Some artists undergo reinventions. What Nathaniel Rateliff accomplishes on his first LP with the Night Sweats — transforming himself from folk troubadour to funky soul bandleader — is a revelation. Rateliff comes on like Van Morrison fronting Booker T. & the MG's, reviving the glory days of the Stax label.
How To Make Friends
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of people most hated
You were right above me
Or no one ever told you
I′m content to lay here
How'd we ever come to be so stiff?
Maybe I should crawl outHide myself in the waves of doubt
Everybody knows you
Nobody′s gonna want you
When everybody knows you
Nobody's gonna want you
Never to confront you
Man, but who would really want to?
We could write a letter
For them to read together
You hate because you're lazy
And me, I′ve always been afraid
Well, no one really sold you
You really got your hands in you
Everybody knows you
Nobody′s gonna want you
When everybody knows you
Nobody's gonna want you
Everybody knows you
Everybody knows you
Everybody knows you
Everybody knows you
The song "How To Make Friends" by Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats is a reflection on the experience of being ostracized and marked unworthy of social connections. The opening lines of the song "I was on the short list, of people most hated" evoke the distressing feeling of being disliked and not fitting in with the group. The singer appears resigned to their fate, as observed in the line "I'm content to lay here". The lyrics reflect on the loneliness and self-doubt that often comes with being ostracized, and the difficulty of breaking free from negative cycles of thought and behavior.
The song also highlights the false comfort that some people derive from blaming others for their own shortcomings. The lyrics "You hate because you're lazy, and me, I've always been afraid" suggest that both individuals in question may be responsible for their own isolation in some way. The idea of being known for one's negative traits is explored in the repetition of the line "Everybody knows you, nobody's gonna want you" throughout the song. This implies that these traits may be so ingrained that they have become part of one's social identity, making it even harder to break free from the cycle of loneliness and rejection.
Line by Line Meaning
I was on the short list
I was among the few people who were disliked.
Of people most hated
I was among the most disliked people.
You were right above me
You were more disliked than me.
Or no one ever told you
Or maybe you never knew.
I'm content to lay here
I am comfortable staying here.
How'd we ever come to be so stiff?
How did our relationship become so awkward?
Maybe I should crawl out
Maybe I should try to change the situation.
Hide myself in the waves of doubt
Hide in the uncertainty and confusion.
Everybody knows you
Everyone is aware of you.
Nobody's gonna want you
No one will desire you.
When everybody knows you
When everyone is familiar with you.
Never to confront you
Never to face you.
Man, but who would really want to?
But who would really want to confront you?
We could write a letter
We could try to communicate through writing.
For them to read together
For both of us to read the letter together.
You hate because you're lazy
You dislike me because you are too lazy to make an effort with me.
And me, I've always been afraid
And I am afraid of confronting you.
Well, no one really sold you
No one convinced you of anything.
You really got your hands in you
You are in control of yourself.
Everybody knows you
Everyone is aware of you.
Nobody's gonna want you
No one will desire you.
When everybody knows you
When everyone is familiar with you.
Everybody knows you
Everyone is aware of you.
Everybody knows you
Everyone is aware of you.
Everybody knows you
Everyone is aware of you.
Everybody knows you
Everyone is aware of you.
Writer(s): Nathaniel David Rateliff
Contributed by Liliana F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.