The end of 2008 saw Grieves enlisting the help of friend and collaborator Budo to co-produce Together/Apart bringing his signature swiss-army knife, multi-instrumental backdrop to Grieves' hauntingly poignant narrative. The album began taking shape in New York as the two built off the success 88 Keys and Counting had generated and paired it with the intensity they developed from their live performances. The recording process began to shadow the theme of the album as it saw tracks recorded in Colorado and Washington in addition to New York, infusing it with a mixture of regional influences while still maintaining a cohesive sound. As the album neared completion the title took on a double meaning for Grieves as he explored new subject matter in the absence of trust, refuge in addiction, acceptance and honesty in self-reflection, and trying to find his place in the world without forgetting his roots.
How's It Gonna Go
Grieves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me what your thinkin'
I can't get a read on you
Anymore
I'm sick of waiting by the phone
Hoping it starts ringing
I played the fool like this before
But no more
But no more.
But no more.
I never thought that I'd be tangled in the ropes
Til the woman in my dreams took a shit inside my soul
Before that, I figured I could pay the toll
Til I understood how powerful love could be as a whole, yeah
You ain't shit til the kiss goes sour
Leaving you singing Anthony Hamilton in shower
Run around, play those games
If you think I'm gonna fall for 'em again you're crazy
And I ain't saying that I'm past it
I'm just saying you don't seem the type to even ask if
There's something we can do to be a better match
Or if we even share a common interest either one of us is passionate about
This isn't love; this is two people fucking
Each other over, making nothing out of something
Baby, you cold frontin' if you think I'm gonna stay
'Cause you can't even look me in the face
How's it gonna go?
Tell me what your thinkin'
I can't get a read on you
Anymore
I'm sick of waiting by the phone
Hoping it starts ringing
I played the fool like this before
But no more
But no more.
But no more.
But no more.
I think it's time we set it straight
It shouldn't be allowed to go another day
You dodge calls like a bullet in The Matrix
And got me waiting round and running out of my patience
Say it! Let me know the problem
If we can't work it out, then what makes you think we can share an apartment?
That's right, I heard you talking
With your girlfriends getting drunk off vodka
And I ain't saying that you're stupid
I'm just saying you and I ain't really been target practice for Cupid
Baby you know it's true
Nothing else we can do
'Cause I don't plan on continuing on as your little fool
This isn't love; this is daytime television
A soap opera with a bunch of little skeletons
I've known better, I would recognize the taste
So I think it's time we went our separate ways
How's it gonna go?
Tell me what your thinkin'
I can't get a read on you
Anymore
I'm sick of waiting by the phone
Hoping it starts ringing
I played the fool like this before
But no more
But no more.
But no more.
But no more.
In the song "How's it Gonna Go" by Grieves, the artist expresses his frustration with a relationship that lacks clarity and communication. He starts by asking his partner to tell him what she is thinking because he can no longer figure her out. He is tired of waiting for her to call and does not want to play the fool in this relationship anymore. The artist then reflects on his past experiences, acknowledging that he did not realize that he could be tangled in the ropes of a relationship until love became powerful in his life. He emphasizes that until the kiss goes sour, a person doesn't know how bad things can get. He is no longer interested in playing games and being fooled, noting that this is not love but two people just "fucking" each other over.
As the song continues, the artist urges his partner to speak up about their problems and not dodge calls like a bullet in The Matrix. He points out that they are not making progress and won't be able to share an apartment if they can't work things out. He notes that he overheard her talking with her friends and suggests that they are not meant for each other, pointing out that their relationship is more like a soap opera with little skeletons. He recognizes that he has had enough and that it's time to go their separate ways.
Ultimately, the song is about the importance of communication in relationships. Without clear communication, relationships can become sour and complex, causing unnecessary heartache and pain. The artist wants to move on from this confusing and frustrating experience and create a better life for himself.
Line by Line Meaning
How's it gonna go?
What's our future going to be like?
Tell me what your thinkin'
Communicate your thoughts and feelings to me
I can't get a read on you
I'm finding it difficult to understand you
Anymore
Things have changed between us
I'm sick of waiting by the phone
I'm tired of waiting for your call
Hoping it starts ringing
I'm hopeful that you'll call me
I played the fool like this before
I've been in this situation and acted foolishly before
But no more
I'm not going to make the same mistake again
I never thought that I'd be tangled in the ropes
I never expected to be in such a complicated situation
Til the woman in my dreams took a shit inside my soul
Until the person I loved hurt me deeply
Before that, I figured I could pay the toll
Before that, I thought I could handle the challenges
Til I understood how powerful love could be as a whole, yeah
Until I realized the intense impact love can have
You ain't shit til the kiss goes sour
The relationship isn't worth much until things go wrong
Leaving you singing Anthony Hamilton in shower
You're left feeling hurt and heartbroken
Run around, play those games
Playing games and being dishonest in the relationship
If you think I'm gonna fall for 'em again you're crazy
I'm not going to be fooled again
And I ain't saying that I'm past it
I'm not saying that I'm completely over the situation
I'm just saying you don't seem the type to even ask if
You don't seem interested in fixing our issues
There's something we can do to be a better match
There are ways we can improve our compatibility
Or if we even share a common interest either one of us is passionate about
We may not have anything in common or be passionate about the same things
This isn't love; this is two people fucking
This isn't a true, loving relationship
Each other over, making nothing out of something
Hurting each other and ruining what could have been a good relationship
Baby, you cold frontin' if you think I'm gonna stay
You're lying to yourself if you think I'll stick around
'Cause you can't even look me in the face
You're unable to face me and communicate openly
I think it's time we set it straight
We need to have an honest conversation
It shouldn't be allowed to go another day
We can't continue to ignore our issues
You dodge calls like a bullet in The Matrix
You avoid my calls and messages
And got me waiting round and running out of my patience
You're making me anxious and impatient
Say it! Let me know the problem
Speak up and tell me what's going on
If we can't work it out, then what makes you think we can share an apartment?
If we can't resolve our issues, how can we live together?
That's right, I heard you talking
I know what you've been saying to others about our relationship
With your girlfriends getting drunk off vodka
You've been talking to your friends about us
And I ain't saying that you're stupid
I'm not insulting you
I'm just saying you and I ain't really been target practice for Cupid
We haven't had much luck in love
Baby you know it's true
You know what I'm saying is true
Nothing else we can do
We've tried everything we could
'Cause I don't plan on continuing on as your little fool
I won't keep being naive and foolish
This isn't love; this is daytime television
Our relationship is a melodramatic mess
A soap opera with a bunch of little skeletons
Our relationship has many hidden problems and secrets
I've known better, I would recognize the taste
I've learned from my mistakes and won't repeat them
So I think it's time we went our separate ways
It's time for us to break up
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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