This is a recurring series that dives deeply into a specific artist, featuring a different musician each time. The series explores their most popular albums, delves into the rationale behind the album’s aesthetic, the album’s title, the album cover, the artist’s name origins, their musical influences, genre, impact within the industry, and notable achievements. Lastly, after conducting thorough research and listening to the entire album, I will provide my opinion on the best, most relatable song that you can enjoy on repeat. I will consider all aspects and recommend a song specifically for YOU!
Canadian singer Daniel Caesar, whose real name is Ashton Simmonds, pays tribute with his name to Julius Caesar. However, instead of Julius, he uses his middle name. He is most known for his single “Get You,” which was released in 2017, marking the beginning of his music career and gaining him recognition. Before that, he had already released “Pilgrim’s Paradise” and “Praise Break” in 2014 and 2015. Freudian was released on August 25, 2017. The term “Freudian” refers to the process of reflecting on the repressed contents of one’s unconscious mind. This album contains songs like “Get You” (ft. Kali Uchis), “Best Part” (ft. H.E.R), “Hold Me Down,” “Neu Roses (Transgressor’s Song),” “We Find Love,” “Blessed,” “Take Me Away,” and “Transform” (ft. Charlotte Day Wilson). Now comes the breakdown of every song, going in chronological order.
First up is “Get You” featuring Kali Uchis. In this song, Daniel reflects on his past relationships with the help of Kali, who plays the role of his former girlfriend. Daniel expands on this idea in an interview with Genius. “Get You” is a song of praise for a love I didn’t feel deserving of at the time. It reflects the experience of being with someone you genuinely adore, where time seems to slow down, and you find yourself wondering how you ended up in such a beautiful moment. He admits to constantly sabotaging himself, but he acknowledges being in love. He didn’t believe he deserved this love at the time, so the song reflects on his self-doubts and how his former partner elicited emotions he didn’t realize he could feel for someone. There are lyrics like “Kingdoms have fallen, angels be callin” as well as this lament:
None of that could ever make me leave. Every time I look into your eyes, I see it. You’re all I need. Every time I get a bit inside, I feel it. Who would’ve thought I’d get you? Ooh, who would have thought I’d get you?
Next is “Best Part” featuring H.E.R. Both artists included this song on their albums. On H.E.R.’s album, it’s called “Best Part” featuring Daniel Caesar. This song is about valuing your partner in their entirety. The person singing is obsessed with them in a light-hearted way, being head over heels. In correlation with the title, their partner is the “best part” of their day, the coffee they need in the morning, the sunshine during the rain, the star they follow when they’re lost in the night, expressing acts of pure love and articulating the feeling of true love.
The next song is the complete opposite of the last song. “Hold me down” is a plea for one’s partner not to abandon them and to demonstrate genuine love. It suggests a fear of the partner pretending to care, which could lead to heartbreak. Starting off the song with a voice recording of Daniel asking if a girl could say that she loved him, “Could you, could you say, ‘I love you, Danny’?” “Do you want me to? Could you? I love you, Danny.” This indicates that his partner is unwilling to say “I love you.” The song starts:
If you love me, baby, let me hear you say it. I know I’m your favorite. First you love me, then you leave me in the basement. I know I’m your favorite. If you love me, baby, let me hear you say it. I know I’m your favorite. First you love me, then you leave me on the pavement,
He is asking if she loved him. Towards the end, it gradually turns into heartbreak because he realizes it’s not the answer he wants to hear.
You’re getting on a plane and traveling far away. You’ve left me with a pain I carry every day. Who do you think you are, some kind of celebrity? Just wait and see. I never asked for much, only that you stay true. Need I remind you of all the things I do for you? Who can I blame? I played the game well, just for now. I was wondering, can you hold me down?
The fourth song in Feridian is called “Neu Roses,” combining the words “neurosis,” a mental illness, and “new roses.” It presents two perspectives on a dying relationship, where one partner is unfaithful, causing the other to fall into depression and become engulfed with anxiety. The addition of “Transgressor’s Song” at the end of the title is because the discovery of unfaithfulness puts a strain on the relationship for transgressing. The lyrics show two perspectives:
There are times I think about that fateful day I threw your love away Every time I see that look upon your face The same one that you made When your fragile world was crashing down around you You realized your place And the darkness that you try so hard to subdue It causes you to change.
The fifth song in this album is “Loose,” where Daniel talks about a girl he must let go. The song explores the process of letting go of the feelings and memories associated with her and their relationship, depicting his emotions before and during the breakup. In the song, Daniel reiterates this when he says,
If you have no patience, you better cut that girl loose. What are you, a coward? Whom are you assisting? You have the power, so do it yourself, king, and do it for her. You better cut that girl loose, ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh. Set her free, let her be. Leave her be, oh yes.
The following song is called “We Find Love.” It is the aftermath of that breakup in “Loose.” In contrast to the slow and moody melody of “Loose,” this is a sentimental yet positive and uplifting song. Daniel seems to express the outer peace he found with the breakup but also the inner conflict he holds within. This causes Daniel to struggle with himself and seek the unwanted closure of this relationship. He also expresses that even through failed connections with others, there is a beauty in it where we can still find love.
The 7th song, “Blessed,” is a recuperation of the relationship that was discussed in “Loose” and “We Find Love.” It talks about how he’s going through a rough patch, but he is glad to have his significant other with him right now to help him get through it with their support and love. It’s followed by the eighth song, “Take Me Away” featuring Syd, suggesting that the love Daniel currently lacks is unique, prompting him to contemplate his life’s direction, the lasting impact of past relationships, and how he can integrate these experiences into his new or revitalized relationship. Following is “Transformed,” which fittingly aligns with the theme of this album. It discusses the aftermath of achieving success, exploring how it changes the protagonist and impacts his relationship after all they have been through. Finally is “Freudian,” where he expresses gratitude for the influential women in his life and seeks peace and forgiveness for his past behavior in previous relationships.
Throughout this album, you are thrown into a whirlwind of different emotions and shown how consequences are implemented in relationships. If they are not addressed, it can result in the destruction of those relationships. In my experience with this album, and listening to it while absorbing everything – the theme, the meaning, the sound, and the backstory – I would highly recommend the song “Hold Me Down.” The emotions it evokes, the sense of betrayal it conveys, and the way it immerses you in Daniel’s shoes, transporting you to a different perspective, are truly remarkable. It captures a situation that all of us will likely encounter at some point in our lives, confirming the existence of real, pure, and genuine love amidst someone’s facade, making you question if they truly love you or if it’s for something in return. Putting all these bone-chilling and heartbreaking emotions into a song that, once you hear it, becomes beautiful, is truly an art form.