It’s never easy seeing someone you love get hurt. On top of that, it’s never easy going on that journey to try and help them. People are complex, and while most people will stop at nothing to help their loved ones, it’s easy to become frustrated and simply not understand why they can’t just let you be there for them. While this story is one that most can relate to, due to the nature of people, every instance will have its nuances. That being said, “Paper Thin,” by Lianne La Havas, is a soulful song which carries us through a personal story which deals with these sorts of struggles.
Beginning with a simple yet infectious drum groove, the song moves slowly, giving some breathing room to the guitar which slides up and down the fretboard. There is a tinge of reverb on the track, giving everything a livelier sound, as if it is being played in a small bar. Lianne La Havas’ vocals come in suddenly, louder than the instruments and clearly the focal point of everything going on. She begins addressing someone, “Paper-thin / God only knows the pain you’re in.” From her perspective, the person whom she is looking at seems paper-thin, meaning they are incredibly fragile. She cannot even imagine the pain they are in, but offers some words of encouragement, “But the future’s bright / You’ve got God on your side, He’s listening.” While she is unsure how to fix this pain, she can at least offer some kind words. The verse finishes off with some words of wisdom, “Love yourself / Or else you can’t love no one else / I know your pain is real / But you won’t let it heal.” If this person cannot first focus on themselves, allowing their pain to heal, then things are only going to get worse.
At this point, the background instrumentation has become almost hypnotic due to its looping style. The second verse comes immediately after the first, with little time between. La Havas continues speaking towards this person, “Paper-thin / If you’re trying to lose, you’ll never win / It’s your life / But you’re not the only one suffering.” Here, she suggests that unless this person realizes that they need to care for themselves first, they are never going to overcome whatever it is that they are going through. On top of this, she makes it clear that even though they can make their own decisions in their life, they should realize that their sadness does affect those who care for them as well.
The groove switches up as we enter the chorus, speeding things up a bit. La Havas’ soulful raspiness helps pack in extra meaning to the words she is singing, “Left your heart wide open / Just give me the other key / Your heart is an open door / So let me love you.” Clearly, whomever she is singing to means a lot to her. They came into her life and were open about their feelings, but they left their heart open and susceptible to negative influence. If La Havas could have the other key to their heart, perhaps she could close the door and lock it, as a means to protect them. The third verse returns to the familiar style of the previous two yet brings more energy to the message. In this verse, the perspective is switched up so that we now get to hear from whomever La Havas was singing to in the previous verses, “Paper-thin / You understand the pain I’m in / Slippin’ in and out of such confidence / And overwhelming doubt.” Here, we get the recognition that at the very least, La Havas’ words are not being ignored. However, they continue, “But if I love myself / I know I can’t be no one else.” There is an inner conflict holding this person back from changing, as they are afraid of losing who they truly are.
The chorus is repeated and then we enter a new groove. With a drum and guitar pattern almost reminiscent of something from the garage/psychedelic genres, the song takes a fun turn. Now, instead of the raw and raspy vocal performance we’ve become accustomed to throughout the track, we are treated to a chorus of vocals singing in harmony. In a continuation of the conversation, La Havas sings, “They said they’re scared of you / I’m like, ‘Me too, me too’.” While the lyrics aren’t clear who said this, she is clearly in agreement with them. That being said, I don’t believe she means she is scared of them, but more so for them. She continues, “You say you’re scared of me / We both just want to be free.” Despite any conflicts or disagreements, she tries to get on the same page with this person, stating that they share the same sentiment for just wanting to live their lives and be happy. We then return to the chorus which transforms into an outro of call and response vocals. The song ends with the lyrics, “I just wanna love you.”
A song which clearly has a story behind it, “Paper Thin” by Lianne La Havas excels at capturing the emotional back and forth of trying to help someone whom you care about. While the story seems to be personal and based on real events, the general sentiment from the lyrics can easily be related to, which helps push the song even closer towards something that is sure to be a success. From the hypnotic loop of instruments which ground the song, to the excellent vocal performance by La Havas, everything comes together for a final product which is fun and compelling to listen to.
