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Michael Kiwanuka — Cold Little Heart
Album: Love & Hate
Avg rating:
8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 4506









Released: 2016
Length: 9:47
Plays (last 30 days): 4
Did you ever want it?
Did you want bad?
Ohhh, my
It tears me apart
Did you ever fight it?
All of the pain, so much power
Running through my veins
Bleeding, I'm bleeding
My cold little heart
Oh I, I can't stand myself

And I know
In my heart, in this cold heart
I can live or I can die
I believe if I just try
You believe in you and I
In you and I
In you and I
In you and I

Did you ever notice
I've been ashamed
All my life
I've been playing games
We can try and hide it
It's all the same
I've been losing you
One day at a time
Bleeding, I'm bleeding
My cold little heart
Oh I, I can't stand myself

And I know
In my heart, in this cold heart
I can live or I can die
I believe if I just try
You believe in you and I
In my heart, in this cold heart
I can live or I can die
I believe if I just try
You believe in you and I
In you and I
In you and I
In you and I
In you and I
In you and I
In you and I
In you and I

Maybe this time I can be strong
But since I know who I am
I'm probably wrong
Maybe this time I can go far
But thinking about where I've been
Ain't helping me start
Comments (206)add comment
A ten for sure! And for those with crummy speakers still a nine.
 Iskaral_Pust wrote:


In the Netherlands we have a word for people who get inappropriately worked up about such trivial matters: "miereneuker". Literally translated, it means "ant f*cker".

Go easy on those ants, they never meant you any harm.


Het is 'mierenneuker'
 Iskaral_Pust wrote:


In the Netherlands we have a word for people who get inappropriately worked up about such trivial matters: "miereneuker". Literally translated, it means "ant f*cker".

Go easy on those ants, they never meant you any harm.


Actually, it is "mierenneuker" with two N's :-)  I hope you get the irony, great comment :-)
I read the lyrics a few times and they make perfect grammatical sense to me (and I'm an inveterate pedant).  The lines;

You believe in you and I

In you and I
In you and I
In you and I

have the word "believe" elided (which is perfectly standard in English): thus

You believe in you and I [believe]
In you and I [believe]
In you and I [believe]
In you and I


Wow, you're an ass. Songwriting and poetry have always taken liberty with grammar. Unbunch your panties for a bit.

 SmackDaddy wrote:

Wow, you're an ass. Songwriting and poetry have always taken liberty with grammar. Unbunch your panties for a bit.


mais quel talent    voix   guitard  compo   une légend
There's something fundamental about this song. I love it, and disagree with MK's assessment of himself! 
 SmackDaddy wrote:

Wow, you're an ass. Songwriting and poetry have always taken liberty with grammar. Unbunch your panties for a bit.


I could not find the original post to which I want to reply, so this will have to suffice. I DISAGREE that the grammar is incorrect. I read the words 'you and I ' as a concept, an ideal, in which he believes. e.g. you and I are meant to be together 
 Iskaral_Pust wrote:


In the Netherlands we have a word for people who get inappropriately worked up about such trivial matters: "miereneuker". Literally translated, it means "ant f*cker".

Go easy on those ants, they never meant you any harm.


xD
 jpfueler wrote:


To paraphrase:
English is said to borrow words form other languages, it does not. It follows other languages down dark alleys, clubs them over the head, and rifles their pockets for loose words and phrases.



Linguistic appropriation: it's for winners.   

 guilhem34 wrote:

It's one of the biggest pieces of the last 10 years. No doubt we will still be listening to it in 50 years.



Maybe you're a youngster but I'll be listening to worms crawl in and out of my skull in 50 years....
It's one of the biggest pieces of the last 10 years. No doubt we will still be listening to it in 50 years.
Bumped to 10 Rare Song gives me chills.
Fantástico
Big Little lies was a great show & so is this song! 
Music for slipping into an opium coma...
super - odmor za dušu....
 decorgirl wrote:

Just realized that this is the theme tune from Pretty Little Liars.



It was Big Little Lies.
Me encanta!!!
Had to bump 7-8. Trend is def up.


mmhm, love and hate is a seal for excellent albums.  
ask Leonard

Sublime.
It is a great song, I like the live version more because in this studio recording it sounds sometimes a bit as recorded to loud, esspacialy in the intro.
great haunting sound. Lyrics are a bit too dark for me but the sound is too good not to like it
Just need two strokes on the guitar to recognize this song instantly. Love it so much! Live version even better! 
You think this song is over, and then it comes back. And then you think its over again, and it comes back again.
 unclehud wrote:

Been a while since I visited this song-site, and it appears lots of you disagree with me about the use of correct grammar.  What about spelling?  What about subject-verb agreement?   At some point, you're not even speaking a recognizable language.

Communication  is vital to get your concepts, feelings, ideas, and hopes to other people, isn't it?   Why would one intentionally degrade communication?

It's also pretty telling how many self-righteous folks have called me out for being ... well, self-righteous. 

By the way, the song's pretty good,  except for the incorrect grammar. 

See you later, alligator!  After while, crocodile!



bye bye troll.
 unclehud wrote:

Been a while since I visited this song-site, and it appears lots of you disagree with me about the use of correct grammar.  What about spelling?  What about subject-verb agreement?   At some point, you're not even speaking a recognizable language.

Communication  is vital to get your concepts, feelings, ideas, and hopes to other people, isn't it?   Why would one intentionally degrade communication?

It's also pretty telling how many self-righteous folks have called me out for being ... well, self-righteous. 

By the way, the song's pretty good,  except for the incorrect grammar. 

See you later, alligator!  After while, crocodile!




Are you kidding me? Michael shares this song, and you devote comment space to criticize verb-noun agreement and spelling? Does the music not enfold you? Do you not appreciate the art because a middle school teacher taught you to diagram sentences?
 unclehud wrote:

Been a while since I visited this song-site, and it appears lots of you disagree with me about the use of correct grammar.  What about spelling?  What about subject-verb agreement?   At some point, you're not even speaking a recognizable language.

Communication  is vital to get your concepts, feelings, ideas, and hopes to other people, isn't it?   Why would one intentionally degrade communication?

It's also pretty telling how many self-righteous folks have called me out for being ... well, self-righteous. 

By the way, the song's pretty good,  except for the incorrect grammar. 

See you later, alligator!  After while, crocodile!


I think your closing sentence  scans better in the form:
spondee - trochee 
spondee-trochee
molossus
molossus

See you later
Alligator
In a while
Crocodile.
Been a while since I visited this song-site, and it appears lots of you disagree with me about the use of correct grammar.  What about spelling?  What about subject-verb agreement?   At some point, you're not even speaking a recognizable language.

Communication  is vital to get your concepts, feelings, ideas, and hopes to other people, isn't it?   Why would one intentionally degrade communication?

It's also pretty telling how many self-righteous folks have called me out for being ... well, self-righteous. 

By the way, the song's pretty good,  except for the incorrect grammar. 

See you later, alligator!  After while, crocodile!
Maybe the "I" as presented is refering to the vision of self or ego.  
Meaning "if you believe in yourself and see yourself as you", evocating this emphasis of someone and his vision of himself that makes the "power" of the "I"... 
Nonsens for grammar... ? 
Or lack of understanding ? 
The whole grammar thread is mildly amusing, but I wish we could get a few comments up to the top that just celebrated what an incredible piece of music this is. 
 SmackDaddy wrote:

Wow, you're an ass. Songwriting and poetry have always taken liberty with grammar. Unbunch your panties for a bit.



Most likes ev-rrrr!
really pure moment of pleasure
 worldwalker wrote:



In french, "enculeur de mouches" same but with flies :)


Lay off the poor ants and flies
Such a shame that the majority of comments about this brilliant song are about grammar.
 SmackDaddy wrote:

Wow, you're an ass. Songwriting and poetry have always taken liberty with grammar. Unbunch your panties for a bit.


LOL!  Gave your post a big thumbs up.  Wanted to give a friendly warning that this colourful expression may be viewed as highly sexist in the near future.   Tiny pretext Cancel Culture seems to be enjoying considerable momentum these days.

Language.    There must be a bunch of English teachers -- language and literature -- frequenting these pages.   I love it when they correct grammar or spelling. Or point out how the language has evolved.

English is my second language, my current dominant language and I am always learning and relearning.  

Please keep teaching and opining away on languages be it English or any other language.  Por favorcito.  

Incidentally, the OP of this thread should have told us what the OP thought the song would sound like with the correct grammar.   Then all would have been forgiven.  <vbg>

Enjoy.  
The intro could be about a minute and a half shorter but a solid eight from me.
 kazoo wrote:

You're taking a lot of heat here unclehud. To lend you some tepid support, it bugs me too.  I sometimes think it is a rule of song writing is to use you and I as an object of a sentence.
But as far as being the downfall of civilization, I disagree. Language is constantly changing and with the speed of communication these days the rate is increasing. Talking about the decline of civilization assumes it reaches a peak and should stay the same or suffer decline. I think civilization is constantly evolving, spiraling up and down. All we can hope for is that each peak is higher than the last and each decline is higher than the last too. (And we don't destroy everything in the process)
Enjoy the ride!



The "you and I" is "I" because it rhymes with "die" and "try" in the preceding lines--it's got nothing to do with grammar; it's poetry.
This song always makes me turn it up when it comes on. He sure sounds like he means it.
 Iskaral_Pust wrote:


In the Netherlands we have a word for people who get inappropriately worked up about such trivial matters: "miereneuker". Literally translated, it means "ant f*cker".

Go easy on those ants, they never meant you any harm.



In french, "enculeur de mouches" same but with flies :)
 jpfueler wrote:


To paraphrase:
English is said to borrow words form other languages, it does not. It follows other languages down dark alleys, clubs them over the head, and rifles their pockets for loose words and phrases.



That's a not Farfegnugen from the truth!

 willmcnaught wrote:


3000 ratings give it an 8 I'd say its a fav here


Average rating is 8 and just over 2/3 of the votes an 8 or higher.
 the_jake wrote:

I love being #1 !!!

Used the skip button to arrive on this tune. 
Song had only 1 rating we I arrived.
A little slow at the start and on the long side as well.
Give it a 6 on first hear.


Increased my rating to 7.
 vandal wrote:

Please stop feeding the troll...



He has been quite a successful troll, I'd say... 
The extra in this album version lifts it over the radio edit...
Such magnificent music.  Thanks Bill, this just touches me.  
Sounds like the intro to the Channel Nine Afternoon Movie from the late 60's early 70's.
is this song his magnum opus?

can a person have an opus without a magnum?
 MassivRuss wrote:

Nice enough song, but waaaaaay too much play here. 




Maybe adding MORE Kiwanuka cuts to the four on RP would help the situation.
 unclehud wrote:

"If you believe in you and I," is incorrect grammar.

This one flunks, and the songwriters should sit through remedial English classes.  Not joking; the downfall of our civilization will start somewhere ... rating = 1.


You aren't wrong of course.  However, I'd say that we are way past poor grammar in the downfall of our civilization.  
 Alastair wrote:

This is a 4 minute song needlessly stretched out to nearly 10 minutes.  



dude....slow down
 acolt wrote:

I almost feel like this is what Ray LaMontagne wishes he was.



I am pretty sure Ray is just what he wants to be....nobody else like him....LLRP
*love oy editing
whoah! anyone else getting mike oldfield vibes in that extended intro…? live the ray le montagne reference in a previous comment.
 MassivRuss wrote:

Nice enough song, but waaaaaay too much play here. 



3000 ratings give it an 8 I'd say its a fav here

This is a song that has sounded like a classic since day one. It really works.
I almost feel like this is what Ray LaMontagne wishes he was.
Nice enough song, but waaaaaay too much play here. 
This is a 4 minute song needlessly stretched out to nearly 10 minutes.  
unclehud wrote: "If you believe in you and I," is incorrect grammar.

This one flunks, and the songwriters should sit through remedial English
classes. Not joking; the downfall of our civilization will start
somewhere ... rating = 1.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's started

Look no further than the USA
Moscow's Man got it started

Wow, Alan Parsons much?
 decorgirl wrote:

Just realized that this is the theme tune from Pretty Little Liars.



Thanks, I was trying to place it.
 renaultr17 wrote:

Intentionally adding busted speaker distortion to your album sucks Michael Kiwanuka


Interesting, since that 'distortion' feature is what prompted my belated +2 to 8 on this one.  I just love how his fuzzy voice is layered on top of that fuzzy guitar, quite a beautiful song considering the sad theme of it.  Long Live RP and belated +2s! 
People bitching about grammar while being on RP: I pity you. I suggest to just kick back and enjoy this wonderful song...
 rrowdies wrote:

So, I had an online 'romance' with a woman I greatly respected and was fond of. Unfortunately I am married and had to break it off. This is the song she sent me. Great song but it always makes me sad and think of her. I hope she is doing well.


Unfortunate for your wife.
Please stop feeding the troll...
 njswede wrote:

In Sweden we have an expression for people like you: "Viktigpetter". Translates to "Peter the Important". It means someone who has to show their perceived superior knowledge at any chance they get. You're a Viktigpetter!


My new word of the day, likely for many days - Viktigpetter

I promise I will not be a Viktigpetter in my application of this little tidbit of Swedish. 
Thank you!
I bought the album on the basis of this track alone.

Sublime.
I hear the spirit of Ennio Morricone in this wonderful track
This song really makes me wish I was still using the big ol' floor speakers. Alas, we have downsized.
¿Que onda con este amigo? de donde salió. Wonderful
LOVE this. 

Wish I had shot that cover. Well, actually I have…
The amount of discussion about grammar... did you only read the lyrics with the music on mute?!?

OH! And Bill plays a song from London Grammar after - funny coincidence or?
So, I had an online 'romance' with a woman I greatly respected and was fond of. Unfortunately I am married and had to break it off. This is the song she sent me. Great song but it always makes me sad and think of her. I hope she is doing well.
Just beautiful... with some Pink Floyd vibes.
 kazoo wrote:

Hey. Why don't' we leave unclehud alone with what irks him and listen to the music. He has been called out by all the folks who are irked by his opinion. Move on. There are lots of positive things to spend your time on.

funny, I was just going to post a comment to this effect. Good Lord, unclehud usually has positive things to say and must have been having a bad day. Yamming about his comment lift anybody to a higher plain?

re: the tune - love the vocals, not so fond of the intro...

 flashmesa wrote:

Do the archives go far enough back that we can see what the grammer-nazis thought of, "hunka-hunka burnin love!"?


"Is you is or is you ain't my baby" is another favorite!
 Iskaral_Pust wrote:


In the Netherlands we have a word for people who get inappropriately worked up about such trivial matters: "miereneuker". Literally translated, it means "ant f*cker".

Go easy on those ants, they never meant you any harm.



I just upped my rating to a 9, in retaliation to unclehud's antf*ckery. (And I'm an editor.)
Discovered on RP, this song is so amazing!! And this voice...
 thundrpants wrote:


Still, that line from Wings bugs me: "The world in which we live in." 

I always thought the line was "The world in which we're livin'"
 Puranzel wrote:

You do realize that English has been "simplified" very much throughout the centuries, right? (As has every language, actually.) There was a time when verbs were conjugated, for instance. Now, all that remains from that era is the third-person s in present tense and the somewhat rudimentary conjugation of the verb to be. To me as a German native, who still has to conjugate every verb in every tense and decline every noun, that seems like a pretty great decrease of grammatical requirements. A linguistic downfall, so to speak.
My point is: language is changing constantly and that is neither good nor bad. It just is.



"Gutterspeak."
 SmackDaddy wrote:

Wow, you're an ass. Songwriting and poetry have always taken liberty with grammar. Unbunch your panties for a bit.


Still, that line from Wings bugs me: "The world in which we live in." 
 kazoo wrote:
I will. I see you cut off the end of my comment. He's been called out. As I wrote before, there are plenty of positive things to spend time on.

That was for brevity - if I'd quoted the whole thing, it wouldn't have made a bit of difference, so I'm not sure what your point is there.  Telling people what they can or should discuss here is simply futile.

But you feel free to be you.  ;-)
Nice song, both the style and the voice sunds a bit like Paolo Nutini to me
Intentionally adding busted speaker distortion to your album sucks Michael Kiwanuka
 ImaOldman wrote:

This is some nit-picking bullshit! This is a great song, have you ever heard of "poetic license"?

Do the archives go far enough back that we can see what the grammer-nazis thought of, "hunka-hunka burnin love!"?
 kazoo wrote:



I will. I see you cut off the end of my comment. He's been called out. As I wrote before, there are plenty of positive things to spend time on.



OK, forget about the grammar, listen to the guitar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 dwhayslett wrote:

No thanks.  You feel free to be you, though.



I will. I see you cut off the end of my comment. He's been called out. As I wrote before, there are plenty of positive things to spend time on.
Beautiful.  And thank you Isaac Hayes for making this possible. 
Thanks to RP for introducing me to Michael K (and SO many other wonderful artists). Amazing artist. My rating of this particular song goes up every time I hear it. 
Bill we need a 'this one goes to 11' button.

:)
 kazoo wrote:

Hey. Why don't' we leave unclehud alone


No thanks.  You feel free to be you, though.
 decorgirl wrote:

Just realized that this is the theme tune from Pretty Little Liars.



It's also the theme song of Big little Lies
Hey. Why don't' we leave unclehud alone with what irks him and listen to the music. He has been called out by all the folks who are irked by his opinion. Move on. There are lots of positive things to spend your time on.
 jasonv wrote:
It's not a sentence.
 
well doh, of course not.. 
That's what  "he hasn't finished the sentence means" 
(but you are right that wouldn't be perfect either, but hey)
after about 3:00, just pretty tedious. 
 Iskaral_Pust wrote:


In the Netherlands we have a word for people who get inappropriately worked up about such trivial matters: "miereneuker". Literally translated, it means "ant f*cker".

Go easy on those ants, they never meant you any harm.


Heh, I've heard this from Adam Curry...
Ha! another "...and I" vs. "...and me" for the collection
this gets better each time 
I liked this song enough to click and find out who it was. Proper grammar never occurred to me, and I am amused to find that that is the topic of conversation. sheesh, smh
9 > 10 this stops I in my tracks
Having been introduced to MK 5-6 years ago, and hearing him again on RP, I purchased the albums and move this version up to 10 - is there an 11?
I'm getting Mike Oldfield...?
 njswede wrote:

In Sweden we have an expression for people like you: "Viktigpetter". Translates to "Peter the Important". It means someone who has to show their perceived superior knowledge at any chance they get. You're a Viktigpetter!
 

This is a fantastic work, thank you for sharing. And yes, this person is definitely a Viktigpetter!
90
 NoEnzLefttoSplit wrote:

umm, maybe this is just ellipsis...  i.e. he just hasn't finished the sentence. For example, 
If you believe in you and I (can't stand myself) 

then it would be perfect grammar. 

the relevant line comes up earlier in the song.
 

It's not a sentence.
a 10+
 unclehud wrote:

My knowledge is not superior to anyone's. 

Would you prefer that the ignorant remain ignorant?  Shall we not shine a light in the darkness?

My name's Hud, not Peter, and I repeat:  the downfall of our civilization starts when we tolerate ignorance and poor education.  Rating  remains at 1.
 
Jeez UncleHud - never has one person had such a bashing on a single thread!

May I suggest that the downfall of our civilisation is also fuelled by intolerance?

And now I is going to stop reading them comments and listen to dis CHOOOOON!
just a nice little song.  need more of these.
Best songwriter around at the moment
8 -> 9
 unclehud wrote:
 "If you believe in you and I," is incorrect grammar.

This one flunks, and the songwriters should sit through remedial English classes.  Not joking; the downfall of our civilization will start somewhere ... rating = 1.
 
umm, maybe this is just ellipsis...  i.e. he just hasn't finished the sentence. For example, 
If you believe in you and I (can't stand myself) 

then it would be perfect grammar. 

the relevant line comes up earlier in the song.
Masterpiece! Absolute 10/10 
Danger Mouse!! I knew it! :) Lovely song.
 unclehud wrote:
"If you believe in you and I," is incorrect grammar.

This one flunks, and the songwriters should sit through remedial English classes.  Not joking; the downfall of our civilization will start somewhere ... rating = 1.
 

Talk about downfall, It's blowhards like you who miss the whole show over something as trivial as artistic license...

Don't forget the "ain't" in there, as well...