Venting about his decision to drop the record his own way, he took to Twitter on March 1, 2011:
"i. did. this. not ISLAND DEF JAM. that's why you see no label logo on the artwork that I DID. guess its my fault for trusting my dumbass lawyer and signing my career over to a failing company. fuck Def Jam & any company that goes the length of signing a kid with dreams & talent w/ no intention of following through. fuck em. now back to my day. i want some oatmeal and toast. brunch swag."
As a member of the Odd Future (OFWGKTA) collective, his sound is distinctively soulful/r&b influenced, yet done in a way that could pass for something totally different. As Tyler, the Creator states, “It’s Smooth Ass Music About Bitches, Relationships And Being A Rich Young Nigga…But In A Swagged Out Way.”
Ocean was evacuated from the University of New Orleans to Los Angeles, California just as Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005, and stayed in Los Angeles to pursue a music career. Ocean joined Los Angeles based collective OFWGKTA, who he met through mutual friends, at the end of 2009. In the end of 2009, he met Tricky Stewart, who helped Ocean sign a contract with Def Jam Recordings as an artist, however, he was initially unable to build a relationship with the company. In 2010, he changed his name from Christopher "Lonny" Breaux to Christopher Francis Ocean via a legal website. In an April 2011 interview, Ocean intimated that his relationship with Def Jam has strengthened since the release of his mixtape. On April 28, 2011, Ocean was arrested on unspecified charges by the LAPD, and was released on the morning after on April 29, 2011. Ocean joined his OFWGKTA bandmates for the first time on tour from May 12 to May 19, 2011. On May 31, 2011, Def Jam released the single Novacane on iTunes soon followed by Swim Good Taken from his mixtape Nostalgia, ULTRA. His first 'proper' album, Channel Orange was released on July 17, 2012.
In 2016, He released the visual album Endless alongside his second studio album Blonde, following several years of delays. Blonde debuted at number one in the United States and United Kingdom.
In 2017, Ocean released several singles, including Chanel and Lens, through his Blonded Radio show, and made several appearances on other songs by artists like Calvin Harris, A$AP Mob, and Tyler, the Creator.
Day Away
Frank Ocean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(thinking 'bout him)
8 minutes ago it was all okay, yeah
I wish the year was just missing one day
I'm wishing I could forget it
'Cos it's still so hard to live with it
I'm humming to the song playing in my
And I'm looking through the pictures in
The shoebox under my bed
And I swear, every conversation that I have
Someone brings up your name
Just this one day I don't know
Maybe if I board a plane
I could be at the sunrise
Better yet grab a hammer and
Start breaking the clocks
(those damn clocks)
No, I don't wanna think about him
I don't wanna dream about him
I don't wanna talk about him
I don't wanna call him
This day doesn't even exist
I keep praying that it won't exist no more
Click-clicking my heels wishing away the day
Wish it could have been Tuesday
Just not today
Could have been Wednesday, just not today
Day
I'm clicking my heels wishing away the day
Wishing the day go away, day go away
Today go away
It's 6: 47 still thinking 'bout him
(thinking 'bout him)
Walking on 42nd tryna' clear my brain
(no, oh) he packed his luggage and he left
But some of it still remains
So for 24 hours I'll been sitting here
Staring at his baggage in my space
I'm humming to the song playing in my
Head when I first met you
And I'm looking through the pictures in
The shoebox under my bed
And I swear, every conversation that I have
Someone brings up your name
Just this one day I don't know
Maybe if I board a plane
I could be at the sunrise
Better yet grab a hammer and
Start breaking the clocks
(those damn clocks)
No, I don't wanna think about him
I don't wanna dream about him
I don't wanna talk about him
I don't wanna call him
This day doesn't even exist
I keep praying that it won't exist no more
Click-clicking my heels wishing away the day
Wish it could have been Tuesday
Just not today
Could have been Wednesday, just not today
Day
I'm clicking my heels wishing away the day
Wishing the day go away, day go away
Today go away
See I don't even wanna think about him
Or dream about him
Even just one day is one too long
There ain't no sense in bringing it
Up or bringing memory round
'Cause ain't no getting back the love is gone
I won't be crying no more no water will fall
The storm has passed and gone
And I wish amnesia would stay
I don't wanna remember
Not even for just one day
Click-clicking my heels wishing away the day
Wish it could have been Tuesday
Just not today
Could have been Wednesday, just not today
Day
I'm clicking my heels wishing away the day
Wishing the day go away, day go away
Today go away
The song "Day Away" is a melancholic reflection on a painful break-up. Frank Ocean starts the song by stating that he is thinking about someone he had been trying to forget. He expresses regret for a year he wished was a day less, so as to erase the painful memories of the past. Ocean searches through pictures and hums a song that played when he first met the person, highlighting how the end of their relationship has left him feeling lost. He is unable to avoid the thought of this person, as their name comes up on every conversation he has with other people. The chorus "click-clicking my heels, wishing away the day, wishing the day go away, day go away, today go away" presents a symbolism of a desire to escape and fast-forward through the pain.
The second verse finds the singer still consumed by his thoughts of his ex-partner. Even in the streets, he finds himself lost in his thoughts as he tries to clear his head. He is stuck with their baggage in his space, wishing that he could forget about the pain and the memories associated with the person. The chorus repeats again, strengthening the 'wishful' theme and the desire for this day to disappear. The bridge, "I won't be crying no more, no water will fall, The storm has passed and gone" shows Frank Ocean's maturity and his ability to accept that the relationship is over. He ends the song by pleading for amnesia so that he doesn't have to remember even for just one day.
Line by Line Meaning
It's 12: 07 and I'm thinking 'bout him
Frank is thinking about his ex-boyfriend at 12:07 AM
I wish the year was just missing one day
Frank wishes that this day didn't exist in the year
I'm looking through the pictures in The shoebox under my bed
Frank is reminiscing about his relationship by looking at old pictures
I keep praying that it won't exist no more
Frank wants this day to be erased from existence
See I don't even wanna think about him
Frank doesn't want to think about his ex-boyfriend
Or dream about him
Frank doesn't want to dream about his ex-boyfriend
Even just one day is one too long
Frank doesn't want to think about his ex-boyfriend for even one day
There ain't no sense in bringing it Up or bringing memory round
Frank doesn't see the point in bringing up memories of his ex-boyfriend
'Cause ain't no getting back the love is gone
Frank knows that he and his ex-boyfriend won't get back together
I won't be crying no more no water will fall
Frank has stopped crying over his ex-boyfriend
And I wish amnesia would stay
Frank wishes he could forget about his ex-boyfriend
Day I'm clicking my heels wishing away the day Wishing the day go away, day go away Today go away
Frank is wishing that this day would just go away and disappear
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TreySongzLyricsonScreen
[Verse 1]
I’ll stack these magazines in the corner
After I’m done with them
And I still got the same hope that I started with
That you’ll be in one of them
My camera shed some tears since you left him
With nothing, with nothing
[Pre-Chorus]
How am I supposed to remember?
I got the memories
But memories fade, baby
What am I gonna show to my kids, girl?
When I’m older, and my mind is telling me to forget you
What’s gonna make me remember?
[Chorus]
That’s why I was always taking pictures, pictures
‘Cause I didn’t wanna miss a thing, miss a thing
Tell me how could you take the pictures, pictures
When you knew they were all that I had left - nothing left
They were part of our history, this story
I was always taking pictures
‘Cause I didn’t wanna miss you so bad, miss you this bad
Miss you so bad, miss you so
[Verse 2]
We didn’t make love
We celebrated its invention
Confetti on the mattress - I used to have those images
Tonight I came home they were just embers in the fire
Along with my hard drive, no notes, no goodbye
[Pre-Chorus]
How the hell am I supposed to remember?
Tell me now, I got the memories
But memories don’t last...
What am I gonna show to my kids, baby?
When I’m older, and my mind’s telling me to forget you
What’s gonna make me remember?
[Chorus]
That’s why I was always taking pictures, pictures
‘Cause I didn’t wanna miss a thing, miss a thing
Tell me how could you take the pictures, pictures
When you knew they were all that I had left - nothing left
They were part of our history, this story
I was always taking pictures
‘Cause I didn’t wanna miss you
[Verse 3]
No video, no polariods
No record of the love we had
My Nikon wasn’t fast enough
To catch my heart break in half
No smiles in my picture frame, no
Just got them little basic ones that the picture frames come with
Models, wedding pictures, you know
[Chorus]
That’s why I was always taking pictures, pictures
'Cause I didn’t wanna miss a thing, miss a thing
Tell me how could you take the pictures, pictures?
When you knew they were all that I had left – nothing left
They were part of our history, this story
I was always taking pictures
'Cause I didn’t wanna miss you so bad, miss you this bad
Miss you so bad, miss you so…
@JianniCarter
I stack these magazines in the corner after I'm done with em
Then I still got the same old love that I started with
But you be in one of them
My camera shed some tears since you left em with nothing.
With nothing
How am I suppose to remember
Oooh
And all the memories.
The memories they faded
What am I gonna show to the kids girl
Oohh noo
My mind is telling me to forget you
What's gonna make me remember?
That's why I was always taking pictures.
Pictures
Cause I didn't wanna miss a thing
Miss a thing
Tell me how I could take the pictures
Pictures
When you know they were all I had left
Nothing left
They were part of our history
I was always tsking pictures
Pictures
Cause I didn't wanna miss you bad
Miss you this bad
@obrey__
I just got to experience this song for the first time... wow
@vexrich
Same
@Kiara-jm2cq
Me too
@obrey__
Kiara kind of random, but a song I really wish I could hear for the first time again is called track x by black road, new country. Suuper beautiful and haunting
@vexrich
@@obrey__ We say things like that but my favorite music sounds best when I've heard it a lot, and take a break and hear it again knowing most of the words but noticing something new in it
@obrey__
Vex Rich true.. I still feel the song, but I’m afraid of getting sick of it.. now that I think about it, this is kind of a great spot to be in. I hope I remember this when I go through a mid life crisis and romanticize youth lol
@certifiedtre_7716
So mad this song isn’t on streaming services because it’s literally one of my favorites by him 😭😭😭
@ericperalta739
agreed
@SnakeEyesBR1
why aren't you?
@certifiedtre_7716
@@lenabean0470 I’m super late seeing your reply! THANK YOU 😍😍😍