This song was intended for Yeezus II and was continued to be worked on during the So Help Me God Era.
This became “Tell Your Friends”.
When I See It
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To know some, if we both honest
Who lasts? Yeah, you lie
Spent the whole summer
Tryna be at the wrong place at the right time
But I know what's mine when I see it
I know, I know, I know when I see it
Riding down the 405, baby
If I should make it right
When I pulled up to the light
And then my phone started ringing
Diamonds in the colors of those eyes
Don't know why, but I know a sign when I see it
The opening lines of "When I See It" by Kanye West featuring The Weeknd suggest a casual plan to smoke some weed, and to talk about honesty and trust in the context of a relationship. The first verse implies a sense of distrust and deception ("you lie"), potentially stemming from a summer spent trying to make something work at the "wrong place at the right time." Despite these complications and doubts, Kanye seems to have a sense of certainty and clarity when it comes to identifying what belongs to him, whether it be a person or an opportunity. This feeling is reinforced throughout the song, as he repeats the phrase "I know when I see it" several times.
As the song progresses, Kanye describes driving down the 405 (a major highway in LA) lost in thought, pondering whether or not he should try to fix things with his significant other. His phone rings, and the mention of "diamonds in the colors of those eyes" suggests that the person calling might be the one he's been thinking about. The second verse goes on to explore this connection, depicting a conversation that's full of questions and doubts but ultimately leads to a sense of hope and reconnection. The Weeknd's haunting vocals add to the melancholic undertones of the song, which never quite reach a resolution but leave the listener with a sense of longing and mystery.
Overall, "When I See It" is a slow-burning, emotionally complex track that touches on themes of love, loss, and the difficulty of trusting oneself and others. Kanye's lyrics shine a light on the paradoxical nature of modern romance, where even when things seem uncertain and difficult, there's still a sense of hope and possibility lurking around the corner.
Line by Line Meaning
Roll some, think I'll roll some
Let's smoke something, I'm gonna try it
To know some, if we both honest
To learn something, if we are both truthful
Who lasts? Yeah, you lie
Who endures? Yes, you deceive
Spent the whole summer
Used up the entire summer
Tryna be at the wrong place at the right time
Attempting to be in the incorrect location at the appropriate time
But I know what's mine when I see it
However, I recognize what belongs to me when I observe it
I know, I know, I know when I see it
I understand, I understand, I understand when I perceive it
Riding down the 405, baby
Driving on the 405, sweetheart
Pacing, thinking, to myself
Walking back and forth, pondering, to myself
If I should make it right
Whether I ought to do the right thing
When I pulled up to the light
When I drew near to the traffic signal
And then my phone started ringing
And then my phone began making noise
Diamonds in the colors of those eyes
Gemstones in the shades of those eyes
Don't know why, but I know a sign when I see it
I don't understand why, but I recognize a signal when I perceive it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Kanye Omari West
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@yoshiglubschi
[Intro]
Let me get more volume
Nah, nah
Louder than my voice
[Verse]
Roll some, think I’ll roll some
To know some, if we both honest
Who lasts? Yeah, you lie
Spent the whole summer
Tryna be at the wrong place at the right time
But I know what's mine when I see it
I know, I know, I know when I see it
Riding down the 405, baby
Pacing, thinking, to myself
If I should make it right
When I pulled up to the light
And then my phone started ringing
Diamonds in the colors of those eyes
Don’t know why, but I know a sign when I see it
@tnemomhurb7679
Now I realized why I loved it so much , Ye made this shit
@fprv
On god this is my favorite song by The Weeknd and I found it he sampled Kanye and it all made so much sense
@HertoftheCity
@@fprv he didn’t sample kanye lol
@thedunner5627
@@HertoftheCity exactly, kanye gave The Weeknd the beat
@PedroRodrigues-ic5rg
actually mike dean did it
@Morasenpa
@@PedroRodrigues-ic5rg well , ye and No I.D already used this samole before , search not the one by the madd rapper
@MikeMackie
it's like a more uplifting Street Lights imo
@M360-w6o
migs true
@futuretyrant2905
This explains why the song is so great. YE MADE IT💀
@douglas.rodriguess
Totally!