In the same article, Grady speaks about how the "The Idea of You" came about:
"'I wrote it after telling a girl I had a shaky history with that I still loved her. She said, ‘I think you love the idea of me’ but even if that was the case, just thinking of her made me feel fuzzy and that was enough. When I played it for [lovelytheband’s Mitchy Collins] he said he wanted to hop on and it was a wrap.'"
The Idea of You
Grady Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think I kissed you once
Yeah, we drank an ocean
Out that Pyrex cup
And when I woke up you still hadn't gone (still hadn't gone)
Hey, I heard that you went sober
And it's going good
Let's pass out on the sofa
I'll ignore the fact you're turning me on (turning me on)
You said that I love the idea of you
More than I love you, baby
But my head feels warm when you're on my mind
Tan lines in the fall, the color is fading
Everything's changing around me
I just couldn't bear it seeing you cry
Take my life and make it yellow
Even if I'm scared to settle
Love to kiss you on the face
I'm in love with all your freckles
Maybe I'm not like the guys
That you pick most of the time
But I know that I make you smile
That much you just can deny
Love how you forgive the things
That you don't know 'bout my past
I bring you up to my friends
Even though they didn't ask
I know you don't think it's true
But it feels like home whenever I'm with you, oh
You said that I love the idea of you
More than I love you, baby
But my head feels warm when you're on my mind
Tan lines in the fall, the color is fading
Everything's changing around me
I just couldn't bear it seeing you cry
All I want is to see you happy
Keep you smiling, keep you laughing
All I want is to see you happy
Keep you smiling, keep you laughing
All I want is to see you happy
Keep you smiling, keep you laughing
All I want is to see you happy
Keep you smiling, keep you laughing
The song lyrics of The Idea of You by Grady and lovelytheband, depict a romantic tale of a couple who started their journey with a one-night stand. The first time they spent the night together, the singer recalls kissing her once, drinking too much, and waking up to find her still there. They continue to see each other despite the fact that she's sober now. The song portrays the singer's love for this girl, and how she brings light and warmth to his life. He acknowledges that his lover thinks he loves the idea of her more than he loves her, but he differs in his feelings. When he thinks about her, he feels happy, and he wants nothing more than to see her smile and laugh.
The song expresses the idea of love that is not passionate and intense all the time but grows overtime, leading to happiness and coziness. It is about appreciating someone's small details, like their freckles, and admiring their uniqueness even though the world sees it differently. It talks about how love has the power to change the color of everything around us, meaning that this affection has the ability to bring light and joy even in dark times.
Line by Line Meaning
First time that you slept over
The first time you stayed over at my place
I think I kissed you once
I may have only kissed you once
Yeah, we drank an ocean
We drank a lot
Out that Pyrex cup
From that Pyrex measuring cup
And when I woke up you still hadn't gone (still hadn't gone)
When I woke up, you were still there
Hey, I heard that you went sober
I heard that you stopped drinking
And it's going good
And it's working out for you
Let's pass out on the sofa
Let's fall asleep on the couch
In my old garage
In my garage
I'll ignore the fact you're turning me on (turning me on)
I'll pretend that I'm not attracted to you
You said that I love the idea of you
You told me that I'm in love with the concept of you
More than I love you, baby
More than I love the real you
But my head feels warm when you're on my mind
But I feel happy and content when I think about you
Tan lines in the fall, the color is fading
Your tan lines are disappearing
Everything's changing around me
My surroundings are constantly changing
I just couldn't bear it seeing you cry
I don't want to see you upset or sad
Take my life and make it yellow
Join me and make my life brighter
Even if I'm scared to settle
Even if I'm afraid of commitment
Love to kiss you on the face
I like kissing you on the cheek or forehead
I'm in love with all your freckles
I love the little things about you, like your freckles
Maybe I'm not like the guys
I might not be like the other guys you date
That you pick most of the time
That you typically go for
But I know that I make you smile
But I know that I can make you happy
That much you just can deny
You can't deny that
Love how you forgive the things
I appreciate that you forgive me for things
That you don't know 'bout my past
That you don't know about my past experiences
I bring you up to my friends
I mention you to my friends
Even though they didn't ask
Even if they don't bring it up
I know you don't think it's true
I know you don't believe me
But it feels like home whenever I'm with you, oh
But being with you feels like being home
All I want is to see you happy
All I want is for you to be happy
Keep you smiling, keep you laughing
To keep you happy and joyful
All I want is to see you happy
All I want is for you to be happy
Keep you smiling, keep you laughing
To keep you happy and joyful
All I want is to see you happy
All I want is for you to be happy
Keep you smiling, keep you laughing
To keep you happy and joyful
All I want is to see you happy
All I want is for you to be happy
Keep you smiling, keep you laughing
To keep you happy and joyful
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Grady Lee, Mitchell Anthony Collins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Grady
THE IDEA OF YOU FT. lovelytheband IS NOW A SONG THAT YOU CAN AND IN MY OPINION SHOULD LISTEN TO
Music with Makai
1:18, “I’m in love with all your freckles.” A call back to his “a place we can always go” album. ❤️
Grady
wow, the fact that you caught that makes my heart smile
jeven ricci
always a good day when Grady drops
Victoria
kisses I love this. Been following Grady since can you hear the moon oo la la
Born
Puts a smile on my face <3 Never stop making music!
park jimin
I love it ❤️
M
I didn’t realize this song was so new but I love it sm. It’s perfect for summer and sounds like friends just having fun hanging out.
Audrey Cat
I literally love this song sm and can’t stop playing it, I’ve had it on repeat for hours. Idk how this doesn’t have more views, Definitely deserves more attention !!!!!!!!!
idk lmao
How have I only just found your music? What an absolute joy, love this so much 😄🌠🌠