"I Lied" is a confession of true feelings by the artist. In the song, she a… Read Full Bio ↴"I Lied" is a confession of true feelings by the artist. In the song, she admits that she lied to her lover about not loving them, not needing them, and not wanting to be touched by them, all for the purpose of protecting herself from heartbreak. She explains that she cannot let herself fall in love with them because she is afraid they will hurt her or leave her, which is why she lies to keep them at a distance. Nicki understands that her lover is a heartbreaker, and she cannot risk giving them her heart. Nonetheless, deep down, she knows that she has feelings for them, and the thought of being with them makes her happy. She acknowledges that it is hard to let someone in and fear rejection, but in the end, she realizes that she cannot keep lying to herself. So, the song tells us that it is normal for people to lie to protect themselves from getting hurt, especially when they have been hurt before. However, it is not okay to hide true feelings, and it takes courage to admit them.

I Lied
Nicki Minaj Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
I lied, I lied, I lied
To keep you from breaking my heart

Even though I said I didn't love you

I lied, I lied
Even though I said I didn't need you
I lied, I lied
To keep you from breaking my heart, ooh
To keep you from breaking my heart, ooh

Even though I said don't touch me
I lied, I lied
I can't fall for you, can't give my all to you
Can't let you think that I'ma let the game stall for you
Gotta protect me you gotta sweat me
You said you thought you was ready and I said let's see
But I ain't mean that, I need some fucking proof
'Cause what happens if I fall in love then you cut me loose?
You just a heart breaker won't let you break mine
'Cause I'll be smashing windows and cutting them brake lines

I lied
'Cause who knew that if I just let myself go with you
Who knows, who knows, so I lied
To keep you from breaking my heart, ooh
To keep you from breaking my heart, ooh

Even though I said, "Fuck you"
I lied, I lied

I thought eventually you would let me go
That was my insecurities and my ego
Missed my jump shot missed my free throw
Miss the way we kiss miss the D, yo
Man it was good while it lasted
That shit wasn't real it was magic
If it was a record it would have been classic
But fuck you though, orgasmic

I guess this is what I gotta do to keep me from falling
Stalling the truth, who knew what you'd
Do if I let you in?
My mama ain't raised no fool, I
I am not your usual typical type
Who would protect me if I never hide?
Falling so fast I am afraid of you, so I lied

I lied, I lied
To keep you from breaking my heart, ooh
To keep you from breaking my heart, ooh oh
I lied
Ooh baby
Ooh

'Cause who knew that if I just let myself go with you

Overall Meaning

In Nicki Minaj's song, "I Lied," the lyrics are about lying to someone to protect oneself from getting hurt. The song begins with the repeated line "I lied, I lied, I lied, to keep you from breaking my heart," which sets the theme for the entire song. Even though Minaj claims she doesn't love the person she's singing to or need them, she also admits that she lied to keep them from leaving her. She tells them not to touch her and says she can't give her all to them because she needs to protect herself from getting hurt, but she also says she needs proof that they won't cut her loose if she falls in love with them.

As the song progresses, Minaj confesses that she thought the person would eventually let her go, but she misses being with them. She acknowledges that their relationship wasn't real but felt magical and would be a classic record if it were one. However, Minaj ends the song by repeating the line "I lied, I lied, to keep you from breaking my heart," and confesses that she's afraid of falling in love with this person and lied to protect herself.

Overall, "I Lied" is a vulnerable and honest track by Nicki Minaj. The lyrics delve into the fear people have of getting hurt and the lies they may tell to protect themselves. The song showcases Minaj's emotional range, and fans appreciated the softer side of her.

Line by Line Meaning

I lied, I lied, I lied
The singer admits to lying, but explains that it was to prevent heartbreak

Even though I said I didn't love you I lied, I lied
The singer actually loves the person, but lied to prevent getting hurt in the future

Even though I said I didn't need you I lied, I lied
The singer actually needs the person, but lied to protect herself from potential heartbreak

To keep you from breaking my heart, ooh To keep you from breaking my heart, ooh
The singer repeats that her lies were to prevent heartbreak

Even though I said don't touch me I lied, I lied
The singer wants to prevent getting attached to the person, but actually wants to be touched

I can't fall for you, can't give my all to you Can't let you think that I;ma let the game stall for you
The singer cannot allow herself to fall in love or fully commit to the person, and doesn't want to slow down her own life for them

Gotta protect me you gotta sweat me You said you thought you was ready and I said let's see
The singer wants the person to prove their readiness and commitment to her before she fully lets them in

But I ain't mean that, I need some fucking proof 'Cause what happens if I fall in love then you cut me loose?
The singer is scared of getting hurt if she falls in love and the person leaves her

You just a heart breaker won't let you break mine 'Cause I'll be smashing windows and cutting them brake lines
The singer won't let the person break her heart, and threatens to retaliate if they try

'Cause who knew that if I just let myself go with you Who knows, who knows, so I lied
The singer is unsure of what could happen if she allows herself to be vulnerable with the person, but lied to protect herself

Even though I said, "Fuck you" I lied, I lied
The singer said hurtful things to the person, but lied because she actually still cares

I thought eventually you would let me go That was my insecurities and my ego
The singer was scared of being trapped or hurt by the person, but realizes it was due to her own fears and ego

Missed my jump shot missed my free throw Miss the way we kiss miss the D, yo
The singer regrets losing the person and misses intimate moments they shared

Man it was good while it lasted That shit wasn't real it was magic If it was a record it would have been classic But fuck you though, orgasmic
The relationship was enjoyable, but the singer acknowledges it wasn't real and was purely physical

I guess this is what I gotta do to keep me from falling Stalling the truth, who knew what you'd Do if I let you in?
The singer is aware that her lies are a defense mechanism to prevent herself from falling in love and getting hurt

My mama ain't raised no fool, I I am not your usual typical type Who would protect me if I never hide? Falling so fast I am afraid of you, so I lied
The singer is independent and doesn't want to be vulnerable in a relationship. She lies because she fears falling too fast and getting hurt

Ooh baby Ooh
The singer repeats a vocalization signifying her emotions towards the situation

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Nicki Minaj, Marcus Anthony Bell, Michael Len Williams, Esther Dean, Stephen Robert Hybicki

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS