With the first lyric of the song, “Love, drugs, sex, pain—those are just grade school games,” Dessa distills human experience into a set of elemental themes that we navigate from the playground to the grave.
Motion Graphic by Donnine Canamar
Lyrics by Dessa
Produced by Andy Thompson, Lazerbeak and Dessa (AKA TripleThreat)
Latest tour dates:
TOUR DATES
3/4 Los Angeles, CA – School Night
3/23 Lutsen, MN – Papa Charlie’s
3/26 Minneapolis, MN – Orchestra Hall
3/28 Minneapolis, MN – Orchestra Hall
4/4 Washington, DC – Black Cat
4/6 New York, NY – (le) poisson rouge
4/7 Philadelphia, PA – Boot & Saddle
5/24 Napa, CA – BottleRock Napa Valley
5/25 Boston, MA – Boston Calling
5/26 St Paul, MN – Soundset
More info at:
@dumdristig
18.09.2024Clearly Dessa's grade school experience was significantly different than mine. Of the first four she lists, the only one I experienced during grade school was pain. Two of the other three I sought, unsuccessfully…
@HarrisonLive05
16.08.2024Dessa is special
@TheNukeGeneral
16.08.2024I just woke up to go to work. This is exactly what I needed. Fantastic. ❤
@cameronchristmann7266
16.08.2024this will really resonate with a friend of mine who's trying to come to terms with dating again after her divorce. She feels like she's having to learn new rules, dating 20 years later. Thank you.
@LadyLynndis
16.08.2024Dessa blessing us with another beautiful track, thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏
@okrabme
16.08.2024heavenly!
@katherynbliss9811
16.08.2024I just found my new favorite song
@emilyfelsen1845
16.08.2024Love, drugs, sex, pain
Those are just grade schools games, nothing major
Nothing ages
Nothing changes but the names and dates
Fear, pride, faith, shame
Those are just grade schools games, nothing major
Nothing ages
Nothing stranger than the neighbors' place
You can't make me play by all new rules
Some kids barely practice but I do
Love, drugs, sex, pain
Those are just grade school games, nothing major
Nothing dangerous
The operations of arcades can't change
Blush, pull, push, blame
Those are just grade school games, nothing major
Old behaviors
Trade some favors
Then give chase, take claim
You can't make me play by all new rules
Some kids barely practice but I do
I'm old enough to know how this goes
And how it all plays out
The end is always when the ring is empty
And we all fall down
(Repeat x2)
Love, drugs, sex, pain
Those are just grade schools games, nothing major
Nothing ages
Nothing changes but the names and dates
@amberlee4536
16.08.2024I liked it two seconds in, haven't even heard the lyrics yet
@thoughtsequel5703
16.08.2024Practice is powerful, precision is pivotal,
Protogé stays pertinent
Planting seeds…….
@BernikeCoetzee
16.08.2024Dessa is beyond brilliant <3
@jdevlin1910
14.08.2024ooooooh
@joelfrancis2111
14.08.2024YASSSSSSSSSSSS I AM HERE FOR THISSSSS!
@luminajex
14.08.2024Always excited to hear new things from Dessa. As usual, this is beautiful, moving. Loving the production on this track, too!
@MellsyBaby
14.08.2024AMAZING AS PER USUAL. TIME TO PLAY THIS ON REPEAT FOR A WEEK OR TWO
@yollatrinsong9143
14.08.2024I'm listen from Thailand
@anthonyjacobsen6407
14.08.2024<3 Nothing changes but the names and dates
@erinmccabe945
14.08.2024Perfection
@MoiraRussell
14.08.2024She is just so amazing.
@mackgage7836
14.08.2024I've been a fan since 2011 and never been disappointed. Keep putting out great music.
@willismyer4821
14.08.2024Absolutely beautiful!
@maxmbacon
11.08.2024Wow what a cool background. Great song too!
@oscar278
11.08.2024Geez I fricken love Dessa. I don't think she's written a song I've disliked.
@Jayoinavation
11.08.2024All I want to do is pick a number when I see this cover… I'm gonna go with 10
@ButNotTonight
11.08.2024Oof, I felt that.
@darqnet
11.08.2024Thanks <3
@merrillaldrich9170
11.08.2024The drum track at the beginning evokes the memory of pounding heartbeat – over things that seemed important at the time, and now we realize aren't
@DrSpoon1991
11.08.2024New Dessa track and a new Epic beard men track, what a day.
@clairehartney7525
11.08.2024Love it!
@Reifenthaler
11.08.2024this is perfect. Thank you Dessa. This is not just for all the people who are right within such a situation.
This is also a full broadside against all that bigotry, people who think they can watch and judge and condemn.
They never can. Believe me. I know what I am talking about.
@brokengirlsrus
11.08.2024Who the f u c k is cutting onions in here 😭
@TheUnintendedchaos
08.08.2024♥️♥️♥️
@docjen13
08.08.2024Chills! As always.
@raphaellaS2
08.08.2024New Dessa! Time to listen to absolutely nothing but this on repeat for a month!
@ZachByrd
08.08.2024Can we stop rewarding these never practicing kids, please?
Also, at least attempt to show your child how to hold a ball before you show up and dump em off at their first softball practice? Not the child’s fault, of course. But we got some lazy ass, social media obsessed parents afoot right now. It’s an epidemic.
@smokingcheeba420
08.08.2024Sounds like it could be on pop radio. I love the violin.
@IceIceBirds
08.08.2024absolutely bone chilling, hair raising, nape-of-the-neck-buzzing incredible
@thechetearly
08.08.2024Man oh man. Dessa, you are incredible. What a song.
@vandalia722
08.08.2024Beautiful
@strangewayfaringstranger
08.08.2024Such true lyrics. I know because me and Dessa I believe are the same age. So I really find this connection and truth here.
@wtfyourface
08.08.2024🔥🔥🔥
@bordo3k
07.08.2024I like my Dessa when she’s rapping.
@Kayabc
07.08.2024Awesome song as usual. Anything Dessa does is magic! I miss her bangers, though!
@KGarvey125
07.08.2024This song is beautiful. Once again Dessa blows everyone else away.
@ivorianiaphillips
07.08.2024I need to get rich so I can buy everything by and about Dessa RIGHT NOW
@danestey4394
07.08.2024The volume level needs to go higher when I listen to Dessa!
@kookoo4pandas
07.08.2024How am I just hearing this???
@xelefonte
07.08.2024Love Dessa but these lyrics are hardly amazing…"Love, drugs, sex, pain
. Those are just grade schools games." She sounds like she wanted to get something out for Seven's beat…so she wrote some sophomoric Taylor Swift-quality sloppy lyrics and then put her name on it, kinda like a sixth grader doing last min book report. Dessa can definitely sing on this song but the lyrics are just nothing to me. And I'm a big Dessa fan.
@radixreuel7631
07.08.2024Extraordinary ✨
@dantelelegante7830
07.08.2024I don’t relate to this song very much at all. and yet for some reason it’s a comfort song for me