Born in Detroit in the late 80’s, Lizzo spent much of her formative years in the church, where she was raised on the gospel sounds of The Winans, The Clark Sisters, and Fred Hammond, along with mainstay secular artists such as Stevie Wonder and Elton John. At the age of 10 her family moved to Houston, TX, and Lizzo was exposed to a wide array of emerging Southern musical styles, from the trademark chopped and screwed rap tracks of the underground, to the progressive and polished R&B sounds of groups like Destiny’s Child that were raising the city’s national profile to new heights. In fact, it was after she stumbled across a Destiny’s Child performance at Wal-Mart that Lizzo—then a 5th grader-- was inspired to start writing music on her own. Over the next decade that decision would take her through the trenches of some of the most varied musical genres: R&B girl groups (I.N.I.T.I.A.L.S., Cornrow Clique), progressive rock bands (Elypseas), solo rap ventures, and electro-pop duos (Lizzo & The Larva Ink).
In 2011 she made the move to Minneapolis with Larva Ink in order to be a part of that city’s blossoming and collaborative musical community. Lizzo & The Larva Ink was well received there, and the group earned a few encouraging nods from the press. Lizzo was soon introduced to Sophia Eris and Claire de Lune, with whom she would form The Chalice, the three-piece all-female rap/R&B group that would elevate Lizzo’s profile and reputation. In 2012 The Chalice released We Are The Chalice, an album that would gain them instant local success amongst fans and critics alike, garnering City Pages’ prestigious Best New Band and Picked To Click accolades in the same year.
The success brought setbacks, though, and a falling out soon led to the demise of Lizzo & The Larva Ink. Feeling discontent with the loss of one group and the hurried blur of success of another, Lizzo was creatively drained from writing We Are The Chalice in two short months. She found herself in the throes of her first full-blown case of writer’s block. Unable to create music for herself, she began listening to several different local albums in hopes of finding inspiration. It was LAVA BANGERS, a 20-track instrumental mixtape from Doomtree producer and Minneapolis music vet Lazerbeak, that ultimately caught her ear. Beaks’ beats proved the fix for Lizzo’s problem. “I sat at home and listened to LAVA BANGERS, and when “Lift Every Voice” came on, my writer’s block was cured,” says Lizzo. “I think it revived my gospel roots. I wrote pages and pages of songs, and finally reached out to Lazerbeak, not thinking anything would come of it.”
Her timing could not have been better. Beak, impressed with Lizzo’s output with The Chalice, as well as her guest appearances on several other local releases, was looking for a change of pace from his daily Doomtree production and business responsibilities. He immediately signed on to work on some demos. Beat tapes were exchanged, songs were written, and mutual friend and musical collaborator Ryan Olson (Totally Gross National Product founder, Gayngs/Marijuana Deathsquads mastermind) was brought on board to creatively oversee the project. Olson recorded and edited all 15 tracks in his bedroom studio, bringing in laid back hype-man Cliff Rhymes along the way to add even more layers to Lizzo’s dynamic vocals.
LIZZOBANGERS is the culmination of that four-way collaboration, an album that manages to capture all of the varied musical influences of Lizzo’s upbringing and combine them with the forward-thinking experimental production style of Beak and Olson. The end result is a brave new project that encapsulates the best parts of both the familiar and the future.
Jerome
Lizzo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here we go again
Uh-uh, hee-hee
Uh, look, listen, shut up
Jerome, Jerome
Take your ass home
And come back when you're grown
Go on, take your ass home
Where the pictures have thorns
Poor little baby
Who told you that you stood a chance with this royalty?
You're so sweet, bless your heart
Can't let a pretty face distract me from business
And God as my witness, your ugly ass won't either
I'm sorry, 2 am photos with smileys and hearts
Ain't the way to my juicy parts
Boy, thank me later, looks good on paper
But love isn't easy, so I'll do the hardest part
Jerome, Jerome
Go on, take your ass home
And come back when you're grown
Jerome, ooh, Jerome
Go on, take your ass home
Where the pictures have thorns
I never said I was perfect
Or you don't deserve a good person
To carry your baggage
I know a few girls that can handle it
I ain't that kind of chick (But I can call 'em for you if you want)
I never said that you wasn't attractive
Your style and that beard, oh!
Don't get me distracted
I'm tryna be patient, and patience takes practice
The fact is I'm leaving, so just let me have this
Jerome, Jerome
Take your ass home
And come back when you're grown, oh
Jerome, ooh, Jerome
Go on, take your ass home
Where the pictures have thorns
(Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee)
Don't cry for me, baby
(Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee)
(Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee)
Oh, don't cry for me, baby
(Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee, hee)
The song "Jerome" by Lizzo is an empowering anthem for anyone who has ever had to reject someone who thought they stood a chance with them when they clearly didn't. The song starts with Lizzo telling Jerome to take his ass home and come back when he's grown. She tells him that he doesn't stand a chance with her, and she's not going to let his pretty face distract her from her work. She acknowledges that he's not the only one who has baggage, but she's not the kind of person who can handle it. She advises him to find someone who can, but that person isn't her.
Lizzo sings about the importance of not settling for someone just because they're attractive or because they're pursuing you. She reiterates that love isn't easy and that it takes hard work. She tells Jerome that she's not perfect, and she's not saying that he doesn't deserve a good person, but that good person isn't her. She lets him down gently by acknowledging his attractiveness but also telling him that she needs to practice patience and that she's leaving. In the end, she tells him not to cry for her because she doesn't owe him anything.
Overall, the song Jerome is a powerful anthem for anyone who has ever had to reject someone who thought they stood a chance with them when they clearly didn't. It's a reminder not to settle for less than you deserve and to have the strength to let someone down gently when you're just not feeling it. Lizzo's empowering lyrics and confident attitude make this song a standout track on her album Cuz I Love You.
Line by Line Meaning
Woo, oh
Starting the song with an exclamation of excitement and anticipation.
Here we go again
Acknowledging that this situation has happened before.
Uh-uh, hee-hee
Using a dismissive sound followed by a playful laugh.
Uh, look, listen, shut up
Telling someone to pay attention and stop talking.
Jerome, Jerome
Addressing a man named Jerome twice for emphasis.
Take your ass home
Advising Jerome to leave and go home.
And come back when you're grown
Suggesting that Jerome needs to mature before pursuing a relationship.
Go on, take your ass home
Repeating the advice to leave and go home.
Where the pictures have thorns
Implying that Jerome's expectations are unrealistic and will lead to disappointment.
Poor little baby
Using sarcastic sympathy to mock Jerome.
Who told you that you stood a chance with this royalty?
Asking Jerome who gave him the impression that he could be with someone as amazing as Lizzo.
You're so sweet, bless your heart
Using a Southern saying to mock Jerome's innocence.
Can't let a pretty face distract me from business
Stating that Lizzo won't let her attraction to Jerome interfere with her goals and priorities.
And God as my witness, your ugly ass won't either
Swearing that even if Jerome were ugly, Lizzo would still not be interested.
I'm sorry, 2 am photos with smileys and hearts
Apologizing for not being impressed by Jerome's attempts to flirt with her over social media.
Ain't the way to my juicy parts
Saying that Jerome's tactics are not effective in getting her attention and affection.
Boy, thank me later, looks good on paper
Explaining that Jerome might look good as an idea or on paper, but not in reality.
But love isn't easy, so I'll do the hardest part
Acknowledging that finding love is difficult, but Lizzo is willing to put in the effort for the right person.
I never said I was perfect
Admitting flaws and limitations in herself.
Or you don't deserve a good person
Saying that Jerome deserves someone who is a good match for him and who is genuinely interested in him.
To carry your baggage
Implying that Jerome has personal issues or baggage that he needs to deal with before entering a relationship.
I know a few girls that can handle it
Suggesting that there might be other people who are better suited to help Jerome with his issues.
I ain't that kind of chick (But I can call 'em for you if you want)
Declining to take on Jerome's baggage or problems, but offering to help him find someone who can.
I never said that you wasn't attractive
Clarifying that she does find Jerome physically appealing.
Your style and that beard, oh!
Complimenting Jerome's appearance and sense of style.
Don't get me distracted
Reminding herself not to let her attraction to Jerome affect her judgment.
I'm tryna be patient, and patience takes practice
Acknowledging that waiting for the right person can be difficult and requires practice.
The fact is I'm leaving, so just let me have this
Stating that she is not interested in pursuing a relationship with Jerome and wants to move on.
Don't cry for me, baby
Telling Jerome not to be upset or emotional about the situation.
Oh, don't cry for me, baby
Repeating the advice not to cry or be upset.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Adam Levin, Casey Harris, Melissa Viviane Jefferson, Samuel Nelson Harris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@agios.tsukios2417
Woo, oh
Here we go again
Uh-uh, hee-hee
Uh, look, listen, shut up
Jerome, Jerome
Take your ass home
And come back when you're grown
Jerome, Jerome
Go on, take your ass home
Where the pictures have thorns
Poor little baby
Who told you that you stood a chance with this royalty?
You're so sweet, bless your heart
Can't let a pretty face distract me from business
And God as my witness, your ugly ass won't either
I'm sorry, 2 am photos with smileys and hearts
Ain't the way to my juicy parts
Boy, thank me later, looks good on paper
But love isn't easy, so I'll do the hardest part
Jerome, Jerome
Go on, take your ass home
And come back when you're grown
Jerome, ooh, Jerome
Go on, take your ass home
Where the pictures have thorns
I never said I was perfect
Or you don't deserve a good person
To carry your baggage
I know a few girls that can handle it
I ain't that kind of chick (But I can call 'em for you if you want)
I never said that you wasn't attractive
Your style and that beard, oh!
Don't get me distracted
I'm tryna be patient, and patience takes practice
The fact is I'm leaving, so just let me have this
Jerome, Jerome
Take your ass home
And come back when you're grown, oh
Jerome, ooh, Jerome
Go on, take your ass home
Where the pictures have thorns
Don't cry for me, baby
(Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee)
(Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee)
Oh, don't cry for me, baby
(Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee, hee)
@coopertichelbaut1231
Lizzo is honestly the full package, she has sooooo many different types of music that she has made a song with
She has..
-soul
-pop
-rap
-hip hop
-etc.
Not only that, but she delivers such a good message that has helped me with my body positivity, and her music can honestly get so many people through the day.
@ejgonzal13
As someone named Jerome I feel both honored and conflicted. Hahaha. I guess I will just take my ass home.
@cgpcgp3239
ejgonzal13 Better call tyrone. But you cant use her phone.
@d3fierce
Same
@bwell6941
ejgonzal13 ....😂😂
@bwell6941
Age to Perfection .....😂😂...Clever!
@Savvynlady
😀😀😀😀
@MsMckenna2000
i don’t understand how she comes out with all of these songs that are just as good as the last like how is that possible
@mihaiesanu9945
Ikr
@JazSimone
True... And different vibes too...
@desiree2desire
Right. Its kinda rare.