If You Want Love
NF Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
@patriotsroc1
Unfamiliar people: "is NF a rapper or a singer?"
NF fans: "yes"
@q0xnr9dnsl
Both
@motherhoodsbeauty9279
Fun Trip he is both❤️
@patriotsroc1
@@motherhoodsbeauty9279 that's what the yes insinuates
@vanidiaogega94
lol
@papadim3320
Both
@drose4176
“Love your Parents. We are so busy growing up, we often forget they are also growing old.”
@dgrant5968
Fr
@chubs8287
That hard me so hard I'm literally shaking
@slimes80
💯