Introduction: A Smooth and Funky Exploration of Love
HAIM’s latest single "Relationships" delivers a smooth yet funky blend of mellow vibes and soft vocals, perfectly suited for reflective late-night drives. The track opens with an experimental feel, setting the tone for a relaxed but groovy atmosphere. The lyrics, filled with raw emotion and frustration, speak directly to the highs and lows of modern-day relationships. HAIM skillfully balances the song’s introspective subject matter with a laid-back sound, creating an anthem for anyone caught in the messy web of love and heartache.
Production: A Masterful Collaboration
The production, led by Rostam with contributions from Buddy Ross, is masterfully crafted. The instrumentation is sparse but impactful, allowing HAIM’s vocals to take center stage. The soft, almost whispered delivery of the verses contrasts with the more emphatic chorus, which expresses the frustration and confusion that often comes with love. The catchy refrain, “Fuckin' relationships,” sums up the emotional exhaustion that the band so vividly paints through their words. The production’s blend of funk and indie pop adds a layer of depth to the song’s narrative, making it both introspective and danceable.
Lyrics: A Deep Dive Into Relationship Struggles
Lyrically, "Relationships" explores the uncertainty and emotional tug-of-war that often accompanies love. Lines like, “I think I'm in love, but I can't stand fuckin' relationships” highlight the ambivalence and confusion many experience in romantic partnerships. The song touches on themes of dishonesty, guilt, and the often cyclical nature of relationship struggles. HAIM's ability to tap into these universal feelings makes the song relatable to anyone who has ever found themselves questioning the future of their relationship.
Behind the Scenes: Seven Years in the Making
In an Instagram post, HAIM revealed that "Relationships" took seven years to perfect, and the dedication shows. The band worked closely with Rostam to bring the song to life, and the results are worth the wait. The accompanying music video, directed by Camille Summers-Valli, visually complements the steamy and reflective nature of the track. With the help of actor Drew Starkey, the video captures the complicated dynamics of love, adding another layer to the song’s storytelling.
HAIM Relationships Review: A Raw and Relatable Anthem
HAIM’s "Relationships" is an honest and raw exploration of love’s complexities, set against a backdrop of smooth, funky rhythms. The song manages to be both melancholic and playful, making it a standout in HAIM's discography. The seven-year journey to release the track has paid off, offering fans a relatable anthem that captures the messy yet beautiful nature of relationships.
Listen to HAIM Relationships
Haim Relationships Lyrics Meaning Explained
The meaning of "Relationships" by HAIM is an exploration of the emotional complexities and frustrations that come with being in a romantic relationship. The song delves into feelings of uncertainty, dishonesty, and the cyclical nature of love, where small mistakes can lead to prolonged conflict and emotional turmoil. HAIM captures the difficulty of communicating in relationships, the struggle to maintain confidence, and the often jaded view that love can be more about enduring complications than experiencing joy. Ultimately, the song reflects on how these challenges shape our understanding of relationships, questioning whether they are a product of personal growth or inherited patterns.
Spoken Intro
In the opening lines, the song introduces a sense of uncertainty. The speaker is aimlessly driving through the Eastside, using the drive as a distraction from the indecision surrounding their relationship. The question, “are we through?” implies that the relationship is in limbo, and the speaker is unsure of its current state. This uncertainty is reinforced with “what we gonna do?”—suggesting that if they are indeed broken up, they are clueless about what comes next.
Verse 1
In the first verse, HAIM expresses frustration with the overwhelming focus on relationships. The speaker seems jaded, commenting that “everyone’s caught up in it,” as if relationships have become an all-consuming part of life. The sarcastic tone of “you must be new to this” could be directed toward someone naive about the complexities and difficulties of relationships. The repeated line “those lies” hints at deception, either within their relationship or as a general critique of the false expectations people often have regarding love.
Pre-Chorus
The pre-chorus intensifies the feeling of disillusionment. The speaker accuses their partner of dishonesty, saying “you got a look on your face like you're caught in a lie.” Even though the speaker “got you all to myself,” they still feel an emptiness that leads them to question the relationship, asking “why, why, why in this relationship.” This line captures the internal conflict of being with someone yet feeling unsettled or unfulfilled.
Chorus
In the chorus, the speaker conveys frustration over how small issues, described as “an innocent mistake,” can quickly escalate into prolonged conflict—“seventeen days.” The speaker feels trapped in the cyclical nature of relationships, where things inevitably fall apart and there’s “no one left to blame.” Even though the speaker admits, “I think I’m in love,” they can't stand the complications and toxicity that come with relationships. The recurring line, “those lies,” reinforces the theme of deceit.
Verse 2
In the second verse, the speaker reflects on their personal struggles. They question why they feel a “guilty conscience” despite being someone who generally avoids conflict. This suggests that the relationship has left them emotionally vulnerable, and their partner's actions have damaged their self-esteem, as expressed in the line “you really fucked with my confidence.” The theme of deception is revisited with the continued refrain of “those lies.”
Pre-Chorus (Reprise)
In the repeated pre-chorus, the speaker pleads for honesty, saying “you gotta tell me the truth.” They feel trapped in a situation where their partner is not putting in the effort, as suggested by the line “if you don’t want to try.” The internal conflict continues, with the speaker hearing a “voice in [their] head” that questions why they are still in the relationship, highlighting their emotional turmoil.
Bridge
The bridge expands the song’s perspective, questioning whether the problems in the relationship are personal or inherited. The speaker wonders if their struggles are a result of repeating patterns learned from their parents, as expressed in the line “is it just the shit our parents did and had to live with it in their relationship?” This question hints at a broader critique of societal expectations surrounding relationships, asking whether the struggles they’re facing are inevitable or learned behavior.
Final Chorus
In the final chorus, the speaker reflects on how difficult communication has become in their relationship. Despite thinking they are in love, they struggle with expressing their feelings, as seen in the line “I think I’m in love, but I can’t stand communicating it.” The relationship has deteriorated to the point where “feels like we’re not even friends.” However, the speaker admits they would “do it all again” if their partner would drop their defenses. The line “maybe that’s just how it goes when you’re not fully grown” suggests a coming-of-age realization about the inevitable challenges of relationships. In the end, the speaker expresses a bittersweet acceptance, saying “don’t let it bring you down ’cause it all comes back around.”
HAIM Relationships Meaning
HAIM’s "Relationships" is a raw, introspective exploration of the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies love. The song's lyrics convey frustration, doubt, and hope, capturing the complexity and messiness of modern relationships.
Haim Relationships Lyrics
[Spoken Intro]
Wasting time, driving through the Eastside
Doing my thing 'cause I can't decide if we're through
Well, are we?
And if we are, what we gonna do?
[Verse 1]
Relationships, oh, what's all this talk about relationships?
It feels like everyone's caught up in it
Oh, just you wait, you must be new to this
(Those lies, those lies)
[Pre-Chorus]
You got a look on your face
Like you're caught in a lie, lie, lie (Those lies, those lies)
I got you all to myself
But I keep asking why, why why in this relationship
[Chorus]
Baby, how can I explain when an innocent mistake
Turns into seventeen days? Fuckin' relationships
Don't they end up all the same when there's no one left to blame?
I think I'm in love, but I can't stand fuckin' relationships
(Those lies, those lies)
[Verse 2]
Why do I have a guilty conscience?
I've always been averse to conflict
But you really fucked with my confidence
(Those lies, those lies, those lies)
[Pre-Chorus]
You gotta tell me the truth
If you don't want to try-y-y (Those, those lies, those lies)
I hear a voice in my head
And it keeps asking, "Why am I in this relationship?"
[Chorus]
Baby, how can I explain when an innocent mistake
Turns into seventeen days? Fuckin' relationships
Don't they end up all the same when there's no one left to blame?
I think I'm in love, but I can't stand fuckin' relationships
(Those, those lies, those lies)
[Bridge]
(Relationships) How did we get ourselves into this?
(Relationships) Oh, this can't just be the way it is
(Relationships) Or is it just the shit our parents did
And had to live with it in their relationship?
(Relationships-ships-ships)
(Relationships) Fuckin' relationships
[Chorus]
Baby, how can I explain when an innocent mistake
Turns into seventeen days? Fuckin' relationships
Don't they end up all the same when there's no one left to blame?
I think I'm in love, but I can't stand communicating it (Woah)
Let me tell you how it ends when we can't even pretend
Feels like we're not even friends in this relationship
But I would do it all again if you put down your defenses
I think I'm in love, so why am I trying to escape from it? (Woah)
Maybe that's just how it goes when you're not fully grown (Woah)
But, baby, when you know, you know, fuckin' relationships
So don't let it bring you down 'cause it all comes back around
I think I'm in love, but I can't stand fuckin' relationships