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September 21, 2018
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fresh songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, 24-year-old Lauv wears a special piece of jewelry to preserve the memories of a love that got away in his 2018 release, “Bracelet.”
In the intensely personal song that draws on his experiences as a music tech major at New York University, Lauv (whose birth name is Ari Leff) recounts a bad breakup that left him with a bracelet and wounded heart.
He sings, “I used to have you, now I have this bracelet / I used to have you, now I have this bracelet / I let you go but baby I’m gonna wear it / Until I don’t need to / Until I don’t need you / All I know is I can’t face it.”
Later in the song, he wonders whether he should “toss” the bracelet because he doesn’t want to keep her figuratively wrapped around his wrist. But, the answer is always “No.” The bracelet preserves the memories of their love and he wakes up each morning missing her even more.
“Bracelet” appears as the 15th track of Lauv’s 2018 album, I Met You When I Was 18 (The Playlist). He subtitled the album “The Playlist” because he treated it as a work in progress, with new songs added periodically.
“This is my life, it’s a playlist,” he told Billboard magazine. “It’s an ongoing thing where I’m piecing together this chapter of my life when I was in New York, in my first serious relationship, trying to figure myself out. Like, here it is. And I’ve been building upon it just naturally.”
Lauv was born in San Francisco in 1994. His mother was of Latvian descent, so to honor her he took on the stage name “Lauv,” which mean “lion” in Latvian. Not coincidentally, Lauv’s given name, “Ari,” means “lion” in Hebrew. His zodiac sign is Leo.
Interested in music at a young age, Lauv took piano and viola lessons before favoring the guitar at the age of 11. He played in several bands in high school and eventually enrolled at NYU as a music technology major. His music writing style was heavily influenced by a Paul Simon interview, during which the legendary singer-songwriter revealed why, as an artist, it is important to get in touch with one’s innermost feelings. An emotional breakup in 2014 set Lauv’s creative juices flowing.
Upon graduation, Lauv was signed by publishing company Prescription Songs. In 2015, he released his debut EP, Lost in the Light. By 2017, he was touring with Ed Sheeran.
Please check out the official audio track of Lauv performing “Bracelet.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“Bracelet” Written and performed by Lauv.
Didn’t know what I wanted I’ll admit that Still don’t know what I wanted I’ll be honest, I’m not ready to let you go
I walk down memory lane late at night I end up losing my way every time I wake up missing you more Oh why did I say goodbye?
I used to have you, now I have this bracelet I used to have you, now I have this bracelet I let you go but baby I’m gonna wear it Until I don’t need to Until I don’t need you All I know is I can’t face it I used to have you, now I have this bracelet I let you go but baby I’m gonna wear it Until I don’t need to Until I don’t need you
Anyway I could toss it I’ll admit that That don’t mean that I need to keep you wrapped around my wrist Oh no
I walk down memory lane late at night I end up losing my way every time I wake up missing you more Oh why did I say goodbye
And another day is passing by Oh I still need you And another day is passing by Oh I still need you All of these Melatonin tears I cry Oh I still need you Oh I still need you
I used to have you, now I have this bracelet I used to have you, now I have this bracelet I let you go but baby I’m gonna wear it Until I don’t need to Until I don’t need you All I know is I can’t face it I used to have you, now I have this bracelet I let you go but baby I’m gonna wear it Until I don’t need to Until I don’t need you I walk down memory lane late at night I end up losing my way every time I wake up missing you more Oh is it goodbye
(Bye, Bye, Bye, Bye) Missing you more oh why?
Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.
