Dark Times
The Weeknd/Ed Sheeran Lyrics
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Mhm (mhm)
Mhm, mhm, mhm (mhm)
Mhm
Waking up, half past five
Blood on pillow and one bruised eye
Drunk too much, you know what I'm like
This ain't the right time for you to fall in love with me
Well baby I'm just being honest
And I know my lies could not make you believe
We're running in circles that's why
In my dark times I'll be going back to the street
Promising everything I do not mean
In my dark times, baby this is all I could be
And only my mother can love me for me
In my dark times (dark times)
In my dark times (dark times)
Light one up, let me bum a smoke, uh
Still coming down, dripping throat, uh
I got another man's blood on my clothes
But it ain't his fault, it's the life I chose
This ain't the right time for you to fall in love with me
My baby I'm just being honest
And I know my lies could never make you believe
Running in circles that's why
In my dark times I'll be going back to these streets
Promising everything I do not mean
In my dark times, baby this is all I could be
Only my mother could love me for me
In my dark times (dark times)
In my dark times (dark times)
In my dark times I've still got some problems I know
Driving too fast but just moving to slow
And I've got something I've been trying to let go
Pulling me back every time
In my dark times (oh) taking it back to the street (oh)
Making those promises that I could not keep
In my dark times, baby this is all I could be
Only my mother could love me for me
In my dark times taking it down to the street
Making those promises that I would never keep
In my dark times this is all I could be
Only my mother could love me for me
In my dark times (dark times)
In my dark times, no (dark times)
In my dark times
The Weeknd featuring Ed Sheeran's song "Dark Times" is a ballad that talks about the struggles of a man who is battling his inner demons, trying his best to keep his life together in the midst of everything that is going on around him. The opening lines "Waking up, half past five, blood on pillow and one bruised eye, drunk too much, you know what I'm like, but you should've seen the other guy" speaks about the aftermath of a night of drinking, violence and self-destruction. The man is trying to be transparent to his partner, knowing the kind of person he is and how not everything is rosy about his life.
The chorus of the song, "In my dark times, I’ll be going back to the street, promising everything I do not mean, In my dark times, baby, this is all I could be, and only my mother can love me for me," talks about how he keeps going back to his old habits and ways, promising things he cannot fulfill, and how his mother is the only one who truly knows and loves him for who he is. The second verse starts on a rather vulnerable note, "Light one up, let me bum a smoke, still calming down, dripping throat, I got another man's blood on my clothes, but an endless fog's the life I chose," where he is still struggling to get his life together, seeking solace in smoking and trying to calm himself down.
The song paints a picture of a man struggling to keep his life together, who knows what he is doing is not healthy or the right thing to do, but still cannot help himself. The phrase "In my dark times" signifies that he is aware of the mistakes he makes, and how he retreats back to his dark corners when things get tough. The underlying message is that it's never too late to try and turn things around, but it is not easy, and it takes time.
Line by Line Meaning
Waking up, half past five
Starting another day, but it's early in the morning
Blood on pillow and one bruised eye
Physical evidence of a violent altercation
Drunk too much, you know what I'm like
Using alcohol to cope with pain and trauma
But you should've seen the other guy
Implied that the other person was worse off
This ain't the right time for you to fall in love with me
The singer is warning their partner that they are not in a good place emotionally
Baby I'm just being honest
The singer is admitting their flaws and issues
And I know my lies could not make you believe
The partner has been lied to before and cannot believe the singer's words
We're running in circles that's why
Their relationship is not progressing and is stuck in a cycle
In my dark times I'll be going back to the street
When feeling overwhelmed, the singer turns to dangerous habits
Promising everything I do not mean
The singer makes empty promises to themselves and others
In my dark times, baby this is all I could be
The singer is struggling and cannot be anything more for their partner currently
And only my mother can love me for me
The singer believes their flaws and issues make them unlovable except for by their mother
Light one up, let me bum a smoke
Asking for a cigarette to calm nerves
Still calming down, dripping throat
The singer is still recovering from the violent altercation earlier
I got another man's blood on my clothes
The singer was involved in a physical fight and is now wearing evidence
But an endless fog's the life I chose
The singer is stuck in a cycle of their own choices
In my dark times I've still got some problems I know
Acknowledging that their issues persist even in the present
Driving too fast but just moving to slow
The singer is making reckless decisions and not moving forward in life
And I've got something I've been trying to let go
The singer is dealing with an issue that they are struggling to move on from
Pulling me back every time
Their issue is constantly resurfacing and hindering progress
Taking it back to the street
Returning to dangerous habits and environments
Making those promises that I could not keep
The singer knows they make empty promises and cannot follow through
In my dark times this is all I could be
Reiterating their inability to be more at the moment
Only my mother could of loved me for me
Believing that only their mother truly loves them for who they are
In my dark times
Referring to moments of struggle and difficulty
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jason Quenneville, Edward Christopher Sheeran, Abel Tesfaye
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind