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.
Pyrite
Frank Ocean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too long since I've heard about our love.
Am I in this by myself, hey yea?
With rose colored lenses on my store bought frames
To see something other than these blues and grays.
I need something different, hey, yea, yea, yea.
Cause you ain't feeling the same
But even a fool knows when its gold, gold, gold.
I know pyrite from 24 karat, yea.
Cubic's from genuine diamond, yea.
A call from the woman who loves you and hello from a friend.
I know when it's real, I know how to tell.
I know the difference between what you say and how you feel.
Oh, oh I know when it's real.
Oh, I can tell the difference every time that you call,
But I don't need a drink I need some time in my car,
Time to drive and think, time to park and cry,
You shoulda known you were beautiful.
You shoulda known what I saw in you, yeah.
Please forgive me for feeling like it's all your fault.
A heavy heart can't carry blame for the loss.
Who knows? Maybe I'm crazy, that's one big maybe.
But even a fool knows when its gold, gold, gold.
I know pyrite from 24 karat, yea.
Cubic's from genuine diamond, yea.
A call from the woman who loves you and hello from a friend.
I know when it's real, I know how to tell.
I know the difference between what you say and how you feel.
Oh, oh I know when it's real.
You might not notice but I'm a man with pride,
And this hurts me baby deep down, deep down.
I can't let go of this, gotta know I tried.
It's pathetic baby don't lie, don't lie.
I'm a candle, you're the sun
And you're burning baby, you're burning baby.
Burning up, burning up
Burning up, burning up, burning up, yeah.
Pyrite from 24 karat yeah.
Cubic's from genuine diamond yeah.
A call from the woman who loves you,
And hello from a friend.
We'll never be more than friends
We'll never be.
The song Pyrite by Frank Ocean revolves around the theme of a deteriorating relationship, where one partner is feeling neglected and unappreciated. The line "Babe, just say you miss me. Is it that hard?" shows the desperation and frustration of the singer who wants his partner to express their love for him. He feels like he is in this relationship alone as his partner is distant and unresponsive. The use of the phrase "rose-colored lenses" shows that he is trying to see something good in the relationship, but everything appears to be colorless.
The singer feels like he knows the difference between true love and fake love, hence the line "I know pyrite from 24 karat, yea". He is aware of the fakeness in the relationship and can distinguish between superficial love and genuine love. The line "A heavy heart can't carry blame for the loss" portrays how the singer is struggling to cope with the breakup and doesn't want to hold grudges. He wants his partner to realize and appreciate their worth before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
Babe, just say you miss me. Is it that hard?
It's been a while since I last heard from you, and I want to know if you still feel the same way about me. Why is it so difficult for you to express your emotions?
Too long since I've heard about our love.
I haven't received any news from you about our relationship in a while, and I miss talking with you about how much we care for each other.
Am I in this by myself, hey yea?
I can't help but wonder if I'm the only one who's still invested in our relationship. Do you still want us to be together?
With rose-colored lenses on my store-bought frames, to see something other than these blues and grays.
I'm trying to see our relationship in a positive light, even though things seem bleak and hopeless right now.
I need something different, hey, yea, yea, yea. 'Cause you ain't feeling the same.
I'm craving a change in our relationship dynamic because I feel like you're no longer as invested in us as you used to be.
Who knows? Maybe I'm crazy, that's one big maybe.
I'm questioning my own sanity and wondering if I'm overthinking things, but at the same time, I can't help but worry about our relationship.
But even a fool knows when it's gold, gold, gold.
Even someone who's naive and inexperienced in love can tell when something is genuine and valuable.
I know pyrite from 24 karat, yea. Cubic's from genuine diamond, yea.
I have a discerning eye when it comes to telling real from fake in relationships. I can tell when someone's not being truthful or genuine with me.
A call from the woman who loves you and hello from a friend.
I value simple gestures that show me that I'm loved and appreciated, like getting a phone call from someone who cares about me or hearing a friendly greeting from someone I know.
I know when it's real, I know how to tell.
I have a deep intuition when it comes to authentic emotions and can tell if someone truly loves me or if they're just pretending.
I know the difference between what you say and how you feel.
I can tell when someone is lying or hiding their true feelings from me, even if they say something contradictory to their true emotions.
Oh, oh I know when it's real.
I trust my instincts and intuition when it comes to love and relationships.
Oh, I can tell the difference every time that you call, but I don't need a drink I need some time in my car.
I know when there's something off in your tone or demeanor when we talk on the phone, but I don't want to drink to forget it. Instead, I need some time to myself to process my emotions before I can deal with them.
Time to drive and think, time to park and cry.
I need to go for a long drive to clear my head and contemplate my feelings. I may need a quiet place to park and let myself cry so that I can release these pent-up emotions.
You shoulda known you were beautiful.
I wish you could see how special and valuable you are to me. I hope you know that you're beautiful in my eyes.
You shoulda known what I saw in you, yeah.
I hope you understand why I was drawn to you in the first place and what qualities made me fall in love with you.
Please forgive me for feeling like it's all your fault.
I know that I shouldn't blame you for how I feel, but I can't help but feel frustrated and hurt by our relationship's current state.
A heavy heart can't carry blame for the loss.
It's unfair to place blame on you, even though I feel like we've lost something valuable. It's not your fault that things didn't work out the way we had hoped.
You might not notice but I'm a man with pride, and this hurts me baby deep down, deep down.
I may not always show it, but I have a strong sense of pride and self-worth that's being deeply hurt by our failing relationship right now.
I can't let go of this, gotta know I tried.
Even though our relationship seems to be falling apart, I can't give up on it yet. I need to know that I tried everything in my power to make it work before I can let it go.
It's pathetic baby don't lie, don't lie.
I know that my determination to hold onto our relationship may seem pathetic or desperate, but I can't help how I feel.
I'm a candle, you're the sun, and you're burning baby, you're burning baby.
I feel like I'm clinging to you for warmth and light, like a candle, but you're actually the one who's shining bright like the sun and leaving me behind in your wake.
Burning up, burning up, burning up, yeah.
I feel like I'm slowly burning up and fading away, unable to keep up with your energy and enthusiasm for life.
We'll never be more than friends, we'll never be.
Even though we may have started out as lovers or partners, it seems like we're destined to become no more than friends, and that's okay. Sometimes things just don't work out the way we had hoped.
Contributed by Maya E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@HishighnessMrL
Babe, just say you miss me. Is it that hard?
Too long since I've heard about our love.
Am I in this by myself, hey yea?
With rose colored lenses on my store bought frames
To see something other than these blues and grays.
I need something different, hey, yea, yea, yea.
Cause you ain't feeling the same
Who knows? Maybe I'm crazy, that's one big maybe.
But even a fool knows when its gold, gold, gold.
I know pyrite from 24 karat, yea.
Cubic's from genuine diamond, yea.
A call from the woman who loves you and hello from a friend.
I know when it's real, I know how to tell.
I know the difference between what you say and how you feel.
Oh, oh I know when it's real.
Oh, I can tell the difference every time that you call,
But I don't need a drink I need some time in my car,
Time to drive and think, time to park and cry,
You shoulda known you were beautiful.
You shoulda known what I saw in you, yeah.
Please forgive me for feeling like it's all your fault.
A heavy heart can't carry blame for the loss.
Who knows? Maybe I'm crazy, that's one big maybe.
But even a fool knows when its gold, gold, gold.
I know pyrite from 24 karat, yea.
Cubic's from genuine diamond, yea.
A call from the woman who loves you and hello from a friend.
I know when it's real, I know how to tell.
I know the difference between what you say and how you feel.
Oh, oh I know when it's real.
You might not notice but I'm a man with pride,
And this hurts me baby deep down, deep down.
I can't let go of this, gotta know I tried.
It's pathetic baby don't lie, don't lie.
I'm a candle, you're the sun
And you're burning baby, you're burning baby.
Burning up, burning up
Burning up, burning up, burning up, yeah.
Pyrite from 24 karat yeah.
Cubic's from genuine diamond yeah.
A call from the woman who loves you,
And hello from a friend.
We'll never be more than friends
We'll never be
@arjunsantiago4385
Enthusiastical experience of Warm-sadness. Mixed with deep affection, nostalgia, and indecisive certainty. Cool on the outside, hot in the middle.
He knows he's unsure. He knows he is hurting. He knows his instincts have not failed him. He knows she is at fault. He knows he's at fault. He knows it's all his fault. He knows everything is still alright.
He knows it all is simultaneously true.
He knows something needs to change. He knows something is missing. He knows he misses her. He knows she misses him. He knows everything is perfect.
He knows she's the one, but she isn't the one.
He knows he should run. He knows he needs to stay and dance.
He knows that words don't always align with our true sentiment.
He knows he needs to take control, while relinquishing some to her and fate.
He knows they need time. He knows they don't have time to waste.
He's knows-he doesn't know, yet still knows.
PS. But who knows, maybe I'm crazy.
@lugbanyeah
This was the very first frank ocean song I heard in middle school on tumblr I recorded it on my phone and would listen to it everyday walking home by myself.
@quanathan
so cool
@timothy9734
Thanks for sharing your memories 💜
@voac1491
I like this as short of a story it is
@edenturin282
Beautiful story, I felt the exact same
@dt1036
@Eden Turin did you cry?
@ubidoo9906
"Put rose colored lenses on these store bought frames, to see something other than these blues and greys" I love that line
@mello1289
When I hear this song I act as if I’m singing to myself.
If anyone is looking at this in 2020, remember to love yourself and tell yourself that you are enough.
@belmaris__
Wow. I never thought of this song that way. I’m gonna cry when I get home now 😭
@ChellinaAchol
I agree it's an ode to loving yourself in all its complicated forms. Stay true to yourself.