame, was created by the Scottish DJ and record producer, Calvin Harris in the year 2014. It was a part of his fourth studio album, “Motion” in 2014. Among all other songs on the album, this song became the most popular one. It was the third single of the album. Blame lyrics meaning reached the hearts of the audience and received a lot of positive reviews from various music critics all over the world. The song also hit the Number 1 position on the UK Singles Chart. The song was sung by John Newman who also was the one to write the song and add a few chords.
But when he reached out to Harris, he gave life to the song and built the song to be what it is today.
To understand the Blame lyrics meaning and the real essence of the song, you must have a little knowledge about the creator of the song, Calvin Harris. He is a famous Scottish songwriter, record producer, DJ, and singer who has created several beautiful songs. He released his first studio album, “18 Months” in 2012 which was also very well received by people all over the world. The album, which also included Rihanna’s “We Found Love” was a big hit. It made its way up to the US Billboard Top 200 charts. Since then, he has been releasing such amazing songs. Later in 2018, he was regarded as the highest-paid DJ in the world. In 2013, when he released the song “Blame”, it made him the first British artist to reach a billion streams on Spotify.
What Does the Title Mean?
The title of the song explains the Blame lyrics meaning properly. The title itself is self-explanatory and talks about how the man or the narrator blames himself for a failed relationship. This song is Harris’s 7th number 1 single in the United Kingdom and was received by the audience very well. Blame lyrics meaning explain how the narrator’s wrongdoings have led his relationship with his lover to end. It is a very sad song that talks about how sorry the narrator is. But instead of owning up to his own mistakes, he chooses to escape the situation by blaming everything on the circumstances.
The lyricist of the song, John Newman has written the song from his heart. The Blame lyrics meaning directly reach the heart of the audience and leave them mesmerized. The title of the song has a great significance in understanding the Blame lyrics meaning. The narrator in the song has cheated on his partner, but instead of owning up to his actions, he is blaming it “on the night”. But as the song advances, we see how guilty the narrator feels and promises to be a better partner in the future.
Although the fans quickly judged that the song was written by Harris for his ex-girlfriend Rita Ora, he immediately responded to such a misinterpretation of the song. He said that the song was not written by him in the first place.
Verse 1: What Does it Mean?
Can’t be sleepin’
Keep on wakin’
Without the woman next to me
Guilt is burnin’
Inside I’m hurtin’
This ain’t a feelin’ I can keep
In the first verse of the song, we see the narrator saying how he cannot sleep at night. This indicates how guilty he feels, and he is not even able to sleep peacefully at night. His conscience is killing him. He then looks at his lover who is peacefully sleeping beside him. He looks at her and realizes that he has been disloyal to the love of his love. Furthermore, He feels guilty for breaking her trust and cheating on her. The line “Guilt is burning” shows how much the guilt is affecting him from within. He tells how much it is hurting him to think that he has committed such a disgusting crime. In the last line of the verse, he goes on to say that he cannot live with the guilt of cheating on his lover.
Pre-Chorus: What Does it Mean?
So blame it on the night
Don’t blame it on me
Don’t blame it on me
Blame it on the night
Don’t blame it on me
Don’t blame it on me
Understanding this part of the song is the key to understanding Blame lyrics meaning. In this paragraph, we find the narrator dodging his responsibilities and blaming it all on the night. Although most people think that blaming it on the night signifies the night that he has cheated on his partner. It also could mean the night when he was so tired, he said something to his lover that will lead to their break-up.
It is only after listening to the second verse of the song that you will be able to know the real reason behind his guilt. The narrator keeps repeating the same thing throughout the entire song “don’t blame it on me Blame it on the night”. Blaming it on the night could also mean the night that he was drunk. Also, that he had done something that he never would have if he was conscious.
Chorus: What Does it Mean?
Blame it on the night
Don’t blame it on me
Don’t blame it on me
So blame it on the night
Don’t blame it on me
Don’t blame it on me
Don’t blame it on me
In the chorus of the song, we see the narrator repeating the same thing about how he is not to be blamed for whatever has happened. Rather he blames it all on the night. The circumstances of the night were such that led him to make a huge mistake. He knows that the huge mistake that he has committed can break his relationship. And so, he is behaving like an escapist. Instead of owning his faults, he is trying to find a way to escape the consequences.
As the song proceeds, we also find the narrator constantly switching between taking full responsibility for the situation and then again denying it.
Verse 2: What Does it Mean?
Can’t you see it?
I was manipulated
I had to let her through the door
Oh, I had no choice in this
I was a friend she missed
She needed me to talk
In the second verse of the song, the audience finally gets to know about the crime that the narrator has committed. He talks about how he has been disloyal to his partner by spending a night with someone else. He explains how the woman he has slept with was a very good friend. That woman required a friend’s help, and he was there for her, as a friend. He explains how he intended to talk with his friend that night.
The way he uses the term “manipulated” shows how he thinks it wasn’t his fault. It was the circumstances that manipulated him to behave in a certain way. He dines to accept the fact that it was all his fault. He rather tries to indicate as if he had no other choice than to cheat on his partner.
Bridge: What Does it Mean?
Oh, I’m so sorry
So sorry, baby
Yeah
Ooh, I got to say
(Oh, I’ll stop this
I’ll be better this time
I will be better this time, I will be)
I’m sorry
Oh, I promise
(I’ll be better this time
I will be better this time, I will be)
The bridge of the song shows that the narrator is guilty, but he is still not ready to accept his mistake. He tries to convince his lover that there is no point in looking at the past. He promises to be a better lover this time. Likewise, He promises to never repeat his mistakes. And that is where the song ends.
It is Blame lyrics meaning that made this song a hit universally. The lyrics of the song describe a situation that most people have been through, they have either played the role of the narrator or the lover. The relatable lyrics of the song made it sell over 600,000 copies worldwide.
