bad idea
Ariana Grande Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've been outta sight
I've been worried 'bout you lately
Runnin' outta time
Wishin' you would come and save me

'Cause I don't wanna roll with it (yeah, yeah)
Tryna get control of it (yeah, yeah)
Why can't I let go of it? (Yeah, yeah)
Gotta find somebody quickly (mm, yeah)

I got a bad idea
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me
I got a bad idea
Yeah, I'ma call you over here to numb the pain
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me

Even though we shouldn't, baby boy, we will (you know we will)
Need somebody, gimme something I can feel (yeah)
But, boy, don't trip (don't trip), you know this isn't real
You should know I'm temporary

'Cause I don't wanna roll with it (yeah, yeah)
Tryna get control of it (yeah, yeah)
Why can't I let go of it? (Yeah, yeah)
Gotta find somebody quickly (yeah)

I got a bad idea
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
I got a bad idea



Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me
I got a bad idea
Yeah, I'ma call you over here to numb the pain
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me

Gotta get control of it
Why can't I let go of it? (Ooh)
Wishin' you would come and save me
Yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah

I got a bad idea (uh-huh)
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away? (Are you done?)
I got a bad idea (uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (are you done?)
I got a bad idea (uh-huh)
Yeah, I'ma call you over here to numb the pain (are you done?)
I got a bad idea (uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (are you done?)
Yeah (uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (are you done?)
(Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me

I got a bad idea
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me

Overall Meaning

In "Bad Idea," Ariana Grande sings about seeking a temporary escape from her problems by proposing a wild night with somebody else. She conveys her own vulnerability and need for someone to save her, even if that someone is just a temporary fix. The repetition of the phrase "I got a bad idea" emphasizes her desperation and recklessness. She acknowledges that what she is proposing is not the right decision, but she is unable to let go of the idea. She even admits that it's just a temporary solution and that she knows it's not real.


There's a sense of urgency in the song that is amplified by the catchy beats and the sultry tone of Ariana's voice. The lyrics suggest that she's looking for a physical escape, but the underlying message is about the complexities of relationships and the struggles of letting go. "Bad Idea" explores themes of temporary fixes, avoidance, and the consequences that come with them.


Line by Line Meaning

I've been outta sight
I haven't been around lately


I've been worried 'bout you lately
I've been concerned about you recently


Runnin' outta time
I'm running out of time to deal with this situation


Wishin' you would come and save me
I wish you would help me out and come to my rescue


'Cause I don't wanna roll with it (yeah, yeah)
I don't want to deal with this situation in its current state


Tryna get control of it (yeah, yeah)
I'm trying to gain control of the situation


Why can't I let go of it? (Yeah, yeah)
Why can't I let it go and move on?


Gotta find somebody quickly (mm, yeah)
I need to find someone to help me out of this situation


I got a bad idea
I have an idea that might not be the best


How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
Let's take some time off and figure things out


Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Let's forget about the past and move on


Forget about me
I want you to forget about me too


Even though we shouldn't, baby boy, we will (you know we will)
Even though we know we shouldn't do this, we're going to do it anyways


Need somebody, gimme something I can feel (yeah)
I need someone to help me forget about my troubles


But, boy, don't trip (don't trip), you know this isn't real
Don't get too caught up in this, we know it's not going to last


You should know I'm temporary
You need to understand that I won't be here forever


Gotta get control of it
I need to take control of this situation


Why can't I let go of it? (Ooh)
Why am I having trouble moving on?


Yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah
An expression of frustration




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ariana Grande, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Max Martin, Peter Anders Svensson, Savan Harish Kotecha

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Elissa Smith

The lyric is "I don't wanna roll with it" not "I' the one who wrote it"

Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@furiousvids7790

thank you next album as an eyeshadow pallette;

thank u, next - soft pink
7 rings - neon pinkish purple
NASA - cosmic blue with lots of holo glitter
needy - lavender
bad idea - black with glitter
bloodline - blood red matte
fake smile - gray with glitter (because it isnt that vivid) or dark green like the color of her grammys dress
imagine - light blue with holo glitter
in my head - royal blue
make up - bold pink
ghostin - pale white
break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored - black with purple glitter


edit: thank u for the likes i didn't think that u guys would like this so much lmfao sadly this isn't a thing this is just my imagination while listening to the whole album a few times with my eyes closed



@solangeoliveira5497

[Verse 1]🦋🦋
I've been outta sight
I've been worried 'bout you lately
Runnin' outta time
Wishin' you would come and save me

[Pre-Chorus]
'Cause I don't wanna roll with it (Yeah, yeah)
Tryna get control of it (Yeah, yeah)
Why can't I let go of it? (Yeah, yeah, mmm)
Gotta find somebody quickly (Mmm, yeah)

[Chorus]
I got a bad idea
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
Yeah, I'ma call you over here to numb the pain (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me

[Verse 2]
Yeah, I know we shouldn't, baby, but we will (You know we will)
Need somebody, gimme something I can feel (Yeah)
But, boy, don't trip (Don't trip), you know this isn't real
You should know I'm temporary

[Pre-Chorus]
'Cause I don't wanna roll with it (Yeah, yeah)
Tryna get control of it (Yeah, yeah)
Why can't I let go of it? (Yeah, yeah, mmm)
Gotta find somebody quickly, yeah

[Chorus]
I got a bad idea
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
Yeah, I'ma call you over here to numb the pain (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me

[Bridge]
Gotta get control of it
Why can't I let go of it? (Ooh)
Wishin' you would come and save me
Yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah

[Chorus]
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away? (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Oh yeah, yeah, uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (A bad idea, uh-huh)
Yeah, I'ma call you over here to numb the pain (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (A bad idea, uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
Yeah (Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
(Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me

[Outro]
I got a bad idea
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me



@taylorswiftie201

Ariana Grande - Bad Idea
Ariana Grande - Bad Descisions
Ed Sheeran - Bad Habits
Selena Gomez - Bad Liar
Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
Taylor Swift - Bad Blood
Billie Eilish - Bad Guy
Michael Jackson - Bad
Me - Bad Grades



@cykewayne

I've been outta sight
I've been worried 'bout you lately
Runnin' outta time
Wishin' you would come and save me

[Pre-Chorus]
'Cause I don't wanna roll with it (Yeah, yeah)
Tryna get control of it (Yeah, yeah)
Why can't I let go of it? (Yeah, yeah, mmm)
Gotta find somebody quickly (Mmm, yeah)

[Chorus]
I got a bad idea
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
Yeah, I'ma call you over here to numb the pain (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me

[Verse 2]
Yeah, I know we shouldn't, baby, but we will (You know we will)
Need somebody, gimme something I can feel (Yeah)
But, boy, don't trip (Don't trip), you know this isn't real
You should know I'm temporary

[Pre-Chorus]
'Cause I don't wanna roll with it (Yeah, yeah)
Tryna get control of it (Yeah, yeah)
Why can't I let go of it? (Yeah, yeah, mmm)
Gotta find somebody quickly, yeah

[Chorus]
I got a bad idea
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
Yeah, I'ma call you over here to numb the pain (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me

[Bridge]
Gotta get control of it
Why can't I let go of it? (Ooh)
Wishin' you would come and save me
Yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah

[Chorus]
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away? (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Oh yeah, yeah, uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (A bad idea, uh-huh)
Yeah, I'ma call you over here to numb the pain (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (A bad idea, uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
Yeah (Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
(Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me

[Outro]
I got a bad idea
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me



@kokokoono

[Verse 1]
I've been outta sight
I've been worried 'bout you lately
Runnin' outta time
Wishin' you would come and save me

[Pre-Chorus]
'Cause I don't wanna roll with it (Yeah, yeah)
Tryna get control of it (Yeah, yeah)
Why can't I let go of it? (Yeah, yeah, mmm)
Gotta find somebody quickly (Mmm, yeah)

[Chorus]
I got a bad idea
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
Yeah, I'ma call you over here to numb the pain (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me

[Verse 2]
Yeah, I know we shouldn't, baby, but we will (You know we will)
Need somebody, gimme something I can feel (Yeah)
But, boy, don't trip (Don't trip), you know this isn't real
You should know I'm temporary

[Pre-Chorus]
'Cause I don't wanna roll with it (Yeah, yeah)
Tryna get control of it (Yeah, yeah)
Why can't I let go of it? (Yeah, yeah, mmm)
Gotta find somebody quickly, yeah

[Chorus]
I got a bad idea
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
Yeah, I'ma call you over here to numb the pain (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me

[Bridge]
Gotta get control of it
Why can't I let go of it? (Ooh)
Wishin' you would come and save me
Yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah

[Chorus]
I got a bad idea (Uh-huh)
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away? (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (Oh yeah, yeah, uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (A bad idea, uh-huh)
Yeah, I'ma call you over here to numb the pain (Ari-Chan)
I got a bad idea (A bad idea, uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
Yeah (Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me (Ari-Chan)
(Uh-huh)
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me
[Outro]
I got a bad idea
How 'bout we take a little bit of time away?
I got a bad idea
Forget about it, yeah, forget about him, yeah
Forget about me



All comments from YouTube:

@notshynotmemidzy5839

Selena: bad liar
Ari: bad idea
Billie: bad guy
Lady gaga: bad romance
Me: bad grades

@grace-ev1lx

PLEASE-

@ameliaz6598

fr

@Julia-nl4bz

HAHAHAHHA

@withfatoom7765

😂 true 😂

@rinamariecapilador56

Oh pls, I'm crying 😭

213 More Replies...

@romiophir3648

Those little "ari chan"s gets me every time ♡

@IkerEspiga-m8n

Her vocals😍😍😍

@terpalingpro-ty8so

although this song is underrated but the viewer still reach more then 50 million HAHAHAH

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