Selfish
Bow Anderson Lyrics

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You never wanted to support me, when we were
Supposedly in love and forever
But now I'm on tour, you say you wanna support me
(Ooh, you're taking a piss)

You used to say I wasn't grateful for where I am (ooh-ooh)
How could I celebrate if you're a jealous man? (Ooh-ooh)
Now you're only in touch when you're looking for something

(Ooh, you're taking a piss)

Callin' up my phone while I be lyin' in bed
Makin' me feel bad for hangin' out with my friends
And you be draggin' me with backhanded compliments
I won't be treated like that, nah

'Cause you're so fuckin' selfish, only think of yourself
Anybody else is nothing of your interest
Treat me like a checklist, don't look so offended
You know that you do it, please, don't make excuses
You're so fuckin' selfish

I spent all my energy on saving you
Lost myself while I was busy fixing you
Give you every day, but there was no one to save me
(Ooh, how could you do me like this?)

Callin' up my phone while I be lyin' in bed
Makin' me feel bad for hangin' out with my friends
And you be draggin' me with backhanded compliments
I won't be treated like that, nah

'Cause you're so fuckin' selfish, only think of yourself
Anybody else is nothing of your interest
Treat me like a checklist, don't look so offended
You know that you do it, please, don't make excuses

You're so selfish, you're so selfish, nah-nah, nah-nah
You're so selfish, you're so selfish, nah-nah, nah-nah

Callin' up my phone while you be lyin' in bed
Makin' me feel bad for hangin' out with my friends
You be draggin' me with backhanded compliments
I won't be treated like that, nah

You're so selfish ('cause you're so fuckin' selfish, only think of yourself)
Anybody else is nothing of your interest (no, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Treat me like a checklist, don't look so offended
You know that you do it (no), please, don't make excuses (nah-nah-nah-nah-nah)

'Cause you're so fuckin' selfish, only think of yourself (yourself, boy)
Anybody else is nothing of your interest (nah)
Treat me like a checklist, don't look so offended (don't look so offended, boy)

You know that you do it, please, don't make excuses
You're so fuckin' selfish

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Bow Anderson's song "Selfish" express the frustration and resentment towards a partner who is self-centered and lacks support in the relationship. The singer begins by acknowledging that their partner never showed support when they were supposedly in love and committed to each other. Despite this, now that the singer is on tour and achieving success, the partner suddenly wants to be supportive. The line "you're taking a piss" suggests that the singer sees this sudden change as insincere and manipulative.

The second verse highlights the partner's previous accusations of the singer's lack of gratitude and the jealousy they exhibited. It implies that the partner only reaches out when they want something, emphasizing their selfish nature. The partner's actions, like calling and making the singer feel guilty for spending time with friends, are described as backhanded compliments, indicating that the partner's words have a double meaning. The singer firmly states that they won't tolerate being treated in such a manner.

The chorus drives home the theme of the partner's selfishness. It repeats the line "you're so fuckin' selfish" to emphasize the central idea. The partner is portrayed as someone who only thinks of themselves and has no interest in anyone else. The use of explicit language emphasizes the singer's frustration and anger towards this behavior. The lyrics go on to describe how the singer dedicated their time and energy to "saving" the partner, losing themselves in the process. This one-sided dynamic is depicted as unfair and hurtful.

The bridge of the song reinforces the partner's selfish nature. The repeated phrase "you're so selfish" is used as an accusation, emphasizing the negative trait being criticized. The lyrics suggest that the partner tries to make the singer feel guilty when they spend time with friends and conveys the impact of the partner's backhanded compliments. It concludes by urging the partner not to make excuses for their selfish behavior, emphasizing that they are aware of what they are doing.

Overall, the lyrics of "Selfish" explore the emotions of frustration, resentment, and disappointment towards a selfish partner who lacks support and only thinks of themselves. The song highlights the imbalance in the relationship, with the singer expressing a desire to be treated better and not to be taken advantage of.

Line by Line Meaning

You never wanted to support me, when we were
You showed no desire to back me up when we were together

Supposedly in love and forever
Presumably in a committed and everlasting relationship

But now I'm on tour, you say you wanna support me
But now that I'm touring, you claim you want to be there for me

(Ooh, you're taking a piss)
(Ooh, you're mocking me or not being genuine)

You used to say I wasn't grateful for where I am (ooh-ooh)
You used to accuse me of lacking gratitude for my current situation (ooh-ooh)

How could I celebrate if you're a jealous man? (Ooh-ooh)
How can I rejoice when you're consistently envious? (Ooh-ooh)

Now you're only in touch when you're looking for something
Now you only reach out when you want something from me

(Ooh, you're taking a piss)
(Ooh, you're mocking me or not being genuine)

Callin' up my phone while I be lyin' in bed
Phoning me while I'm lying in bed

Makin' me feel bad for hangin' out with my friends
Making me feel guilty about spending time with my friends

And you be draggin' me with backhanded compliments
And you criticize me through thinly veiled compliments

I won't be treated like that, nah
I won't allow myself to be treated in such a manner, no

'Cause you're so fuckin' selfish, only think of yourself
Because you're incredibly self-centered, only considering your own needs

Anybody else is nothing of your interest
You show no interest whatsoever in anyone else

Treat me like a checklist, don't look so offended
You treat me as if I'm just another item on your to-do list, don't act so indignant

You know that you do it, please, don't make excuses
You're fully aware of your behavior, so please, don't justify it

You're so fuckin' selfish
You are extremely self-centered

I spent all my energy on saving you
I exhausted all my energy trying to rescue you

Lost myself while I was busy fixing you
I lost my own identity while I focused on fixing you

Give you every day, but there was no one to save me
I gave you everything every day, yet there was no one to save me

(Ooh, how could you do me like this?)
(Ooh, how could you betray me in this way?)