Avril Lavigne has dropped her first new track in five years, delighting fans everywhere.
The song, “Head above water”, is an intimate piano ballad co-written by Travis Clarke and Stephan Moccio and instantly debuted at number 8 on iTunes.
Lavigne’s absence from music industry was due to her struggle with Lyme Disease, which was diagnosed in 2015. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection which can lead to severe mental and physical problems if not spotted early enough.
“Thank you for waiting so patiently as I fought through and still continue to fight, the battle of my lifetime” explained the French-Canadian artist. “The first song I am choosing to release is called ‘Head Above Water.’ It is also the first song I wrote from my bed during one of the scariest moments of my life. I had accepted death and could feel my body shutting down. I felt like I was drowning. Like I was going under water and I just needed to come up for air. Like I was in a river being pulled in a current. Unable to breathe.”
In addition to the new single release, Avril links her fans to a charitable t-shirt campaign. The proceeds from each t-shirt sale will be donated to Avril Lavigne Foundation to benefit individuals affected by Lyme disease who aren’t able to afford their own treatment.
Lyrics:
I’ve gotta keep the calm before the storm
I don’t want less, I don’t want more
Must bar the windows and the doors
To keep me safe, to keep me warm
Yeah, my life is what I’m fighting for
Can’t part the sea, can’t reach the shore
And my voice becomes the driving force
I won’t let this pull me overboard
God, keep my head above water
Don’t let me drown, it gets harder
I’ll meet you there at the altar
As I fall down to my knees
Don’t let me drown, drown, drown
Don’t let me, don’t let me, don’t let me drown
So pull me up from down below
‘Cause I’m underneath the undertow
Come dry me off and hold me close
I need you now, I need you most
God, keep my head above water
Don’t let me drown, it gets harder
I’ll meet you there at the altar
As I fall down to my knees
Don’t let me drown, drown, drown
Don’t let me, don’t let me, don’t let me drown
Don’t let me drown, drown, drown
Don’t let me, don’t let me, don’t let me drown (keep my head above water, above water)
And I can’t see in the stormy weather
I can’t seem to keep it all together
And I, I can’t swim the ocean like this forever
And I can’t breathe
God, keep my head above water
I lose my breath at the bottom
Come rescue me, I’ll be waiting
I’m too young to fall asleep
God, keep my head above water
Don’t let me drown, it gets harder
I’ll meet you there at the altar
As I fall down to my knees
Don’t let me drown (don’t let me, don’t let me, don’t let me drown)
Don’t let me drown (don’t let me, don’t let me, don’t let me drown)
Don’t let me drown (don’t let me, don’t let me, don’t let me drown)
Keep my head above water, above water
