Rehab
♫ Rihanna Lyrics

Baby, baby
This is the beginning of the song, setting the tone for a heartbreak story.

When we first met, I never felt something so strong
The beginning of a passionate and intense relationship is described here.

You were like my lover and my best friend
The partner was like a combination of a romantic and a platonic relationship.

All wrapped in one with a ribbon on it
The partner was the perfect package and everything was perfect, in the beginning.

And all of a sudden you went and left
The partner left unexpectedly, and it was a shock to the artist.

I didn't know how to follow
The singer was unsure of how to cope without the partner.

It's like a shock that spun me around
The unexpected ending of the relationship was more traumatic than the singer could have imagined.

And now my heart's dead
The artist's heart is broken and will take a lot of healing to get past.

I feel so empty and hollow
The artist feels a void where the partner used to be.

And I never gave myself to another the way I gave it to you
The artist was very committed and loyal in the relationship and gave everything.

You don't even recognize the ways you hurt me, do you?
The partner was not aware of the hurt they caused and took the singer for granted.

It's gonna take a miracle to bring me back
The artist will take a lot of emotional work and healing to recover from the break-up.

And you're the one to blame
The partner is being held responsible for the pain & the damage caused in this relationship.

And now I feel like
The singer is struggling to move on without support.

It's like I checked into rehab
The singer feels like they need to go to rehab to heal from the pain of the break-up.

And, baby, you're my disease
The break-up has left the artist feeling ill and like they need to recover.

I gotta check into rehab
The artist feels like they need an external intervention to move on from this relationship.

'Cause, baby, you're my disease
The partner is likened to a disease that requires treatment.

Damn, ain't it crazy when you're love swept?
The singer reflects on how besotted they were with the partner at the beginning of the relationship.

You'd do anything for the one you love
The extent of the artist's love and commitment to the partner.

'Cause anytime that you needed me I'd be there
The artist was dedicated and always available to the partner when they needed support.

It's like you were my favorite drug
The partner was addictive and just like a drug for the artist.

The only problem is that you was using me
The partner was using the singer for their personal goals and was not reciprocating the affection.

But now that I know it's not meant to be
The artist has come to the realization that their relationship was not meant to be, and they need to move on.

It gotta go, I gotta wean myself off of you
The singer feels the need to let go of the partner, but they know it will take time to do so.

(Uh, uh, now, ladies, gimme that)
This is a vocalization that doesn't carry any specific meaning.

(Uh, now gimme that)
This is another vocalization that doesn't carry any specific meaning.

(My ladies, gimme that)
This is another vocalization that doesn't carry any specific meaning.

Oh, you're the reason why I'm thinking
The partner is still on the artist's mind, even after the break-up.

I don't wanna smoke on these cigarettes no more
The singer is trying to quit smoking, possibly linked to their sadness and nostalgia for the past relationship.

I guess that's what I get for wishful thinking
The singer recognizes that the relationship was not what they had imagined/hoped it would be.

I should've never let you enter my door
The artist regrets letting the partner into their life and feels that it was a mistake.

Next time you wanna go on and leave
The artist anticipates that the partner might try to come back into their life.

I should just let you go on and do it
The artist is trying to convince themselves to let the partner go if they decide to leave again.

'Cause now I'm using like I bleed
The singer feels like they're dependent on the partner like they need it to survive.