Of late, we have been blessed with the enchanting sounds of Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter Laufey, a rising star whose music blends timeless elegance with modern sensibilities.
From the jazzy nostalgia of “Valentine” to the ethereal beauty of Goddess, she has captured hearts worldwide.
Yet, back in the summer of 2022, it was her breakout hit, Falling Behind, that first introduced many to her unique artistry.
Featured on her critically acclaimed debut album, Everything I Know About Love, the song instantly resonated with listeners.
Even in 2024, its poignant theme of feeling left out in the rush of love continues to strike a chord.
Behind the Music: Falling Behind
Written by Laufey herself, along with producer Spencer Stewart, Falling Behind exemplifies the artist’s unique blend of vintage jazz sensibilities with contemporary production techniques.
Its breezy bossa nova rhythms and lush vocal harmonies create a bittersweet soundscape that perfectly mirrors the song’s lyrical content.
The Story Within Falling Behind Lyrics
Laufey’s lyrics paint a vivid picture of a young woman adrift in a city where everyone seems to have found their happily ever after.
It’s a heart-wrenching story of yearning and displacement.
The song begins with a move to a bustling city, which is often filled with the promise of fresh starts. But this June feels off-kilter.
Couples strolling hand-in-hand are a stark contrast to Laufey’s own experience, hinting at a gnawing loneliness bubbling beneath the surface.
The chorus explodes with the poignant realisation, “Everybody’s falling in love, and I’m falling behind.”
It’s not simply about lacking a romantic partner, but about feeling out of step with a core human experience.
The image of the “sun engaged to the sky” juxtaposed with her own isolation underscores this feeling of being excluded from something so universally joyful.
The second verse depicts a series of increasingly desperate attempts to find a connection that remains elusive.
Even in “touching the ocean,” a grand gesture hinting at seeking something vast, she “falls right in.”
Bossa nova tunes, with their own melancholic beauty, offer a fleeting sense of solace but ultimately reinforce her underlying loneliness.
The repetition of “Everybody’s falling in love but me” transforms from self-pity into a defiant anthem.
There’s a strange strength in acknowledging this specific kind of ache—a relatability for anyone who’s felt like the odd one out in the grand dance of love.
Laufey’s artistry lies not merely in what she says but in how she says it.
Her choice of words, like “falling behind,” conveys a sense of urgency and a race against an unknown clock.
The vivid imagery makes the emotional experience tangible,inviting the listener to share in her heartache.
The Heart of “Falling Behind”
Beyond its catchy melody, Falling Behind resonates deeply because it taps into a universal human experience: the bittersweet yearning for connection.
The song acknowledges the vulnerability we feel when the world seems to move on without us, especially in matters of love.
It doesn’t sugarcoat the loneliness but offers a kind of solace in its honesty.
What makes this song even more special is Laufey’s own interpretation. She says:
“I wrote “Falling Behind” when I had just moved out to LA, and I felt like all the people around me were falling in love, and I couldn’t help but feel like I was falling behind. With bossa nova inspirations, harmony stacks, and modern production, I hope that “Falling Behind” is a hopeless romantic’s summer anthem.”
There’s a paradoxical beauty in this statement: how can a song about loneliness be an anthem?
But within that lies the brilliance of Falling Behind; it finds strength and a strange kind of celebration within the ache of longing.
Experience “Falling Behind” Live
To see Laufey bring the song to life, watch her live performances on YouTube. Here’s one to get you started:
Laufey – Falling Behind (Live from Manila):
Let Laufey’s voice and the enchanting Falling Behind be your soundtrack the next time you feel a touch of romantic melancholy.
Remember, sometimes the most profound connections are those we make with ourselves.
Listen to “Falling Behind” by Laufey
If you haven’t experienced the enchanting melancholy of “Falling Behind” yet, now’s the perfect time to dive in.
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Laufey Falling Behind Lyrics
Verse 1
Moved out to a new city
June is dawning down on me
And all that I can find’s
A sickly romance in the air
Lovers stroll without a care in sight
Oh this can’t be right
Chorus
‘Cause the sun’s engaged to the sky
And my best friends found a new guy
I’m only getting older
I’ve never had a shoulder to cry on
Someone to call mine
Everybody’s falling in love
And I’m falling behind
Verse 2
Touched the ocean fell right in
Stepped outside and burned my skin
My life won’t go my way
Bossa nova in my room
Hoped that I’ll find someone too
To love, bеcause
Chorus
The sun’s engagеd to the sky
And my best friends found a new guy
I’m only getting older
I’ve never had a shoulder to cry on
Someone to call mine
Everybody’s falling in love
And I’m falling behind
Post-Chorus
Everybody’s falling in love
Everybody’s falling in love
Everybody’s falling in love but me