I've Been Dazed

Album: Kiwanuka (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The music for "I've Been Dazed" has a melancholic feel, which led Michael Kiwanuka to write lyrics about his struggles with self-doubt. "I was singing about waking up from the nightmare of following someone else's path or putting yourself down, low self-esteem - the things 'You Ain't the Problem' is defying," he explained to Apple Music. "The feeling is, 'Man, I've been in this kind of nightmare, I just want to get out of it, I'm ready to go.'"
  • The song's gospel vibe reflects Kiwanuka's spirituality. He told Mojo magazine:

    "I'm definitely a spiritual person. I believe in God, it's a large part of my life. A lot of the music that influenced me has a spiritual element. I believe that's what music expresses, whatever music you make – it takes you to somewhere outside of your body. To me, that's a higher thing that's God, and other people might call it the Universe. We're all calling the same thing a lot of different things, if you see what I mean. I love my music to reflect that, and it will always express my upbringing. Gospel is a part of that, as well as rock and roll, soul, jazz."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song Spoofs

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song SpoofsSong Writing

When singers started spoofing their own songs on Sesame Street, the results were both educational and hilarious - here are the best of them.

Eric Clapton

Eric ClaptonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really write "Cocaine" while on cocaine? This question and more in the Clapton edition of Fact or Fiction.

Zac Hanson

Zac HansonSongwriter Interviews

Zac tells the story of Hanson's massive hit "MMMbop," and talks about how brotherly bonds effect their music.

Thomas Dolby

Thomas DolbySongwriter Interviews

He wrote "She Blinded Me With Science" so he could direct a video about a home for deranged scientists.

Mark Arm of Mudhoney

Mark Arm of MudhoneySongwriter Interviews

When he was asked to write a song for the Singles soundtrack, Mark thought the Seattle grunge scene was already overblown, so that's what he wrote about.

How The Beatles Crafted Killer Choruses

How The Beatles Crafted Killer ChorusesSong Writing

The author of Help! 100 Songwriting, Recording And Career Tips Used By The Beatles, explains how the group crafted their choruses so effectively.