Basketball
Norma Jean Martine Lyrics
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Right here, right now
'Cause I'm tryna get over him
I'm only talking to you so sweet
So low, right now
'Cause I'm tryna forget about him
Somebody call the referee
Call my mama, call my doctor, call anybody
'Cause I'm scared of being alone
I'm a sore loser, yeah, it's bad for my ego
This ain't love
It's just basketball
Don't need trust
Just throw me up against the wall
You're my rebound, rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, boy
I call you baby, baby, baby sometimes
I keep calling, calling 'cause I need peace of mind
That I'm worth loving at all
And I can break my own fall
Sorry I'm up on the fence and my past is offensive
I don't wanna hurt again so I get so defensive
I'm scared of being alone
So I always got a boyfriend plus it's good for my ego
This ain't love
It's just basketball
Don't need trust
Just throw me up against the wall
You're my rebound, rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, boy
Taking nails into my back 'til we both get bored
Let's watch a heart won up and down my court
This just ain't love
It's just basketball
And you're my rebound, rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, rebound, boy (It's not love, it's not love)
You're my rebound, rebound, boy (It's not love)
You're my rebound, rebound, rebound, boy (It's not love, it's not love)
You're my rebound, rebound, boy (It's not love)
It's not love
It's just basketball
It's not love
Not love
The song “Basketball” by Norma Jean Martine is an intricate and poignant take on the theme of rebound relationships. The song talks about a girl who is struggling to get over her past love interest and seeks solace in a rebound boy. Throughout the lyrics, she uses the metaphor of basketball, equating the physicality and rules of the game to her personal relationships. She compares her new romantic interest to a rebound in the game, who scores against her as she falls back on the wall, and he catches her. Martine notes her skepticism about trusting and loving again, her fear of being alone, and her protective instinct of keeping her ego intact.
The girl, in her heart, knows that it is not love but just basketball, and that she is using the boy because she doesn't want to fall alone, painlessly, as she did before. She doesn't want to hurt anyone and keeps calling and trying to forget the past. But as she is on the fence and feeling defensive, she knows that this boy would be the right person to help her through this. However, the lyrics sustain the idea that she has no intention of falling for him, this is just a game that they are scoring in, and she is the score. At the end of the song, Martine reinforces the central theme and concludes that this is not love, it's just basketball.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm only under you like this
Right here, right now
'Cause I'm tryna get over him
I'm with you right now because I'm trying to move on from my past relationship
I'm only talking to you so sweet
So low, right now
'Cause I'm tryna forget about him
I'm talking to you sweetly and keeping it low because I'm trying to forget about my ex
Somebody call the referee
Call my mama, call my doctor, call anybody
'Cause I'm scared of being alone
I'm a sore loser, yeah, it's bad for my ego
I need someone to come and help me because I don't want to be alone. Losing is not good for me as it affects my ego.
This ain't love
It's just basketball
Don't need trust
Just throw me up against the wall
Our relationship is not love but just a rebound, where we don't need trust, but passion.
You're my rebound, rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, boy
You are my rebound, and I have said it repeatedly so that you don't misinterpret our relationship.
I call you baby, baby, baby sometimes
I keep calling, calling 'cause I need peace of mind
That I'm worth loving at all
And I can break my own fall
I call you baby sometimes because I need to feel loved and that I'm worth it. I want to learn to love myself.
Sorry I'm up on the fence and my past is offensive
I don't wanna hurt again so I get so defensive
I'm scared of being alone
So I always got a boyfriend plus it's good for my ego
I'm not sure about the relationship because of my past experiences. Therefore, I become defensive to protect myself. Being alone scares me, so I always have a boyfriend, which also boosts my ego.
Taking nails into my back 'til we both get bored
Let's watch a heart won up and down my court
This just ain't love
It's just basketball
We will try to make this work but might soon get bored with each other. Our relationship is not love, but just a game.
And you're my rebound, rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, boy
You're my rebound, rebound, rebound, boy (It's not love, it's not love)
You're my rebound, rebound, boy (It's not love)
You are my rebound, and I have said it repeatedly so that you don't misinterpret our relationship. It's not love.
It's not love
It's just basketball
It's not love
Not love
Our relationship is not love but just a rebound, and I want you to understand that.
Contributed by Natalie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
James Delahanty
I just learned about you from a remixed song on SXM! I absolutely love your voice! I can't wait to buy and hear the rest of your album! You're voice is amazing! You need to shove your way to the front!