Fair
Normani & 6LACK Lyrics

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Two hundred days and counting, I know
You're my favorite still
When I say I won't, tell myself I don't
But I always will
Feel the way I feel
You have time to heal, I got time to kill

Play in my mind like I rehearsed it

I know I should repurpose
Ain't no faking hurt like this, nah
You carry her and all I carry are burdens
Time for me ain't working
I know heartbreak ain't perfect but

Is it fair that you moved on?
'Cause I swear that I haven't
Is it right that you've grown
And I'm still stuck in habits?
'Cause I'm finding it strange
That you're better than average
Hearts didn't break down the middle
Tell me, how did that happen?

Ooh, ooh
Ooh (yeah), yeah
Ooh, ooh
Ooh
(Baby, baby)

Baby
If we could trade places
So you'd feel betrayed and
And I can feel shameless
I carry all of the weight
And you get all of the gains
I can't take all the ways that she might touch you

'Cause it plays in my mind like I rehearsed it
I know I should repurpose
Ain't no faking hurt like this, nah
You carry her and all I carry are burdens
Time for me ain't working
I know heartbreak ain't perfect but

Is it fair that you moved on? (No fair)
'Cause I swear that I haven't (ooh)
Is it right that you've grown
And I'm still stuck in habits?
'Cause I'm finding it strange
That you're better than average
Hearts didn't break down the middle
Tell me, how did that happen?

Ooh, ooh
Ooh (yeah), yeah
Ooh, ooh

Ooh
(Baby, baby)

Overall Meaning

In Normani's song "Fair," she explores the lingering feelings and heartbreak that come with a breakup. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and disbelief as she reflects on her ex-partner moving on while she remains stuck in her own emotions.

The opening lines, "Two hundred days and counting, I know / You're my favorite still," suggest that a significant amount of time has passed since the breakup, yet Normani still holds her ex in high regard. She admits to herself that she shouldn't be holding on, but she can't help but feel the way she does. The line "Play in my mind like I rehearsed it" refers to the memories of their relationship constantly replaying in her head, as if she has practiced and memorized each moment.

Normani questions the fairness of the situation, asking if it's fair that her ex has moved on while she remains stuck in her feelings. She wonders if it's right that he has grown and she is still trapped in her old habits, unable to let go. She finds it strange and almost painful that he seems to be doing better than the average person after the breakup. The line "Hearts didn't break down the middle, tell me, how did that happen?" suggests that her ex has moved on effortlessly, while she is left to deal with the pain and heartbreak.

Overall, "Fair" dives deep into the emotional aftermath of a breakup, highlighting the complexities of moving on and the feelings of unfairness that can arise.

Line by Line Meaning

Two hundred days and counting, I know
It has been 200 days since the breakup, and I am aware of the passing time

You're my favorite still
Despite everything, you are still my favorite person

When I say I won't, tell myself I don't
Even though I try to convince myself otherwise

But I always will
I still have strong feelings for you

Feel the way I feel
I can't change the way I feel about you

You have time to heal, I got time to kill
While you have time to heal from the breakup, I feel like I'm wasting my time

Play in my mind like I rehearsed it
Thoughts of you and our past relationship constantly replay in my mind

I know I should repurpose
I know I should redirect my focus and move on

Ain't no faking hurt like this, nah
There is no pretending or faking the pain I feel from this breakup

You carry her and all I carry are burdens
You have moved on to someone else, while I am burdened with emotional baggage

Time for me ain't working
Time is not proving to be a healer for me

I know heartbreak ain't perfect but
I understand that heartbreak is not something that can be controlled or ideal

Is it fair that you moved on? (No fair)
Is it fair that you have already moved on to a new relationship? (It's not fair)

'Cause I swear that I haven't (ooh)
Because I promise you that I haven't moved on

Is it right that you've grown
Is it fair that you have grown and moved forward

And I'm still stuck in habits?
While I am still stuck in old habits and unable to move on

'Cause I'm finding it strange
Because I find it strange and unexpected

That you're better than average
That you are doing exceptionally well without me

Hearts didn't break down the middle
Our hearts did not break evenly or equally

Tell me, how did that happen?
Please explain to me, how did you recover so easily while I am still struggling?

Baby
Term of endearment, emphasizing the emotional connection

If we could trade places
If we could swap roles and experiences

So you'd feel betrayed and
So you can understand the feeling of betrayal

And I can feel shameless
So I can feel free from guilt and shame

I carry all of the weight
I bear all the emotional burden and responsibility

And you get all of the gains
And you reap all the benefits of moving on

I can't take all the ways that she might touch you
I cannot bear the thought of someone else being close to you

'Cause it plays in my mind like I rehearsed it
Because it constantly replays in my mind like a rehearsed scenario

I know I should repurpose
I know I should redirect my focus and emotions

Ain't no faking hurt like this, nah
There is no pretending or faking the intense pain I feel

You carry her and all I carry are burdens
While you have moved on with someone new, I carry the weight of emotional burdens

Time for me ain't working
Time is not healing my wounds or helping me move on

I know heartbreak ain't perfect but
I understand that heartbreak is not a flawless experience