By the Way
Ashia Karana Lyrics

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When it's late at night
And i lose my mind
'Cause I see time
Pass a nigga on by
How'd I get so high
Then decline
Wanna be somebody but I don't wanna be nobody
Wanna feel the fire

I heard that it burns inside
I heard that them birds take flight
When it get cold, wanna be warm
I know what the world require
Fuck it all if it don't inspire
Infinite no I don't expire
But running 'round got me so damn tired
Gotta live in the world but I won't abide
Tryna switch in a world where they hide the lights
Tryna switch in a world where they hide the lights
I been

Riding around in my mind I get lost
If I forget to get off the exit I cross into
Past and the next shit on my schedule
It's as if I got two seconds to do it all

Patience
You made it this far
Such a weight lift off
When you take it all
And you shake it off

By the way take off
Quit your day job y'all
Look what they got you doing
You gotta be exhausted
By the way go live
If you don't who will
Gotta get that aim pop-bang
You gotta shoot to kill
Who gotta, you gotta
You gotta shoot to kill

Riding around in my mind i get lost if I forget
If I forget to get off the exit I cross
Into past and the next shit on my

Schedule, I
I been

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "By the Way" by Ashia Karana exude a sense of wonder and anxiety that many people would be able to relate to. The opening lines reflect a state of confusion and disorientation, as the singer struggles to come to terms with the passage of time. They feel as if they've been in a dreamlike state for too long and have lost their sense of direction. They are searching for purpose and direction in life, and while they want to be someone, they don't want to be just anybody.

The following verses suggest that the singer is trying to find their place in the world but is facing obstacles, such as coldness and hiding lights. This could reflect societal pressures or personal struggles. The second half of the song offers a solution to the singer's anxiety and feelings of aimlessness. The chorus contains a call to action, encouraging listeners to take risks and pursue their dreams. The lyrics suggest that patience is key to achieving success and that it's important to let go of what's holding you back and to take a leap of faith.

Line by Line Meaning

When it's late at night
Late at night, when my mind is restless

And I lose my mind
I lose my composure

'Cause I see time
When I see time passing by

Pass a nigga on by
See others succeed before me

How'd I get so high
How did I reach this level of success?

Then decline
Only to fall back down

Wanna be somebody but I don't wanna be nobody
I want to achieve something, but not lose myself in the process

Wanna feel the fire
I want to experience passion

I heard that it burns inside
I've heard that passion can be intense

I heard that them birds take flight
When things get tough, others leave

When it get cold, wanna be warm
In tough times, I want comfort

I know what the world require
I understand the demands of the world

Fuck it all if it don't inspire
I won't bother with something that doesn't motivate me

Infinite no I don't expire
My potential is limitless

But running 'round got me so damn tired
The hustle is exhausting

Gotta live in the world but I won't abide
I have to navigate the world on my own terms

Tryna switch in a world where they hide the lights
It's hard to find my path in a world that suppresses creativity

I been riding around in my mind I get lost
My thoughts can lead to confusion

If I forget to get off the exit I cross into past and the next shit on my schedule
If I become too fixated on my schedule, I miss out on past experiences and future opportunities

It's as if I got two seconds to do it all
I feel the pressure to accomplish everything quickly

Patience
I need to practice patience

You made it this far
I've already accomplished a lot

Such a weight lift off
I feel relieved

When you take it all
When I let go of everything

And you shake it off
And I move on

By the way take off
By the way, leave your current job

Quit your day job y'all
Don't be afraid to leave your job

Look what they got you doing
Reflect on what you're spending your time doing

You gotta be exhausted
You must be tired

By the way go live
By the way, start living

If you don't who will
If I don't start living my life, who will?