Through two short, yet very complex verses, “II. No Exit” presents the hope… Read Full Bio ↴Through two short, yet very complex verses, “II. No Exit” presents the hopeless, contradicting cycle of life for an introverted loner.

The title is likely an allusion to the 1944 play of the same name by Jean-Paul Sartre. The play revolves around three characters that have passed away and been condemned to Hell. In a similar sense, The Boy’s reclusive behavior has condemned him to a lonely and depressing life.

II. No Exit
Childish Gambino Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't go, gotta know
Please don't run away
I'm a murderer
What can I say?
Don't go, gotta know
Please don't run away
I'm a murderer
What does that change?

Can't sleep
3 A.M., stare at the ceilin', murder the feelin'
Spider crawl in the corner, brown recluse
So appropriate, cornucopia
So be it, say I'm over it
Playin' Lil Durk, "Dis Ain't What U Want"
Look at my feet, I put my sneakers in the trunk

Pass a Fatburger through Atwater village
Laugh for a minute, couldn't cry for the life of me
Park by the bridge, sit on the hood, look at the cars
Stare at my hands, look at the moon, I can't find it, it's gone
What's wrong? Didn't respond when I texted you last night, "You alright?" Yeah

Don't go, gotta know
Please don't run away
I'm a murderer
What can I say?
Don't go, gotta know
Please don't run away
I'm a murderer
What does that change?

Man is a star bound to a body inside of me
20 million degrees, burn a man to his knees

Late at night in a hurry bought a McFlurry and half of an apple pie
When I'm laughin', I'm satisfied, when I'm dyin', I'm still alive, strange position
I'm in a good mood so good I'ma kill that spider
Them kinda things they told me I no longer do that, but now you finally get it admit it
Go home, lock all the doors, fold all the clothes
Watch cartoons for an hour turn off the lights, look at the recluse
Look at the recluse
Look at the recluse
Look at the rec

Don't go, gotta know
Please don't run away
I'm a murderer
What can I say?
Don't go, gotta know
Please don't run away
I'm a murderer
What does that change?

(Don't go, don't go, don't go)
(Don't go) Don't go
Don't go, don't go, don't go

Overall Meaning

The song "II. No Exit" by Childish Gambino is a multi-layered track that deals with various themes such as insomnia, anxiety, and self-doubt. The first few lines of the chorus "Don't go, gotta know, Please don't run away, I'm a murderer, What can I say?" evoke feelings of desperation and a plea for someone to stay. In the next few lines, Gambino talks about his inability to sleep and how it affects him mentally. He talks about the spider crawling on his ceiling as a metaphor for the thoughts that are crawling in his mind, and how his anxiety makes him feel like a murderer.

As the song progresses, Gambino talks about going out and passing a Fatburger through Atwater village, but instead of being able to cry, he laughs briefly before experiencing a moment of introspection. He stares at his hands and watches the moon disappear, which further highlights the feeling of despair that he's going through. In the last verse, Gambino talks about the heat inside him burning at 20 million degrees, which is a metaphor for his anxiety and stress. He talks about buying a McFlurry and half of an apple pie, which is a strong contrast to the anxious thoughts that he's been having throughout the song.

Overall, "II. No Exit" is a powerful commentary on the human psyche, delving into the complexities of anxiety, self-doubt, and despair.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't go, gotta know
I don't want you to leave without telling me why

Please don't run away
I'm afraid you'll leave and never come back

I'm a murderer
I feel guilty for something I've done

What can I say?
There's nothing I can do or say to make it better

Can't sleep
I'm struggling with insomnia

3 A.M., stare at the ceilin', murder the feelin'
I'm awake at an ungodly hour, fighting my inner demons

Spider crawl in the corner, brown recluse
Even nature seems to reflect my dark thoughts and feelings

So appropriate, cornucopia
It's fitting that there's a variety of unsettling things around me

So be it, say I'm over it
I'll pretend to be okay, even though I'm not

Playin' Lil Durk, "Dis Ain't What U Want"
I'm listening to music that reflects my mood

Look at my feet, I put my sneakers in the trunk
I feel like I need to get away from everything

Pass a Fatburger through Atwater village
I'm trying to find comfort in food

Laugh for a minute, couldn't cry for the life of me
I'm so emotionally numb that I can't even cry

Park by the bridge, sit on the hood, look at the cars
I'm searching for distraction, even if it's just watching cars go by

Stare at my hands, look at the moon, I can't find it, it's gone
I'm feeling lost and disconnected from everything

What's wrong? Didn't respond when I texted you last night, "You alright?" Yeah
I'm worried about you, and it feels like you don't care

Man is a star bound to a body inside of me
I feel like I'm trapped in my own body

20 million degrees, burn a man to his knees
I'm feeling intense emotions that are overwhelming me

Late at night in a hurry bought a McFlurry and half of an apple pie
I'm using food as a coping mechanism

When I'm laughin', I'm satisfied, when I'm dyin', I'm still alive, strange position
I feel alive when I'm laughing, but I also feel like I'm dying inside

I'm in a good mood so good I'ma kill that spider
I'm trying to assert control over something, even if it's just killing a spider

Them kinda things they told me I no longer do that, but now you finally get it admit it
I'm doing things that I know I shouldn't be doing, but it feels necessary

Go home, lock all the doors, fold all the clothes
I feel a need for order and control in my life

Watch cartoons for an hour turn off the lights, look at the recluse
I'm trying to distract myself from my thoughts

Look at the recluse
The spider represents my fears and anxieties

(Don't go, don't go, don't go)
I'm begging you not to leave

(Don't go) Don't go
I'm terrified that you'll leave me alone

Don't go, don't go, don't go
Please don't abandon me

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ludwig Emil Tomas Goransson, Donald Mckinley Glover

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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