Blood Orange’s Devonté Hynes has released a new track on Soundcloud titled “Do You See My Skin Through The Flames?”. He has noted that it is not a song that will be on his next album but, “just some things on my mind” that he wanted to share. The lyrics of the song addresses racial tension as well as the recent events in Charleston. There is a part in the song of spoken word where he discusses the origins of his last name “I was looking up what my last name means – what its origin is… It’s an Irish name meaning ‘servant’. Not only is my last name a name that originated from slave trade, but it literally means ‘a servant’“. You can listen here and see some of the lyrics below.
frustration and depression breaks me down
descending like they wanted underground
the further our journey the less you care
that’s why you laugh at Kanye when he’s talking in a chair
but the same conversation but replaced,
is good enough for laughs or a smile on your face,
happy to be singing all our songs to survive,
but when we need help, you don’t get off til 5.
it’s powerful to feel so alone in a group
let me break this down for you and tell you how we feel again,
your fear is all you hold on to, so when you see me it’s not fair
i have nothing left to give when you don’t notice what is wrong,
Charleston left me broken down but it’s just another day to you
i ain’t got nothing left to give you
and i’m too tired, to even talk about it
while watching the fire,
tasting pain coming from a place of truth
to be another in a messy world
to feel like giving in another turn?
you wouldn’t listen if i told you
so how can i become anyone?
#Peace.Love.BloodOrange
