“My 27th Birthday” by Dave from the album The Boy Who Played The Harp is an emotional masterpiece that captures the introspection, vulnerability, and social awareness that define Dave’s artistry.
Across nearly ten minutes of raw storytelling, he reflects on the pressures of fame, the contradictions of success, and the ongoing struggle to find peace within himself. The song unfolds as a stream of consciousness confession—honest, philosophical, and deeply human—showing Dave not as the untouchable rap icon, but as a man wrestling with identity, guilt, purpose, and pain.
Through intricate wordplay and cinematic imagery, Dave contrasts his luxurious surroundings with an internal emptiness that success hasn’t cured. He examines both the external world—class, race, exploitation, and inequality—and his own internal conflicts. Lines about the Caribbean’s colonial scars, systemic hypocrisy, and his moral contradictions reveal his constant tug-of-war between activism and comfort. Yet, woven through these heavy reflections is humility and longing for redemption, as he prays to “find peace before [he] finds love.” Each verse grows more introspective, culminating in a vulnerable admission about broken relationships, self-doubt, inner child wounds, and the loneliness that success often brings.
“My 27th Birthday” is not just a song—it’s a journal entry set to rhythm, a sonic therapy session where Dave bares his soul with no filters or pretense. With brutally honest reflections on fame, ego, morality, and artistry, this track stands as one of his most mature and thought-provoking pieces to date—solidifying The Boy Who Played The Harp as an album that turns pain into poetry.
Dive into the My 27th Birthday lyrics below and experience Dave’s striking self-reflection in full. Don’t miss other songs from The Boy Who Played The Harp for more of his profound lyrical storytelling.
Lyrics of My 27th Birthday by Dave
[Intro]
(Everything’s Fine)
Look
[Verse 1]
White Fish On The Coast Of The Caribbean, My Life Is A Film
Hero And Villain, I’m Playin’ Both In The Script
Worthy Of Spill But I Got Christopher Nolan Readin’
The Constant Overachievin’, I Know
I Ain’t As Rich As Those People With Old Money, But, I Didn’t Know Money
They Mock Me Online For Speakin’ Up On All Of Our Issues
And Bein’ Vocal, The Shit That I See On Socials
But, How Can I Stay Silent When, When?
I’m Out In Barbados, White People Mistreatin’ Locals
The Villa In Jamaica But It’s Owned By The Chinese
Head To The Right Beach And They’re Chargin’ Us Five Each
They Say, “The Caribbean Paradise, Like, Why Leave?”
But How Can I Be Silent When There’s Blood On The Pine Trees?
Most Of Us Would Sacrifice Our Soul For The Right Fees
Before I Find Love, I’m Just Prayin’ I Find Peace
Before I Find Love, I’m Just Prayin’ I Find Peace
You Know What I Believe, I Don’t Know If I Handled It Well
It’s F**k Coca-Cola, Did I Stop Drinkin’ Fanta As Well?
I Could See The Blood On The Lyrics I Write For Myself
I Cried About Slavery, Then Went To Dubai With My Girl
Surely I Ain’t Part Of The Problem, I Lied To Myself
Jewels That My People Die For Are A Sign Of My Wealth
My Work Is A Physical Weight Of My Life And My Health
The Last Couple Years, Feel Like I Been Inside, On A Shelf
I Just Phoned Cench, And I Said, “You Inspired Myself”
I Don’t Feel A Spot Of Jealousy Inside Of Myself
But When I’m All Alone, I Won’t Lie, I Question Myself
Am I Self-destructive? Am I Doin’ The Best For Myself?
I Know I Love Music, But I Question The Rest Of Myself
Like Why Don’t You Post Pictures Or Why Don’t You Drop Music?
Or Why Not Do Somethin’ But Sittin’ And Stressin’ Yourself
Ten Years, I Been In The Game And I Won’t Lie, It’s Gettin’ Difficult
This Shit Used To Be Spiritual
We Don’t Need No Commentators, We Could Leave To The Sports
Just Listen To The Music, Why Do You Need Somebody’s Thoughts?
And Some Of It’s Constructive But Most Of It Is Forced
And Why We Countin’ The Numbers, How The Music Make You Feel?
I’m Just Bein’ Real
Alright
[Verse 2]
Yeah, White Fish On The Coast Of The Caribbean, My Life Is A Film
Hero And Villain, I’m Playin’ Both In The Script
Worthy Of Oscar And Hollywood Nominations
I’m Throwin’ Money At Women In Different Denominations And Killin’ The Conversation
All Them People Told Me, “Keep Grindin’, Be Patient”
It’s Weird Bein’ Famous, Tryna Navigate The Spaces
Feel Like A Celebrity But You Ain’t On The A-list
And You Never Drop So You Ain’t Really On The Playlist
But Your Fans Love You, Can See It On Their Faces
America Feels So Close That You Can Take It
2017, Was Tryna Make It To The Ranges
2025, I’m Tryna Make It To The Granges
How Do I Explain Me And My Soulmate Are Strangers,
That We’ve Already Met
And I’ve Known Her For Ages
How Do I Explain, Because I’m Runnin’ Out Of Pages?
How Do I Explain South London And Its Dangers?
Can’t Recall The Last Time That We Was All Together, But
All I Can Remember, The Olympics Was In Beijing
Moved To Dubai, That’s For The Taxes That They Takin’
Or Move To Qatar, Feel The Breeze On The Beach
But How Can I Explain To My Kids That It’s Fake Wind?
Free, But I’m Broke, Have Me Feelin’ Like I’m Caged In
How Do I Explain Two Pounds Got You Eight Wings?
How Do I Explain My Opps Lost But We Ain’t Win?
Girls I’m Around Had Surgery On Their Hips
How Do I Explain That I Love Her The Way She Is?
How Do I Explain My Feelings On Having Kids?
That It Wasn’t What It Was, But It Is What It Is
How Do I Explain? My Niggas Are In The Hood
And They Don’t Ask For Nothin’ Even Though They Know They Could
’cause They’d Rather Trap, Rob, And Get It On Their Own
How Do I Explain These Messages On My Phone?
I Just Got A Call, My Girl’s Sittin’ In The Car
And It Says, “Serge” But Serge With Us In The Car
I Know I Might Sound Like A Villain From Afar
How Do I Explain That My Mechanic Is A Chick?
Or Why She Callin’ Me When I Don’t Even Own A Whip
Because My License Is Revoked?
I Mean, How Do I Explain That
I Don’t Want A Hill ’cause My Identity Is Pain?
How Do I Explain, I Mean, How Do I Explain?
I Went And Hit The Streets Because I Didn’t Want To Bus
I Ended Up At Work And I Was Barely Gettin’ Paid
For Someone That Was Two Years Above Me In My Age
I Didn’t Even Find It Strange, I Mean, How Do I Explain?
[Verse 3]
Fifty-two Miles From Marseilles, I’m In Miraval
Four Years, Seventeen Days, I Ain’t Been Around
I Can’t Lie, It Even Shocks Me That I’m Still Around
I Can’t Lie, It Even Shocks Me How I’m Livin’ Now
Starin’ At This Rachel Jones Painting, I’m Sittin’ Down
The Last Thing That I Drew Was A Weapon, I’m Livin’ Wild
Turned Twenty-seven, But I Feel Like I’m Still A Child
In This House Out In Central London I Can Barely Afford
Six Months Sober And I Feel Like I’m Dave Again
Drinkin’ All My Pain And My Sorrows Away Again
I Got Withdrawal Symptoms, But They Happen At Atms
Next Two Years, I’ll Be Lookin’ At Atms
Who’s The Best Artist In The World? I’m Sayin’ Tems
Maybe James Blake Or Jim, On The Day, Depends
Let’s See Who Quits, Now We Ain’t Gettin’ Paid Again, Yeah
I’m Just Here, Drinkin’ Liquor By Myself
Is My Music Just Becomin’ A Depiction Of My Wealth?
Never Trust A Girl Whose Lock Screen’s A Picture Of Herself,
I Had To Learn That Shit Myself
Now I’m Sittin’ By Myself With No Girl, Like, Shit,
I Really Did This To Myself
Twenty-seven, And I’m Terrified Of Livin’ By Myself,
‘Cause There’s A Kid Inside Myself
I Haven’t Healed, And Me And Him Debate Each Other
I Can’t Love Myself, I’m Made Of Two People That Hate Each Other
My Parents Couldn’t Even Save Each Other, Made Each Other Unhappy
Used To Be Excited By The Block, But Size Doesn’t Matter
You Supplying It Or Not? Sling A Shot,
I Couldn’t Really Kill The Giant With A Rock
But That’s A Life That I Forgot, And My Young Boys Are Slidin’ Over What?
I Don’t Know, ’cause I Ain’t Spoke To Him In Time
Been Afraid Of Gettin’ Older, Scared Of Bein’ Left Behind
And Then I—, Tsk, And I Then I Question, Will I Live My Life In Resent?
Is Anybody Ever Gonna Take My Kindness For Strength?
I Gave Tisha The World, It Weren’t Enough And Then She Went
Everybody’s Makin’ Content But Nobody’s Content
Safe Space, Can I Vent? It Crept Up
My Girl Cheated On Me When I Was Next Up
It Made Me Want Her Even More, Man, It’s Messed Up
I Still Walk Around The Vale With My Chest Out
I Don’t Wanna Leave My House Because I’m Stressed Out
You Done Me Dirty And You Didn’t Even Tell A Lie
It Ain’t About What You Said, It’s What You Left Out
My Whole Life, I Been Feelin’ Like I’m Left Out
If You F**k Another Girl, She Say You Cheated On Her
And If She F**k Another Man, She Say She Stepped Out
And If You Askin’ ’bout Dave, They Say, “The Best Out”
Yeah, And I Survived All These Eras ’cause I Barely Made Any,
I’m Just Speakin’ How I Feel
Yeah, F**ked Up, Speakin’ How I Feel
Record Until The Morning, I Ain’t Even Had A Meal
I Dropped Joni Home And Fell Asleep Behind The Wheel
Drivin’ At A Hundred An Hour, I Switched Gears
I Ain’t Spoke To 169 In Six Years
Don’t Even Get Me Started On—, This Shit’s Weird
Call Me What You Want, But With Music, I’m Sincere
You Wanna Know The Reason It’s Taken Me Four Years?
It’s Not ’cause I’m Surrounded By Yes-men And Sycophants
It’s ’cause I’m With Producers And People That Give A Damn
It’s Me That’s Gotta Carry The Pressure, I Live With That
All I Thought About Was The Song We Could Give The Fans
When I Was Out There Gettin’ Stood Up By Artists I’m Bigger Than
I Don’t Want No Girls Around When My Nieces, They Visit Man
They Might See The Way That I’m Livin’, I Figured That
I Wanna Be A Good Man, But I Wanna Be Myself Too
And I Don’t Think That I Could Do Both, So I Can’t Let Her Too Close
It Hurts, But I’m Still Movin’, Feel Like It’s Me Versus Me And I’m Still Losin’
[Outro]
Yo, My Boy, It’s Josiah, What You Sayin’
You Know I’ma Have To Check You On Your F**kin’ Birthday, My Boy
More Life, My Guy
Man Soon Out, Don’t Even Watch That
What You Sayin’, Though, Bro?
I Know You Got Space On One Of Them Eight-minute,
Nine-minute Tracks To Give Man A Shoutout
Tell The People’dem My Story
The Mandem Already Know What It Was, The Mandem Know, Man
C’mon, Bro, I Know You Got Me
A’ight, Lastly, My Sis’, Tamah
I Beg You Check In With Her, Please, Make Sure She’s Blessed
While I’m Gone, Make Sure She’s Safe
Ayy, Soon Home, My Boy, Love
Frequently Asked Questions
