If You Want Love
NF is the stage name of rapper and composer Nate Feuerstein from Gladwin, M… Read Full Bio ↴NF is the stage name of rapper and composer Nate Feuerstein from Gladwin, Michigan. Feuerstein endured a hardship-filled childhood in which his parents divorced, his mother's boyfriend physically abused him, and his mother eventually killed herself. Music was his escape, and he began recording songs on a karaoke machine, with instrumentals on one microphone and his raps in the other. Placing second in a nationwide Fine Arts Festival rap competition in 2008, and first in Michigan the following year, he independently released a debut album, Moments, in 2010. The album attracted the attention of Xist Music, which signed him to a recording deal in 2012, by which time Feuerstein had taken on the stage name NF. The label announced the release of an EP that same year, but it never appeared, and NF and Xist parted ways. NF spent the next two years looking for a label and working with local producer Tommee Profitt in his studio; they came up with the song "Wake Up," which convinced Capitol Christian Music Group to sign him. CMG released a six-song (including a Manny Marroquin remix of "Wake Up") self-titled EP late in the summer of 2014. His debut album, Mansion, was released in early 2015 and reached number 62 on the Billboard 200 while topping the Christian Albums chart. The aptly titled Therapy Session followed in 2016 and also topped the Christian Albums chart with its raw emotions and honest lyrics. The following Summer saw the release of the singles "Outro" and "Green Lights", in anticipation of the arrival of his third studio long player, Perception, which dropped later that October. NF achieved mainstream popularity in 2017 with Perception; the album charted at number one in the United States and was certified platinum, while its third single, "Let You Down", reached number twelve on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and was a top-ten hit internationally. He achieved similar commercial success with his follow-up The Search (2019). Feuerstein's most recent album, Hope, released on April 7, 2023, had commercial success and peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard 200.

If You Want Love
NF Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I just need some time, I'm tryna think straight
I just need a moment in my own space
Ask me how I'm doin', I'll say "okay," yeah
But ain't that what we all say?
Sometimes I think back to the old days
In the pointless conversations with the old me
Yeah, back when my momma used to hold me
I wish somebody woulda told me

If you want love, you gon' have to go through the pain
If you want love, you gon' have to learn how to change
If you want trust, you gon' have to give some away
If you want love, if you want love

Yeah, as a kid I used to think life
Is moving so slow, I watch it go by
Look out the window on my bus ride
I thought the world was so small, through my closed eyes
I've always tried to control things
In the end that's what controls me
Maybe that's why I'm controllin'
I wish somebody woulda told me

If you want love, you gon' have to go through the pain
If you want love, you gon' have to learn how to change
If you want trust, you gon' have to give some away
If you want love, if you want love

The older I get, I feel like I'm always tryna save time
Talkin' to the voices in my head, they make me think twice
Tellin' me it doesn't mean it's wrong because it feels right
I'm scared that one day I wake up and wonder where the time go
Talk about the past like it's the present while I rock slow
I'll sit in the living room and laugh with kids of my own
And tell 'em

If you want love, you gon' have to go through the pain
I wish you woulda told me
If you want love, you gon' have to learn how to change
I wish somebody woulda told me
If you want trust, you gon' have to give some away
You gon' have to give
If you want love, if you want love
If you want love, if you want love

Overall Meaning

In this song, NF addresses the issues he’s faced in his past, the issues that he has with himself, and the things he’s learned from his experiences. He takes the listener back to his childhood, where he didn’t have a lot of control over his life, and he longs for his simpler, happier times before. He then talks about how he’s tried to control everything in his life since then, and how it’s ultimately been his downfall. NF then talks about how he wishes that someone had told him that if he wanted love, he was going to have to go through the pain, learn how to change, and give some trust away. He reminisces on his journey and encourages listeners to learn from his mistakes.


The song is a deep reflection on the struggles that everyone goes through in life, especially in relationships. It’s about learning from those struggles and growing as a person.


Overall, the lyrics are very relatable as most people have had to learn the lessons that NF sings about the hard way. It’s important to learn from those lessons, and that is what NF is trying to express.


Line by Line Meaning

I just need some time, I'm tryna think straight
I need some space to clear my head


I just need a moment in my own space
I need solitude to reflect


Ask me how I'm doin', I'll say 'okay', yeah
I'll put on a brave face and pretend everything's fine


But ain't that what we all say?
Don't we all hide our struggles and put on a facade?


Sometimes I think back to the old days
I reminisce about my past


In the pointless conversations with the old me
I think about the old version of myself and how I've changed


Yeah, back when my momma used to hold me
I remember being comforted by my mother


I wish somebody woulda told me
I wish someone had given me advice or guidance


If you want love, you gon' have to go through the pain
Love requires sacrifice and vulnerability


If you want love, you gon' have to learn how to change
Love requires growth and adaptability


If you want trust, you gon' have to give some away
Trust requires openness and honesty


Yeah, as a kid I used to think life
When I was younger, life seemed simpler


Is moving so slow, I watch it go by
Life felt like it was taking forever


Look out the window on my bus ride
I would daydream during my commute


I thought the world was so small, through my closed eyes
I had a limited perspective of the world


I've always tried to control things
I've had a tendency to be a control freak


In the end that's what controls me
My obsession with control ends up controlling me


Maybe that's why I'm controllin'
Perhaps my need for control stems from a deeper issue


The older I get, I feel like I'm always tryna save time
As I age, I feel like time is slipping away


Talkin' to the voices in my head, they make me think twice
I have inner doubts and battles that make me question my choices


Tellin' me it doesn't mean it's wrong because it feels right
My instincts may not always be right, despite feeling that way


I'm scared that one day I wake up and wonder where the time go
I fear wasting my life and not making the most of it


Talk about the past like it's the present while I rock slow
I reflect on my past as if it were still happening, while time passes by


I'll sit in the living room and laugh with kids of my own
One day, I hope to have a family and create happy memories with them


And tell 'em
And I'll advise them


I wish you woulda told me
I wish someone had given me advice or guidance (to my future children)


I wish somebody woulda told me
I wish someone had given me advice or guidance


If you want love, if you want love
If you truly desire love




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: Nate Feuerstein, Tommee Profitt

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@dimond1806

I have loved this song since the first time I heard it. It is simple and direct.... I wish more in life was like this.

@tylerbeach4727

This was a song that was real special to myself and my buddy William. We lost William a few years back to an overdose. Rest easy my friend. Forever 25. ❤

@TooUnreal4U

Rest In Peace, William

@jordancampbell6944

fly high💯

@BrookelynKirk

I'm sorry that happened..

@tannerparsons6287

Damn I've never heard this song before. Brought tears to my eyes because I'm working so hard on myself with Jesus to have a loving relationship with my mom. I have gone through pain, change, and giving trust to the process. I can see my goal coming to fruition. So blessed and this song is so relatable. Whoever wrote the lyrics knows the struggle.

@KnivesGaming13

This should have a billion views...

@cb9d90

IF U WANT TRUST!!!! YOU GOING TO GIVE SOME AWAY!!! THIS HITS HOME AND VERY HARD. SOOOOOO TRUE

@courtneymorgan9621

Yes

@Ella-mh9tj

I FEEL YOUR ENERGY AND EMOTION AND I TALK LIKE THAT 24/7

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