A native of Los Angeles, California's San Pedro community, Miguel Jontel Pimentel was involved at the age of 16 with the production company Drop Squad. Three years later, he was offered a slot in Fatty Koo, and appeared on the R&B group's BET reality show, but he turned the position down and eventually signed a solo deal with distribution from major-label Universal. In 2005, "Getcha Hands Up!" was issued as a promotional solo single, and its accompanying video -- showcasing Miguel's dancing skills -- aired on BET. An album, Young & Free, was planned for release, but it was never issued. By that point, Miguel was becoming increasingly known in the underground through his collaborative work with Blu, Exile, and Daz-I-Kue.
Miguel signed a solo deal with Jive in 2007 and continued to work with underground and major-label artists. By the end of the decade, he placed songs on albums by Musiq Soulchild and Asher Roth. He experienced major growth during 2010. Jaheim's "Finding My Way Back," a song he co-wrote, reached number 12 on Billboard's R&B/hip-hop hit (and was subsequently nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best R&B Song). Miguel also co-wrote a pair of the Jam & Lewis-produced songs that appeared on Usher's Raymond v. Raymond, which topped the Billboard 200 just before Miguel made his proper solo debut with the atmospheric hip-hop soul of "All I Want Is You," a Top Ten R&B/hip-hop hit. The parent album, All I Want Is You, followed that November and reached the Top Ten of the R&B/hip-hop albums chart, as well as the Top 40 of the Billboard 200, boosted by "Sure Thing" (number one R&B, number 36 Billboard 200) and "Quickie" (number three R&B). Once Wale's Miguel-assisted Top 40 pop hit "Lotus Flower Bomb" was well on its way to platinum certification, Miguel resumed his solo output in early 2012 with a trilogy of three-song EPs dubbed Art Dealer Chic.
The intermediate releases led to Kaleidoscope Dream, which entered the R&B/hip-hop chart at number one and crossed into the Billboard 200 Top Five in October 2012. The RCA-issued full-length was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Urban Contemporary Album, while "Adorn," Miguel's second number one R&B/hip-hop single, was nominated for three awards and won for Best R&B Song. The following year, the album's "How Many Drinks?" was nominated as well. Stardom notwithstanding, Miguel remained available for outside work. "#Beautiful," a collaboration with Mariah Carey, was issued in May 2013 and went platinum. Miguel also devoted time between albums to sessions for J. Cole, Janelle Monáe, Big Sean, Jessie Ware, A$AP Rocky (the gold "Everyday"), Mac Miller (the platinum "Weekend"), and Hudson Mohawke.
Miguel's third album, Wildheart, was released in June 2015. Like his previous full-length, it debuted within the Top Five of the Billboard 200, reaching number two and landing in the same spot on the R&B/hip-hop chart. Less melodic than what preceded it, Wildheart emphasized sensual slow jams and was acknowledged with a Grammy nomination in the Best Urban Contemporary Album category. Another round of collaborations, including a duet with Dua Lipa, and singles highlighted by "2 Lovin U" (produced by DJ Premier) and the platinum-certified "Sky Walker" (featuring Travis Scott), preceded the December 2017 release of the urgent War & Leisure. Another R&B/hip-hop chart topper, it also entered the Billboard 200 at number nine. Miguel continued his extracurricular activity through 2018 with Kygo's "Remind Me to Forget" among his most commercially successful featured appearances. His next solo release was the Spanish-language EP Te Lo Dije, which peaked at number 11 on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart in 2019. Also that year, Alicia Keys' Miguel-assisted "Show Me Love" began its ascent to gold status.
A mix of smaller-scale solo output and featured appearances followed during the first few years of the 2020s. Early in the decade, Miguel was featured on tracks such as Jhené Aiko's platinum "Happiness Over Everything (H.O.E.)." The Art Dealer Chic series of EPs resumed in 2021 with a fourth volume containing the grinding "Funeral." After he was featured on Diplo's "Don't Forget My Love," Miguel saw "Sure Thing" become more popular than ever in 2023 -- thanks to TikTok -- and a re-release of the single consequently reached number 14 on the Hot 100, thereby surpassing "Adorn" as his highest-charting pop single. The singer responded that April with the smoldering slow jam "Give It to Me." ~ Andy Kellman & David Jeffries
Use Me
Miguel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I’m overwhelmed by tasty thoughts of you
Daydream, my pride is waving the white flag
Take me, yeah, ah baby
Now I know I'm sober
Just so profound
And every wall I put up
Has come crashing down
Don’t the moon pull the tide back
I love you
Use me, I'm gonna give you control
With the lights on
If I could just let go
Forgive me, it's the very first time
And I'm nervous, can I trust you
Trust me, while I take this off
With the lights on, cause it turns me on
If you're nervous, just let me show you
How to touch me, I could teach you this
Sensation, as I place my tongue on your lips
You’re overwhelmed by everything I do, oh
Curse me, now it’s such a beautiful nightmare
Don’t wake me, now baby
Now I know i’m sober, it’s just so profound
And every wall I built up
Has come crashing down
Don’t the waves pull the sand
Don’t the moon pull the tide baby
I'm yours
Use me, I'm gonna give you control
With the lights on
If I could just let go
Forgive me, it's the very first time
And I'm nervous, can I trust you
Trust me, while I take this off
With the lights on, cause it turns me on
If you're nervous , just let me show you
How to touch me, I could teach you yeah
Full collision as our body's single intertwined
Biting your lip, baby put me inside
Crucify thoughts till the moment’s on a ricochet
Purging my mind at all the power I own
Falling to forever just forgive me I was faithless
Danger in your eyes, baby you can devour me
Defile me, yeah
Use me, I'm gonna give you control
With the lights on
And if I could just let go
Forgive me it's the very first time
And I'm nervous, can I trust you
Trust me, while I take this off
With the lights on, cause it turns me on
If you're nervous, just let me show you
How to touch me, I could teach you
Use me, I'm gonna give you control
With the lights on
And if I could just let go
Forgive me it's the very first time
And I'm nervous, can I trust you
Trust me, while I take this off
With the lights on, cause it turns me on
If you're nervous, just let me show you
How to touch me, I could teach you
Use me, I'm gonna give you control
With the lights on
And if I could just let go
Forgive me it's the very first time
And I'm nervous, can I trust you
Trust me, while I take this off
With the lights on, cause it turns me on
If you're nervous, just let me show you
How to touch me, I could teach you
Use me
In "Use Me," Miguel sings about surrendering control to a lover in a seductive encounter. He uses vivid imagery to describe the physical sensations and emotions involved in giving oneself over to another person. The opening lines, "Sedate me, so that your salty is sweet / I'm overwhelmed by tasty thoughts of you," set the tone for the rest of the song, as Miguel allows himself to be consumed by desire. He acknowledges his nervousness and lack of experience, but ultimately trusts his partner to guide him through the experience.
Throughout the song, Miguel compares the force of his attraction to that of natural phenomena, such as waves and the moon. He also references the idea of breaking down walls and barriers, suggesting that this experience is one of vulnerability and openness. The bridge, "Full collision as our bodies single intertwined / Biting your lip, baby put me inside / Crucify thoughts till the moment's on a ricochet / Purging my mind at all the power I own," is particularly sensual and intense, depicting the physical act of giving oneself over completely to another person.
Overall, "Use Me" is a song about sexual surrender and trust in a relationship, portrayed through vivid imagery and passionate verses.
Line by Line Meaning
Sedate me, so that your salty is sweet
Make me feel calm and relaxed so that even your salty taste feels sweet to me
I'm overwhelmed by tasty thoughts of you
I am consumed by longing and desire for you
Daydream, my pride is waving the white flag
I am lost in a dream-like state, surrendering my pride and submitting to you
Take me, yeah, ah baby
I am yours, baby. Take me and do with me what you will
Now I know I'm sober
I am fully aware of my feelings and desires
Just so profound
My emotions and sensations are intense and deeply felt
And every wall I put up has come crashing down
I have let go of my defenses and barriers and opened myself up to you completely
Don’t the waves pull sand
Just like the waves of the ocean move the sand, my feelings for you are strong and powerful
Don’t the moon pull the tide back
As the moon influences the tides of the ocean, your presence and love have a strong pull on me
I love you
I am deeply in love with you
Use me, I'm gonna give you control
I am willing to submit to you and give you complete control over me
With the lights on
I want to experience everything with you in full view
If I could just let go
I am struggling to fully let go and surrender myself to you
Forgive me, it's the very first time
I am new to this and may need guidance or patience from you
And I'm nervous, can I trust you
I am anxious and unsure if I can trust you with my vulnerability
Trust me, while I take this off
Believe in me and have faith in our connection as I become vulnerable and expose my true self to you
If you're nervous, just let me show you how to touch me, I could teach you this
If you are nervous or unsure, let me guide you and teach you how to pleasure me
Sensation, as I place my tongue on your lips
As I kiss you, you experience intense physical and emotional sensations
You’re overwhelmed by everything I do, oh
Everything I do to you is so powerful and overwhelming that you cannot resist me
Curse me, now it’s such a beautiful nightmare
Our intense passion and obsession feels like a beautiful but scary dream
Don’t wake me, now baby
I want to stay in this dream-like state forever, immersed in our connection
Falling to forever just forgive me I was faithless
I am falling deeply in love with you and ask for forgiveness for any past mistakes or disloyalty
Danger in your eyes, baby you can devour me
Your eyes are full of intense desire and danger, and I want you to consume me completely
Defile me, yeah
Do anything and everything to me, I am yours to use and pleasure
And I'm nervous, can I trust you
I am struggling with trust and need reassurance from you
Trust me, while I take this off
Believe in me and have faith in our connection as I become vulnerable and expose my true self to you
If you're nervous, just let me show you how to touch me, I could teach you
If you are unsure or need guidance, let me teach you how to pleasure me
Use me, I'm gonna give you control
I am willing to submit to you and give you complete control over me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WARREN FELDER, STEVE MOSTYN, ELLE VARNER, RONNIE JAMES, ANDREW WANSEL, MIGUEL PIMENTEL, NYCOLE RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind