The song has our Canadian crooner inviting listeners to take a real look at his lifestyle – Abel has nothing to hide. Self destruction, chasing fame, relationships with women and drugs are all major themes throughout the album. The track was produced by Kanye West, who approached Abel first.
"'Everyone’s a character on my album, and [Kanye’s] production, voice, and input is a character, too. There’s so much detail in his sessions, and he definitely helped craft who I’ve been, subconsciously, for the past few years. To actually be with him and talk to him and work with him, it’s just like coming to life…Kanye needed to be on this album, because I feel like I’m going through what he’s been going through—reinventing himself and pushing the boundaries. And he looks at himself as pop. He says, “I’m a pop artist. You can’t put me in one category.'"
In addition to producing this track, Kanye also styled Abel for his GQ shoot where he sported the first Yeezy Collection with Adidas.
Also after much speculation of there being no OVOXO revival, Drake, the 6 God himself, decided to drop a freestyle remix over top of this song.
This beat was originally slated for inclusion on Kanye West’s unreleased 2014 album So Help Me God. West later released an unfinished track with this beat called “When I See It” to SoundCloud.
Tell Your Friends
The Weeknd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not tryna go in that direction
These niggas, they been doing too much flexin'
And they about to call the wrong attention
And I don't got no patience, no more testin'
I do shit how I want, don't need no blessin'
XO niggas ain't nothin' to mess with
Nobody stopping us, oh no, we destined
And everybody 'round you is so basic
I'm never rockin' white, I'm like a racist
I don't drink my liquor with a chase in
That money is the only thing I'm chasin'
And some dope dimes on some coke lines
Gimme head all night, cum four times
Baby girl just wanna smoke a pound
Do an ounce, get some dick
Tell her friends about it
Go tell your friends about it (about it)
Go tell your friends about it (about it)
Go tell 'em what you know, what you seen
How I roll, how I get it on the low (oh)
Go tell your friends about it (about it)
Go tell your friends about it
I'm that nigga with the hair
Singin' 'bout poppin' pills, fuckin' bitches
Living life so trill
Last year I did all the politickin'
This year I'ma focus on the vision (the vision)
I think these hoes deserve another fixin' (fixin')
I'm talkin' 'bout the ones from the beginnin' (oh, oh)
Don't believe the rumors, bitch, I'm still a user
I'm still rockin' camo, I still roll with shooters
I'm a villain in my city, I just made another killin'
I'ma spend it all on bitches (on bitches)
And everybody fuckin', everybody fuckin' (fuckin')
Pussy on the house, everybody fuckin' (fuckin')
Man, I miss my city, man, it's been a minute (been a minute)
MIA a habit, Cali was the mission
Cruise through the west-end in my new Benz
I'm just tryna live life through a new lens
Drivin' by the streets I used to walk through
When I had no crib, I guess you call that shit a miracle
Go tell your friends about it (about it)
Go tell your friends about it (about it)
Go tell 'em what you know, what you seen (oh)
How I roll, how I get it on the low (oh, woah-oh, oh)
Go tell your friends about it (about it)
Go tell your friends about it
I'm that nigga with the hair
Singin' 'bout poppin' pills, fuckin' bitches
Living life so trill
Roll some, roll some
Roll some
Roll some
Roll some
Roll some
Yeah
My cousin said I made it big and it's unusual (unusual)
She tried to take a selfie at my grandma's funeral
Used to roam on Queen, now I sing Queen street anthems (Queen street anthems)
Used to hate attention, now I pull up in that wagon (in that wagon)
And I was broken, I was broken, I was so broke (so broke)
I used to roam around the town when I was homeless (na, na, na, na)
Me and my Lamar would rob a nigga for his Jordans
And flip it just to get these hoes another nose fix
Now we get faded when we want girl, we got choices (we got choices)
Lay them on the fuckin' table, we got choices (we got choices)
And if they wanna fuck my niggas, they got choices (they got choices)
They told me not to fall in love, that shit is pointless
Yeah, that shit is pointless (pointless)
They told me not to fall in love, that shit is pointless
Yeah, that shit is pointless (pointless)
They told me not to fall in love, that shit is pointless
Go tell your friends about it (about it)
Go tell your friends about it (about it)
Go tell 'em what you know, what you seen (oh)
How I roll, how I get it on the low (woo)
Go tell your friends about it (woo)
Go tell your friends about it
I'm that nigga with the hair
Singin' 'bout poppin' pills, fuckin' bitches
Living life so trill
Life so trill
Ah, yeah
Life so trill
Life so trill
Oh
Life so trill
Na, na, na, na, na
Life so trill
Life so trill
Life so trill
In The Weeknd's song "Tell Your Friends," the artist is talking about how he is not like other rappers, that he's made it on his own terms, and that he is not interested in their lifestyles. He compares himself to others in the industry who he views as too showy and too focused on outwardly projecting an image of wealth and success. Instead, The Weeknd is content with the money he has made and the fame he has earned, and he does not need anyone's approval or validation--he's not trying to please anyone but himself.
The lyrics are also about the artists' sexual experiences and habits. He sings about wanting to have sex with beautiful women all night long and to fulfill his desires. He's not ashamed of his lifestyle choices and is willing to be open about them, even bragging about how many times he can orgasm. The lyrics suggest that he wants to be known for his partying and womanizing, which is something he believes makes him cool and desirable.
Overall, "Tell Your Friends" is a song about The Weeknd's journey to success, his independent spirit, and his sexual desires, all set to a beat that is both energetic and atmospheric.
Line by Line Meaning
We are not the same, I am too reckless
I'm not like other people, I take risks and do things my own way
I'm not tryna go in that direction
I don't want to end up like other people who have been flexing too much
These niggas, they been doing too much flexin'
Other people have been showing off too much
And they about to call the wrong attention
They're going to attract negative attention
And I don't got no patience, no more testin'
I don't have the patience for testing or waiting anymore
I do shit how I want, don't need no blessin'
I do things my own way and don't need anyone's approval
XO niggas ain't nothin' to mess with
People associated with XO shouldn't be messed with
Nobody stopping us, oh no, we destined
We are destined for success and no one can stop us
And everybody 'round you is so basic
The people around you are all the same and uninteresting
I'm never rockin' white, I'm like a racist
I never wear white clothes, it's like I'm discriminating against them
I don't drink my liquor with a chase in
I don't mix my alcohol with something else
That money is the only thing I'm chasin'
I'm only chasing after money
And some dope dimes on some coke lines
I'm surrounded by attractive women and cocaine
Gimme head all night, cum four times
She gave me oral sex all night and I ejaculated four times
Baby girl just wanna smoke a pound
The girl just wants to smoke a lot of weed
Do an ounce, get some dick
We'll smoke an ounce of weed and have sex
Tell her friends about it
She'll tell her friends about what we did
Go tell your friends about it (about it)
Spread the word about what we did
Go tell 'em what you know, what you seen
Tell them everything you know and saw
How I roll, how I get it on the low (oh)
Tell them about how I live my life privately
I'm that nigga with the hair
I'm known for my unique hairstyle
Singin' 'bout poppin' pills, fuckin' bitches
I make music about drug use and casual sex
Living life so trill
I live a life that's both true and real
Last year I did all the politickin'
Last year I spent my time on political maneuvering
This year I'ma focus on the vision (the vision)
This year I'm focusing on my goals
I think these hoes deserve another fixin' (fixin')
I think these women should have more opportunities to get plastic surgery
I'm talkin' 'bout the ones from the beginnin' (oh, oh)
I'm talking about the women I've known since the beginning of my career
Don't believe the rumors, bitch, I'm still a user
Don't listen to rumors, I still use drugs
I'm still rockin' camo, I still roll with shooters
I still wear camouflage and associate with violent people
I'm a villain in my city, I just made another killin'
I'm seen as a bad person in my hometown and I've just made a lot more money
I'ma spend it all on bitches (on bitches)
I'm going to spend it all on women
And everybody fuckin', everybody fuckin' (fuckin')
Everyone is having sex with each other
Pussy on the house, everybody fuckin' (fuckin')
I'm providing free sex to everyone
Man, I miss my city, man, it's been a minute (been a minute)
I miss my hometown, it's been a long time
MIA a habit, Cali was the mission
I'm in the habit of being gone and California was my goal
Cruise through the west-end in my new Benz
I'm driving through the west-end of town in my new Mercedes-Benz
I'm just tryna live life through a new lens
I'm trying to live my life with a new perspective
Drivin' by the streets I used to walk through
I'm driving on roads I used to walk on when I was homeless
When I had no crib, I guess you call that shit a miracle
When I had no home, it was miraculous that I survived
My cousin said I made it big and it's unusual (unusual)
My cousin thinks it's strange that I became successful
She tried to take a selfie at my grandma's funeral
She tried to take a photo of herself at my grandmother's funeral
Used to roam on Queen, now I sing Queen street anthems (Queen street anthems)
I used to roam on Queen Street and now I sing songs inspired by it
Used to hate attention, now I pull up in that wagon (in that wagon)
I used to dislike attention but now I'm driving a fancy car to get it
And I was broken, I was broken, I was so broke (so broke)
I was very poor and financially struggling
Me and my Lamar would rob a nigga for his Jordans
My friend Lamar and I would steal someone's sneakers
And flip it just to get these hoes another nose fix
We would sell the sneakers for money so that women could get more plastic surgery
Now we get faded when we want girl, we got choices (we got choices)
Now we can get high whenever we want, we have options
Lay them on the fuckin' table, we got choices (we got choices)
We can put drugs on the table, we have options
And if they wanna fuck my niggas, they got choices (they got choices)
If women want to have sex with my friends, they have options
They told me not to fall in love, that shit is pointless
People advised me not to fall in love because it's pointless
Life so trill
My life is both true and real
Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Carlo Montagnese, Kanye West, Robert Holmes, Che Pope, Abel Tesfaye, Noah Goldstein, Carl Marshall, Mike Dean
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Uglyboy_257
The hills : car accident
Can't feel my face : got burned
Tell your friends : buries himself
Starboy : suffocates himself
False alarm: shoots himself
Blinding lights: takes a beating
In your eyes : gets his head chopped off
Save your tears : shoots himself
Take my breath: gets his breath taken away
The Weekend : I got many twins I got to kill
Edit: Mama I made it in life I'm famous
@patg9351
Real Meaning:
"A few visual clues might indicate that the order these videos were released might not be the order in which they should be viewed. Indeed, Tell Your Friends ends with The Weeknd driving away in a black car (towards the hills) and The Hills begins with a black car (althought it is not the exact same car) upside down. Therefore, if we follow these visual clues, the order in which the videos should be viewed is as follows: Can't Feel My Face(Which ends with fire), Tell Your Friends (Which begins with fire and ends with a black car) and "The Hills" (which begins with a black car)
By following this order, the story of the videos becomes much darker.
The story begins with a struggling The Weeknd trying to get people to notice him at gigs. The devil then lights him on fire and kick-starts his career. The Weeknd then realizes that the deal is awful so he burries this new singing creation and shoots the devil. However, the devil is not human and therefore cannot be killed. Furthermore, he is rather vengeful. Although The Weeknd believes he is alive and free, he finds himself in a car accident that nearly kills him. As he walks into the red room, he realizes that he cannot escape the devil. The devil holds an apple reminding him that the deal is non-voidable. The two ladies that were with The Weeknd were actually the devil's minions and the near-fatal accident was actually a warning: Any further transgressions will result in death."
source:
www.vigilantcitizen.com/musicbusiness/weeknds-videos-hills-cant-feel-face-tell-friends/
@lionzzz24
The Previous Trilogy video meaning:
In Can’t Feel My Face, Tell Your Friends and The Hills which form a trilogy. When these three videos are pieced together, they tell a story about The Weeknd meeting Lucifer.
The story begins with a struggling The Weeknd trying to get people to notice him at gigs. The devil then lights him on fire and kick-starts his career.
The Weeknd then realizes that the deal is awful so he buries his new singing creation and shoots the devil. However, the devil is not human and therefore cannot be killed. Furthermore, he is rather vengeful.
The Weeknd believes he is alive and free, he finds himself in a car accident that nearly kills him. As he walks home, he realizes that he cannot escape the devil. The devil holds an apple reminding him that the deal is non-voidable. The two ladies that were with The Weeknd were actually the devil’s minions and the near-fatal accident was actually a warning: Any further transgressions will result in death.
Although the devil brought him fame and success, The Weeknd is stuck in a loop where any attempts to break free lead him right back to the devil.
@demetriuslogan5793
This man's voice can cure cancer, solve world hunger, and stop global warming.
@LoudTyler
to far there bud.
@corypotter8752
+Loud Tyler. ha
@martyalexander8744
😂😂😂
@harryw7355
True
@tomasllabres6874
tell your friends about it xD
@LTMknights41
This is my theory - In "The Hills" he crashes the car meaning in real life he finds no hope. He find the the red headed man/the devil in his home with an apple, represents temptation. He is tempted to make the deal and he does. In "Can't Feel My Face" no one is paying attention and the devil shows up to see through with the deal, by setting him on fire (making him famous) and everyone love him after that. He is famous, but he feels as though that he made a mistake. So in "Tell Your Friends" the burning bush represents a communication with god, so he spoke to god to help him and forgive him for making the deal with the devil. So the burying of himself is burying the old him that made the deal with the devil. The devil shows up and he "kills" him, but it actually only means that he is gone because he put his old self behind him and found gods forgiveness...
@QsGamer100
+Liam Mitchell Finally Someone that explains it for me
@kingirvin6371
You got it write but it's only a cry for help he has already been marked
@Chef_aleexx
that makes perfect sense.