The song serves as a sequel to the band’s 2012 cut “Baby Came Home,” which appears on the I’m "Sorry…" EP. It is speculated that both songs are about lead singer Jesse Rutherford’s former relationship with Anabel Englund.
Baby Came Home 2 / Valentines
The Neighbourhood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With some money on the floor
And box that's hidden under her bed
I was only twenty two
With a pocket full of truth
But I gave her everything that I had
We were born and raised in the Golden State
Mommy's gone and daddy's doing his best
Social security's paying the rent, ooh
The landlord called, she said you gotta go
Little one you just lost your, ooh, yeah
She was five foot four
Getting money on tour
But her socks were at the end of my bed
Got our names tattooed on each other
Just to prove to each other
That we'd do what we said
Only took a few days
'Til our minds were made up
And we thought we should try it again
I was only seventeen when we first tried things
When she first made me feel like a man, oh
Who am I gonna call?
Who's gonna catch me when I
Who's the one you're sleeping with?
Who
Don't you sit in front of me
And wait for me to talk
You can call me up
Phone works two ways, you know
This time baby
And I think that I'll be just fine
I wish I could say the same for you
I, yeah I do
I, hey
The Neighbourhood's song Baby Came Home 2 / Valentines is a tale of two relationships that are connected but at different times in the singer's life. The title of the song suggests that there is a first version of the story, with the "2" implying that this is an updated or continuation of sorts. The first verse takes us back to when the singer was only 22 years old and fell in love with a girl who is described as being 5'4" and with some money on the floor. She had a box hidden under her bed, which could suggest that she was hiding something, but this is never fully explained. Despite the fact that he was living in poverty, the singer gave her everything he had, suggesting he loved her deeply. The second half of the verse hints at a difficult childhood, with the singer being raised on Section Eight (public housing) and relying on social security to pay the rent. The landlord calls and tells them they have to go, leading to a sense of loss and uncertainty.
The second half of the song takes us forward in time to when the singer is older and has been touring. He and his partner had each other's names tattooed on themselves to prove their commitment to one another. Despite a hasty start, it only took a few days for them to realize they wanted to be together again. The singer reflects on the fact that he was only 17 when this relationship began, and he was made to feel like a man for the first time. The final lines of the song are mysterious and somewhat enigmatic, with the singer asking who he can call, who will catch him, and who his partner is sleeping with. He tells her that the phone works both ways and implies that he feels he will ultimately be okay, even if she may not be.
Overall, the song appears to explore themes of love, loss, commitment, and uncertainty. The singer has experienced significant difficulties in his life and relationships, but he is still searching for companionship and support.
Line by Line Meaning
She was five foot four
Describing the physical attributes of the singer's love interest.
With some money on the floor
The woman has some wealth or money lying on the floor.
And box that's hidden under her bed
The woman has a box that is hidden under her bed.
I was only twenty two
The artist was only 22 years old.
With a pocket full of truth
The artist was honest and truthful.
But I gave her everything that I had
The singer gave his all to his love interest.
We were born and raised in the Golden State
The singer and his love interest were born and raised in California.
Mommy's gone and daddy's doing his best
The artist's parents are no longer together, and his father is doing his best to raise him.
I was brought up great living section eight
The artist grew up great despite living in a low-income area (Section 8 housing).
Social security's paying the rent, ooh
The artist's family is relying on social security to pay their rent.
The landlord called, she said you gotta go
The singer is being evicted from his home by the landlord.
Little one you just lost your, ooh, yeah
The artist has lost his home and perhaps everything else.
She was five foot four
Describing the physical attributes of the singer's love interest at a later stage in their relationship.
Getting money on tour
The singer's love interest is making money from touring.
But her socks were at the end of my bed
Despite her success, the singer's love interest still keeps her socks at the end of his bed.
Got our names tattooed on each other
The artist and his love interest have gotten each other's names tattooed on their bodies as a sign of commitment.
Just to prove to each other
The tattoos symbolize their love and commitment to each other.
That we'd do what we said
The tattoos shows that they are serious about their relationship promises.
Only took a few days
Their commitment grew quickly and strongly.
'Til our minds were made up
Once they decided to be together, they were sure of it.
And we thought we should try it again
They had tried to be together before and were giving it another chance.
I was only seventeen when we first tried things
The artist was only 17 when they first attempted to be together.
When she first made me feel like a man, oh
His love interest made him feel mature, grown up, and masculine.
Who am I gonna call?
The artist is unsure who to turn to for help and support.
Who's gonna catch me when I
The singer is unsure who will be there to catch him when he falls.
Who's the one you're sleeping with?
The singer suspects his love interest is cheating on him and wants to know who she's seeing.
Don't you sit in front of me
The singer is tired of his love interest withholding information and avoiding conversation.
And wait for me to talk
He wants her to actively participate in the conversation and not just wait for him to do all the talking.
You can call me up
The artist is willing to listen and talk if she calls him.
Phone works two ways, you know
Communication is a two-way street and he expects her to communicate with him as well.
This time baby
He's suggesting that their relationship has been on and off multiple times and that this is their final chance.
And I think that I'll be just fine
The artist thinks he'll be OK whether their relationship works or not.
I wish I could say the same for you
The artist doubts that his love interest will survive without their relationship.
I, yeah I do
The artist is certain of his feelings and thoughts about their relationship.
I, hey
A final expressive exclamation to the ending of the song.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ZACHARY ABELS, JEREMY FREEDMAN, BRANDON FRIED, MIKE MARGOTT, JESSE RUTHERFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@amelforeal
i love how he sings like he’s either really tired/sad/drunk
@Pureserpent
I never realized that’s why I loved him too
@Aids_Viscunti
He's sick, and tired too
@suzukimuzukii
1:47 best part
@user-xy8wy3dp8f
matamu best part
matamu picek
@suzukimuzukii
I was in such a bad mental state when i commented this i forgot about it
@Quartercheeseburger
@@suzukimuzukii yea I don’t blame u.
@Tom-vf2sk
@@suzukimuzukiihuh wdym, thats legit the best part/popular part of this song, why is everyone mad
@mayadravenwood3526
To me this song feels like when everything got you down and it's hard to let go. But you know letting go is for the best. Leaving and getting everything back on track. It's beautiful and sad at the same time. I love this song ❤️❤️
@JoseFernandez-yu1ot
Life’s a bitch when it comes down to that. 💔