A native of Los Angeles, California's San Pedro community, Miguel Jontel Pimentel was involved at the age of 16 with the production company Drop Squad. Three years later, he was offered a slot in Fatty Koo, and appeared on the R&B group's BET reality show, but he turned the position down and eventually signed a solo deal with distribution from major-label Universal. In 2005, "Getcha Hands Up!" was issued as a promotional solo single, and its accompanying video -- showcasing Miguel's dancing skills -- aired on BET. An album, Young & Free, was planned for release, but it was never issued. By that point, Miguel was becoming increasingly known in the underground through his collaborative work with Blu, Exile, and Daz-I-Kue.
Miguel signed a solo deal with Jive in 2007 and continued to work with underground and major-label artists. By the end of the decade, he placed songs on albums by Musiq Soulchild and Asher Roth. He experienced major growth during 2010. Jaheim's "Finding My Way Back," a song he co-wrote, reached number 12 on Billboard's R&B/hip-hop hit (and was subsequently nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best R&B Song). Miguel also co-wrote a pair of the Jam & Lewis-produced songs that appeared on Usher's Raymond v. Raymond, which topped the Billboard 200 just before Miguel made his proper solo debut with the atmospheric hip-hop soul of "All I Want Is You," a Top Ten R&B/hip-hop hit. The parent album, All I Want Is You, followed that November and reached the Top Ten of the R&B/hip-hop albums chart, as well as the Top 40 of the Billboard 200, boosted by "Sure Thing" (number one R&B, number 36 Billboard 200) and "Quickie" (number three R&B). Once Wale's Miguel-assisted Top 40 pop hit "Lotus Flower Bomb" was well on its way to platinum certification, Miguel resumed his solo output in early 2012 with a trilogy of three-song EPs dubbed Art Dealer Chic.
The intermediate releases led to Kaleidoscope Dream, which entered the R&B/hip-hop chart at number one and crossed into the Billboard 200 Top Five in October 2012. The RCA-issued full-length was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Urban Contemporary Album, while "Adorn," Miguel's second number one R&B/hip-hop single, was nominated for three awards and won for Best R&B Song. The following year, the album's "How Many Drinks?" was nominated as well. Stardom notwithstanding, Miguel remained available for outside work. "#Beautiful," a collaboration with Mariah Carey, was issued in May 2013 and went platinum. Miguel also devoted time between albums to sessions for J. Cole, Janelle Monáe, Big Sean, Jessie Ware, A$AP Rocky (the gold "Everyday"), Mac Miller (the platinum "Weekend"), and Hudson Mohawke.
Miguel's third album, Wildheart, was released in June 2015. Like his previous full-length, it debuted within the Top Five of the Billboard 200, reaching number two and landing in the same spot on the R&B/hip-hop chart. Less melodic than what preceded it, Wildheart emphasized sensual slow jams and was acknowledged with a Grammy nomination in the Best Urban Contemporary Album category. Another round of collaborations, including a duet with Dua Lipa, and singles highlighted by "2 Lovin U" (produced by DJ Premier) and the platinum-certified "Sky Walker" (featuring Travis Scott), preceded the December 2017 release of the urgent War & Leisure. Another R&B/hip-hop chart topper, it also entered the Billboard 200 at number nine. Miguel continued his extracurricular activity through 2018 with Kygo's "Remind Me to Forget" among his most commercially successful featured appearances. His next solo release was the Spanish-language EP Te Lo Dije, which peaked at number 11 on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart in 2019. Also that year, Alicia Keys' Miguel-assisted "Show Me Love" began its ascent to gold status.
A mix of smaller-scale solo output and featured appearances followed during the first few years of the 2020s. Early in the decade, Miguel was featured on tracks such as Jhené Aiko's platinum "Happiness Over Everything (H.O.E.)." The Art Dealer Chic series of EPs resumed in 2021 with a fourth volume containing the grinding "Funeral." After he was featured on Diplo's "Don't Forget My Love," Miguel saw "Sure Thing" become more popular than ever in 2023 -- thanks to TikTok -- and a re-release of the single consequently reached number 14 on the Hot 100, thereby surpassing "Adorn" as his highest-charting pop single. The singer responded that April with the smoldering slow jam "Give It to Me." ~ Andy Kellman & David Jeffries
How Many Drinks?
Miguel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hesitation (to get in them pants)
Come closer baby (so I can touch)
One question, Am I moving too fast?
'Cause I ain't leaving alone, feel like I could be outer-space
We both know that we're grown
That's why I wanna know
How many drinks would it take you to leave with me?
Yeah you look good, and I got money but I don't wanna waste my time
Back of my mind, I'm hoping you say two or three
You look good, we came to party, but I don't wanna waste my time
Temptation (is calling your name)
Sweet persuasion, oh (baby this is a game)
Come closer baby (if you like what you hear)
Impassioned (is what I'm making you feel)
Cause' I ain't leaving alone, I feel like I could be outer-space
We both know that we're grown
That's why I wanna know
How many drinks would it take you to leave with me?
Yeah you look good, and I got money but I don't wanna waste my time
Back of my mind, I'm hoping you say two or three
You look good, we came to party, but I don't wanna waste my time
Waste my time
No no no
I ain't judging if you do decide that you might be fucking tonight
What?
More power to you if you do decide that you might be fucking tonight
Let me dig that out like a foxhole
Damn baby, dat ass is colossal
Pilates and milk did that body so good
You got in them pants? I wish I could
How many drinks would it take you to leave with me? (oh, well, well)
You look good, and we came to party, but I don't wanna waste my time (oh no)
Back of my mind, I'm hoping you say two or three (Agree?, Yeah)
Indeed you look, and we came to party, but I don't wanna waste my time
Or waste your time, or waste your time
Or waste our time, baby it's alright
Baby it's alright, baby it's alright yeah
Oh it's alright now
Alright
Oh yeah, I don't wanna waste my time,
No
I don't wanna waste no time,
Oh no
I don't wanna waste your time, babe
I don't wanna waste our time,
Oh my time, Oh whoa, now
How many drinks would it take you to leave with me?
Oh yeah you look good, and I got money but I don't wanna waste my time (Go with me baby)
Back of my mind, I'm hoping you say two or three (Yeah it's just a short drive home for me ma')
You look good, we came to party, but I don't wanna waste my time
Waste my time
No no no I ain't judgin' if you do decide that you might be fucking tonight
What? More power to you if you do decide that you might be fucking tonight
I ain't judgin' if you do decide that you might be fucking tonight
What? More power to you if you do decide that you might be fucking tonight
Let's go, shit we only live once right?
I mean, where's the fun in forever anyway?
The song "How Many Drinks" by Miguel is about a man’s attempt to seduce a woman. The lyrics describe the man's growing desire for the woman as he watches her dance and hesitates to make a move. He asks her how many drinks it would take for her to leave with him, indicating his interest in having a sexual relationship with her. The chorus repeats the question, while the verse talks about temptation, persuasion, and passion. He wants her to be clear about her intentions so he doesn't waste his time, and he doesn't want her to waste his time either.
The lyrics also touch upon the subject of casual sex, with the man indicating that he's not judging her if she decides to sleep with him, and he thinks more power to her. He ends the song by suggesting that they make the most of the moment and that they only live once, implying that they should live in the moment and not worry about the future.
Overall, the song is a classic example of seduction and casual sex, with a catchy beat and a chorus that's hard to forget. The lyrics are straightforward and leave little to the imagination, but they are delivered with a smooth and confident voice, making the song a favorite of many R&B fans.
Line by Line Meaning
Frustration (watching you dance)
Miguel is frustrated while watching the person he's interested in dancing.
Hesitation (to get in them pants)
Miguel is hesitant to make a sexual advance.
Come closer baby (so I can touch)
Miguel wants to touch the person he's interested in and asks them to come closer.
One question, Am I moving too fast?
Miguel is unsure if he's moving too fast and asks for confirmation.
'Cause I ain't leaving alone, feel like I could be outer-space
Miguel doesn't want to leave alone and feels disconnected from reality.
We both know that we're grown
Miguel and the person he's interested in are adults.
That's why I wanna know
Miguel wants to confirm the person's interest in him.
How many drinks would it take you to leave with me?
Miguel wants to know how many drinks it would take for the person to leave with him.
Yeah you look good, and I got money but I don't wanna waste my time
Miguel acknowledges that the person looks good and he has money, but he doesn't want to waste his time if there's no interest.
Back of my mind, I'm hoping you say two or three
Miguel hopes that the person will indicate some level of interest by saying it would only take a few drinks to leave with him.
You look good, we came to party, but I don't wanna waste my time
Miguel reiterates that he doesn't want to waste his time if the person isn't interested in him.
Temptation (is calling your name)
The temptation of a potential sexual encounter is appealing to the person Miguel is interested in.
Sweet persuasion, oh (baby this is a game)
Miguel uses sweet persuasion to try and get the person to leave with him, treating the interaction like a game.
Come closer baby (if you like what you hear)
Miguel invites the person to come closer if they're interested in what he's saying.
Impassioned (is what I'm making you feel)
Miguel is trying to make the person feel passionate and interested in him.
No no no I ain't judgin' if you do decide that you might be fucking tonight
Miguel wants to make it clear that he's not judging the person if they decide to have sex with him.
More power to you if you do decide that you might be fucking tonight
Miguel encourages the person to make their own choices about whether or not to have sex with him.
Let's go, shit we only live once right?
Miguel encourages the person to take a chance and leave with him, reminding them that life is short.
I mean, where's the fun in forever anyway?
Miguel suggests that taking risks and having new experiences is more fun than staying in a moment forever.
Or waste your time, or waste your time
Miguel doesn't want to waste anyone's time.
Baby it's alright, baby it's alright yeah
Miguel reassures the person that everything will be okay.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KENDRICK LAMAR, MIGUEL JONTEL PIMENTEL, SALAAM REMI, ROGER NICHOLS, PAUL WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind