Introduction: A Mesmerizing Fusion of Emotion and Sound
"Given Up On Me" by The Weeknd, from his album Hurry Up Tomorrow, is a hauntingly mesmerizing track that combines the artist's signature atmospheric production with emotional depth. The song is a slow, mellow ballad that is deeply introspective, yet it maintains an infectious rhythm, thanks to Metro Boomin and Mike Dean's production. The shimmering, angelic vocals of Abel Tesfaye dominate the track, carrying a vulnerability that is amplified by the pulsating hi-hats and lush instrumental backdrop. It’s a perfect blend of both somber reflection and a banger with a beat that gets under your skin, making it an instant standout.
Lyrical Themes: Self-Destruction and Emotional Conflict
Lyrically, "Given Up On Me" portrays the inner turmoil and emotional disconnect of a person who feels trapped in a toxic relationship. Abel sings about his inability to save himself from his self-destructive behaviors, with lines like "I've been lying to your faces" and "It's too late to save me" laying bare his sense of hopelessness. His emotional struggle is palpable, as he oscillates between a desire for release and a strange yearning for the very things that are harming him. The repeated cry for salvation, "Save me," adds to the haunting nature of the song, evoking a feeling of entrapment.
The Chorus: A Cry for Freedom and Redemption
The chorus, which repeats the poignant line "I've given up on me," captures the essence of the track — a man who is unable to escape his own internal battles. The vulnerability in Abel’s voice, especially in the post-chorus, where he begs, "I need you to let go," emphasizes a deep internal conflict. The way he vocalizes the line makes the listener feel as if they are hearing someone cry out for freedom while simultaneously resisting it. The mix of desperation and desire creates a sense of emotional tension that builds throughout the song.
The Bridge: A Stark Contrast with Future's Contribution
The collaboration with Future in the bridge adds another layer of complexity to the track. Future's gruff, emotionally detached tone contrasts perfectly with Abel's more melodic delivery. The back-and-forth between the two artists on lines like "Why won't you let me sleep?" and "Why won't you let me die?" highlights the agony of someone caught between love, self-doubt, and the need to escape. It also reflects the cyclical nature of their emotions — unable to escape the situation, yet drawn back to it time and again.
Given Up On Me: A Powerful Reflection on Love and Loss
Ultimately, "Given Up On Me" is a multifaceted track that not only showcases The Weeknd’s vocal prowess but also his ability to evoke raw emotion through both production and lyrics. The song’s slow tempo and melancholic mood are perfectly paired with the disillusionment and self-destructive tendencies explored in the lyrics. It stands as one of the album's most compelling pieces, a powerful reflection on love, loss, and the struggle for self-liberation.
Listen to The Weeknd Given Up On Me
The Weeknd Given Up On Me Lyrics Meaning Explained
The meaning of "Given Up On Me" by The Weeknd is a deep exploration of self-doubt, emotional entrapment, and toxic dependence. The song delves into the complexity of feeling trapped in a relationship or cycle that one cannot escape, even though they recognize its destructive nature. Through introspective lyrics, The Weeknd expresses a profound sense of hopelessness, acknowledging his own flaws and the difficulty of leaving a situation that continues to call him back. The song reflects themes of addiction, emotional turmoil, and the struggle to reconcile desires for love and validation with a need for personal freedom and redemption.
Intro: "Love me, love me, love me, say you do"
The intro of "Given Up On Me" is a direct sample from Johnny Mathis’s "Wild Is the Wind," immediately invoking a sense of longing and vulnerability. The repetition of "love me" signals the craving for affection, and the plea to "fly away with you" portrays an escape into an idealized version of love, where the hope is to break free from the turmoil. "Satisfy this hope" amplifies the desperation, suggesting that the speaker seeks fulfillment from an external source, possibly from the toxic relationship he's caught in. The emotional yearning here sets the tone for the rest of the song, filled with regret and longing.
Verse: "I've been lying to your faces, yeah"
Here, The Weeknd acknowledges the lies and deceit he’s built his life on. The line “I’ve been lying to your faces” reflects his inability to be truthful about his emotions, his struggles, or his role in the toxic relationship. He admits to being “always wasted,” referencing both literal intoxication and metaphorical numbness to the chaos around him. "It's too late to save me" marks the acceptance of his own self-destruction, a fatalistic resignation to the fact that the damage is done. The repetition of "save me" serves as a cry for help, but it's clear that even the plea has lost its sincerity; he's too far gone to be saved.
Pre-Chorus: "I'll always lie to you"
In the pre-chorus, The Weeknd confesses that he will continue to deceive the person he is involved with. His untrustworthiness is internalized—he recognizes himself as unreliable and unable to offer the care or emotional stability his partner may need. He calls out for affection with "Tell me you care for me," signaling an almost desperate need for validation, yet the line suggests that he's aware of his own failure to be what the other person needs. It’s a cycle of longing for love and affirmation while simultaneously sabotaging it.
Chorus: "Why won't you let me go?"
The chorus stands as the song's emotional core, where The Weeknd expresses feelings of entrapment. “Why won’t you let me go?” and “Why won’t you let me leave?” echo his desire to escape from the emotional chains of the relationship. But even as he asks for freedom, he admits that he’s "given up on me," a sign of utter despair. The repetition of "I've given up on me" speaks to his loss of self-worth, and the phrase "I'm in too deep" reflects the overwhelming feeling of being trapped in a situation with no easy escape. He longs for release, but there's an underlying sense that he doesn't feel deserving of it.
Post-Chorus: "I need you to let go"
The post-chorus, with its haunting repetition of "let go," captures a tension between wanting freedom and still being unable to sever the connection. The plea for release here contrasts with the desire for affection that Abel vocalized earlier in the song. It reinforces the paradox at the heart of the song: he seeks escape, but on some level, he’s addicted to the relationship or the chaos it brings.
Bridge: "Why won't you let me sleep?"
The bridge with Future’s guest vocals enhances the song’s theme of inner conflict. The lines, “Why won’t you let me sleep?” and “Why won’t you let me die?” suggest an ongoing internal struggle. Sleep here could symbolize peace, rest, or escape, all of which are denied. The idea of "dying" here is metaphorical — a desire to escape the pain, to put an end to the emotional turmoil. It’s a plea for release, not necessarily through physical death, but through the end of emotional suffering and the chaos that comes with it.
Interlude: "I could never leave you alone"
The interlude’s repeated line, “I could never leave you alone,” is reflective of a toxic dependency, mirroring the internal struggle between wanting to escape and an inability to break free. The repetition suggests a sense of helplessness in the situation — as much as he wants to leave, he feels bound to return. This section can also be interpreted as an acknowledgment of The Weeknd's struggle with addiction, which is a recurring theme in his discography. The relationship with the person, or perhaps drugs, keeps calling him back, despite knowing it’s unhealthy.
Verse: "It keeps calling me back, the sunshine"
This verse references the metaphorical "sunshine" as both a source of warmth and a dangerous temptation. The line “I can feel the warmth on my skin for the first time” suggests that Abel is beginning to feel alive again after being numb for so long, but it’s a fleeting warmth that ultimately burns him. "I'm on fire" invokes a sense of consuming passion or destruction, aligning with the destructive patterns in Abel’s past, especially related to drug use. His awareness that "it's not good for me" and "you're no good for me" represents a recognition of the toxic relationship or addiction he can't seem to shake.
Outro: "Don't you give up on me"
In the outro, Abel pleads, “Don’t you give up on me,” a reversal of the earlier assertion of giving up on himself. The contradiction reflects his confusion and internal battle: he’s trying to push the person away while simultaneously begging for them to stay. This duality embodies his sense of worthlessness and desperation. The repetition of “Mercy-cy me” signals a cry for compassion, further underscoring the emotional exhaustion and need for healing, yet the very dependency that binds him to the situation is also what makes it so difficult to leave.
Meaning of Given Up On Me : The lyrics of "Given Up On Me" depict a journey of self-doubt, toxic dependence, and internal struggle. The Weeknd paints a portrait of someone who is trapped by their own demons—be it love, addiction, or a combination of both—and is caught in a cycle of wanting to be saved while feeling undeserving of redemption. The song's poignant lyrics, paired with its atmospheric production, make it a raw, emotional exploration of how toxic relationships and self-destructive behaviors can be both comforting and suffocating at the same time.
The Weeknd Given Up On Me Lyrics
[Part I]
[Intro]
Love me, love me, love me, say you do
Let me fly away with you
Satisfy this hope
Ayy, ayy, baby
[Verse]
I've been lying to your faces, yeah
I've been always wasted, it's too late to save me
Save me (Save me), save me (Save me), save me (Save me)
Oh, save me (Woah)
Fill another cup of forsaken (Baby)
Yeah, 'til my stomach achin', bloated in my face, and
Face it (Face it), face it (Face it), face it (Face, yeah)
Just let me go
[Pre-Chorus]
I'll always lie to you (To you)
I'm unreliable (For you, babe)
Tell me you care for me
Just give me what I need, eh
[Chorus]
Why won't you let me go?
Why won't you let me leave?
I've given up on me, yeah
I think I'm in too deep
Why won't you let me go? Oh-oh
Why won't you let me leave? (Yeah)
I've given up on me, yeah
I think I'm in too deep
[Post-Chorus]
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
I need you to let go, let go, let go, oh-oh-oh
[Bridge: The Weeknd & Future]
Why won't you let me sleep?
Why won't you let me go?
Why won't you let me try?
Why won't you let me die?
[Part II]
[Interlude]
I could never leave you alone
I could never leave you alone
I could never leave you alone
Leave you alone—
Leave you alone—
Leave you alone—
Leave you—
[Verse]
It keeps calling me back, the sunshine
I can feel the warmth on my skin for the first time
When I'm far away from you, babe, I'm on fire
My sunshine, my sunshine
I know it's not good for me, I know it's not good for me
I know it's not fair to me, I know
You're no good for me, baby, my sunshine
It's not good for me, no, the sunshine
[Outro]
Ooh, Lord
I want your company (Eh)
Ooh, oh, Lord, oh, Lord
Don't you give up on me
Mercy-cy me
Oh, Lord, my company
Mercy me
Oh-oh, listen
Comments