Macy Gray was originally hesitant to record a studio album due to what is, arguably, her most recognizable feature -- her voice. She started her music career as a songwriter. Her first album was actually a mistake; she was at the studio waiting for the person who was supposed to be singing her song, and the producer wanted to hear what one of the songs was supposed to sound like. Once she started singing, the producer liked the rough sound of her voice so much he offered her a record deal.
Love Lockdown / Buck
Macy Gray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What I had to do, had to run from you
I'm in love with you but the vibe is wrong
And it haunted me all the way home
So you never know, never never know
Never know enough, 'til it's over, love
'Til we lose control, system overload
I'm not lovin' you the way I wanted to
See I wanna move, can't escape from you
See I keep it low, keep a secret code
Everybody else don't have to know
Keepin’ your love locked down and you lose
I'm not lovin' you the way I wanted to
I can't keep my cool, so I keep it true
I got somethin' to lose, so I gotta move
I can't keep myself and still keep you too
So I keep in mind when I'm on my own
Somewhere far from home, in the danger zone
How many times did I tell ya for?
It finally got through, you lose
I'm not lovin' you the way I wanted to
See I had to go, see I had to move
No more wastin' time, you can't wait for life
We're just wastin’ time, where's the finish line?
Keepin’ your love locked down and you lose
Keep your love locked down
Your love locked down
Keepin’ your love locked down
Your love locked down
Keepin’ your love locked down
Your love locked down
Keepin’ your love locked down and you lose
I'm not lovin' you the way I wanted to
I bet no one knew, I got no one new
Know I said I'm through, but got love for you
But I'm not lovin' you the way I wanted to
Gotta keep it goin', keep the lovin' goin'
Keep it on a roll, only God knows
If I be with you, baby I'm confused
You choose, you choose
I'm not lovin' you the way I wanted to
Where I wanna go, I don't need you
I've been down this road many times before
I'm not lovin' you the way I wanted to
Keepin’ your love locked down and you lose
Keep your love locked down
Your love locked down
Keepin’ your love locked down
Your love locked down
Keepin’ your love locked down
Your love locked down
Keepin’ your love locked down and you lose
You lose
I'm not lovin' you like I wanted to aha
I'm not lovin' you like I wanted to aha
I'm not lovin' you like I wanted to aha
I'm not lovin' you like I wanted to aha
In "Lovelockdown / Buck", Macy Gray is commenting on a relationship that has gone wrong. She states that she is not loving the other person the way she wants to and that she had to run away from them. Macy Gray is in love with this person, but there seems to be something about the "vibe" that is just not right. She feels haunted by these feelings all the way back to her home.
Throughout the song, Macy Gray adds emphasis to the notion that people never truly know enough until it's all over. Even when she is screaming "no" repeating that they never know enough until the relationship over, it is still not enough for the other person to understand. Additionally, she talks about how she keeps the love between them locked down, maintaining a secret code which no one else is privy to. However, ultimately, this love lockdown resulted in her losing her love.
The chorus of the song states that keeping one's love locked down is a recipe for losing it. There is a sense of urgency in the lyrics, as Macy Gray realizes that there is no more time to waste on someone who is not right for her. She repeats the line "I'm not lovin' you like I wanted to" multiple times in the song, emphasizing the frustration she feels with the relationship. Ultimately, Macy Gray realizes that she cannot keep this up and decides it's time to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not lovin' you the way I wanted to
I'm not expressing love to you in the way I truly desire
What I had to do, had to run from you
I had to leave and distance myself from you
I'm in love with you but the vibe is wrong
I have strong feelings for you, but something about our relationship doesn't feel right
And it haunted me all the way home
I couldn't shake the feeling even when I left
So you never know, never never know
You may never fully understand
Never know enough, 'til it's over, love
Sometimes you don't realize the depth of what you had until it's gone
'Til we lose control, system overload
When emotions run high and everything becomes overwhelming
Screamin', "No, no, no, n-no, n-no”
Expressing a strong refusal to accept the situation
See I wanna move, can't escape from you
I want to move on, but can't seem to break free from you
Keepin’ your love locked down and you lose
Holding onto love too tightly can cause you to lose it in the end
I can't keep my cool, so I keep it true
I can't pretend to be okay, so I'm being honest
I got somethin' to lose, so I gotta move
I have too much at risk to stay in this situation and need to make a change
Somewhere far from home, in the danger zone
Being in a vulnerable and unstable place without safety or familiarity
How many times did I tell ya for?
How many times did I try to communicate this to you?
It finally got through, you lose
You didn't listen, and now the relationship is over
No more wastin' time, you can't wait for life
We can't just wait around and hope things will change, it's time to take action
Where's the finish line?
Questioning where the outcome or resolution of the situation lies
I bet no one knew, I got no one new
No one knows that I have not moved on and have not found someone new
Know I said I'm through, but got love for you
Even though I said we're over, I still care about you
Gotta keep it goin', keep the lovin' goin'
We need to keep the love in our lives going, even if it's not directly between us
If I be with you, baby I'm confused
Being with you brings me confusion and uncertainty
Where I wanna go, I don't need you
I have goals and aspirations that don't involve you
I've been down this road many times before
I've been in similar situations in the past and don't want to repeat them
I'm not lovin' you like I wanted to aha
Reiterating that the love in the relationship is not what was desired or expected
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEFF BHASKER, KANYE WEST, MALIK YUSEF JONES, LANEAH MENZIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anonymous
on I Try
Redemption Song - Macy Gray - Lyrics
Old pirates, yes, they rob I
Sold out to the merchant ships
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly
Won't you help me sing
These songs of freedom?
It’s all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds
Have no fear for atomic energy
'Cause none of them can stop the time
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look?
Some say it's just a part of it
We've got to fulfill the book
Won't you help me sing
These songs of freedom?
It’s all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
It’s all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
It’s all I ever have
Redemption songs