The music video shows the star leading a brightly coloured heist in a shining cityscape, complete with pink ski masks for the gang. The single itself showcases Barrett’s vocal power alongside a backdrop of guitar and piano overlaid with glitchy production. Barrett has previously found fame with hit single ‘la di die (ft. jxdn)’ earlier this year, a moody track blending acoustic and electric guitar sounds with jxdn’s feature rap.
Barrett says that “‘counting crimes’ is about moving on from something toxic with an empowering bad bitch energy. Admitting that you have made mistakes, but the other person has done worse than you and understanding who is really the bad guy in the situation. I hope this song inspires all the other bad bitches out there!” On the track, she sings about a lover’s indiscretions in moments of intimacy amongst the catchy new single.
counting crimes
Nessa Barrett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
Talk how you talk, walk how you walk
'Cause I'd have a problem sleeping
Wandering eyes and comfortable lies
You seem to sleep just fine
But next to you I'm holy
Oh, I'm praying for your soul now
Praying for your soul
If we're counting crimes, nickels and dimes
We'd both have riches but you'd be the richest around
Around
I could never love me again
I could never trust me again
If I did half of what you did
It's enough to make me sick
I could never love me, love me, love me again (I could never)
Keep a straight face for causing you pain
Say it's your imagination
That's what you do like you gotta prove
You're not what I've had faith in (no)
If we're counting crimes, nickels and dimes
We'd both have riches but you'd be the richest around
Around
I could never love me again
I could never trust me again
If I did half of what you did
It's enough to make me sick
I could never love me, love me, love me again
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
I could never
I could never
I don't wanna play a sick twisted game
Of who can do worse to the other
And I'll walk away
I don't wanna play, ayy
I could never love me again
I could never trust me again
If I did half of what you did
It's enough to make me sick
I could never love me, love me, love me again
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
The song "Counting Crimes" by Nessa Barrett talks about being in a toxic relationship with someone who constantly lies and manipulates. The song begins with Nessa admitting that she could never be like her partner, who she describes as having "wandering eyes" and being comfortable with lies. She acknowledges that she is not perfect but next to her partner, she feels like a saint. She prays for her partner's soul, indicating that she recognizes the negative impact their behavior is having on their relationship.
The chorus of the song talks about counting crimes and how both Nessa and her partner would have rich "nickels and dimes", but her partner would be the richest of them all due to their continuous deceitful acts. Nessa sings about how she could never love or trust herself again if she did half of what her partner did, as it is enough to make her sick.
Nessa also mentions how her partner tries to deny their actions and prove themselves, which she cannot have faith in anymore. Towards the end of the song, Nessa expresses her desire to not play any more twisted games and instead chooses to walk away, indicating that she has had enough of the toxicity in the relationship.
Overall, the song is a powerful message about recognizing toxic relationships, and how it is essential to prioritize one's mental and emotional well-being. It showcases the importance of self-love and self-respect even in challenging relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
The singer cannot be like the person they're addressing in any way.
Talk how you talk, walk how you walk
'Cause I'd have a problem sleeping
Wandering eyes and comfortable lies
You seem to sleep just fine
I'm not a saint, and I make mistakes
But next to you I'm holy
Oh, I'm praying for your soul now
Praying for your soul
The singer cannot act like the person they are addressing because that person is morally corrupt and does not show remorse for their actions.
If we're counting crimes, nickels and dimes
We'd both have riches but you'd be the richest around
Around
If they were to tally up their mistakes, both parties would be guilty, but the person being addressed would have committed more.
I could never love me again
I could never trust me again
If I did half of what you did
It's enough to make me sick
I could never love me, love me, love me again (I could never)
After seeing the amount of damage the person being addressed has done, the artist doesn't think they could ever forgive themselves for doing even half of what that person has done.
Keep a straight face for causing you pain
Say it's your imagination
That's what you do like you gotta prove
You're not what I've had faith in (no)
When confronted about their actions, the person being addressed denies culpability and tries to convince the artist that they are imagining things.
I don't wanna play a sick twisted game
Of who can do worse to the other
And I'll walk away
I don't wanna play, ayy
The singer does not want to engage in a toxic cycle of one-upping each other with their mistakes and would rather remove themselves from the situation.
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
I could never
I could never
The refrain emphasizes that the singer could never do the things the person being addressed has done.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Evan Blair, Nessa Barrett, Sarah Elizabeth Barrios, Simo Jurek Reunamaeki
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
hollaback
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
Talk how you talk, walk how you walk
'Cause I'd have a problem sleeping
Wandering eyes and comfortable lies
You seem to sleep just fine
I'm not a saint, and I make mistakes
But next to you I'm holy
Oh, I'm praying for your soul now
Praying for your soul
If we're counting crimes, nickels and dimes
We'd both have riches but you'd be the richest around
Around
I could never love me again
I could never trust me again
If I did half of what you did
It's enough to make me sick
I could never love me, love me, love me again (I could never)
Keep a straight face for causing you pain
Say it's your imagination
That's what you do like you gotta prove
You're not what I've had faith in (no)
If we're counting crimes, nickels and dimes
We'd both have riches but you'd be the richest around
Around
I could never love me again
I could never trust me again
If I did half of what you did
It's enough to make me sick
I could never love me, love me, love me again
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
I could never
I could never
I don't wanna play a sick twisted game
Of who can do worse to the other
And I'll walk away
I don't wanna play, ayy
I could never love me again
I could never trust me again
If I did half of what you did
It's enough to make me sick
I could never love me, love me, love me again
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah
I could never
Nessa Barrett
MY DEBUT EP PRETTY POISON AND KEEP ME AFRAID MUSIC VIDEO IS OUT NOW 🖤😭😭 http://nessa.lnk.to/PrettyPoison
Bree H
@Карина Асатрян yfu
Malie Jones
Why isn't there any more reply lol?
Malie Jones
Uh child anyways so..
Карина Асатрян
Что 🤷🏻♀️
Карина Асатрян
Что 🤷🏻♀️
Wolfie
Let's admit no matter how many scandals she's got in, she actually makes good music.
Ivy June
@He she makes it 🤦🏻♀️
타야
@riri u wrong mate
Amber Dowell
What scandals???