Conviction

Album: Comet, Come to Me (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about a woman who keeps going back to her partner, believing that somehow it will work out despite all evidence to the contrary. "The easiest lies to tell are the lies you tell yourself," Ndegeocello said in our 2014 interview. "It's hard to get out of that, because you just can't accept reality. It's hard to swallow."
  • Comet, Come to Me is Meshell Ndegeocello's eleventh album. Early in her career, she wrote very personal and political songs, but later became more of an observational songwriter, often looking to her close friends for lyrical inspiration. This song is about one of these friends who was going through a toxic relationship, which by the time the album was released, had finally dissolved.
  • The title doesn't show up in the lyric, which is not uncommon for Ndegeocello, since she assigns titles after a song is written. She named this one "Conviction" because she liked the double meaning of the word and how either meaning could relate to the song: you can have strong personal convictions (beliefs), and also have a conviction in the legal sense, as in an arrest.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou HarrisSongwriter Interviews

She thinks of herself as a "song interpreter," but back in the '80s another country star convinced Emmylou to take a crack at songwriting.

Adele

AdeleFact or Fiction

Despite her reticent personality, Adele's life and music are filled with intrigue. See if you can spot the true tales.

Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks

Ron and Russell Mael of SparksSongwriter Interviews

The men of Sparks on their album Hippopotamus, and how Morrissey handled it when they suggested he lighten up.

Charlie Benante of Anthrax

Charlie Benante of AnthraxSongwriter Interviews

The drummer for Anthrax is also a key songwriter. He explains how the group puts their songs together and tells the stories behind some of their classics.

Dar Williams

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.

JJ Burnel of The Stranglers

JJ Burnel of The StranglersSongwriter Interviews

JJ talks about The Stranglers' signature sound - keyboard and bass - which isn't your typical strain of punk rock.