Pretend
Tinashe & A$AP Rocky Lyrics

Yeah, it's almost like
The vocals begin softly, as the singer starts a ponderous reflection

Can't nobody do it quite, like
No one can do it as uniquely and skillfully as the singer

I do it right
The singer is confident in her ability to perform the right way

Give it to you how you live
Provide the truth about life as it really is

Can we pretend
The question arises whether they can imagine something different

That everything is like yesterday
Imagining things haven't changed can be comforting in the present

What if I just wanna feel you touching me?
Maybe physical contact is all that's desired, with no strings attached

Ain't nobody perfect
No one is without flaws, which should be accepted

So if you take a while to make it worth it
If it takes a bit of time to get what you want, it's worth the wait

I wanna pretend
The singer desires to imagine something different

Let's pretend that we 'bout to break up
A make-up session which starts with the illusion of a breakup can be exciting

To catch the feelings that I when we make up
Both parties can experience more intense emotions and intimacy as a result of an imagined breakup

Legs up, suicide, north side
These cliches are thrown out in the heat of the moment as the singer expresses herself

We never count points when we courtside
In the game of love and sex, keeping score is not important

Let's pretend I ain't your friend
To make it more passionate and unbridled, the singer wants to forget any attachment they have as friends

So we can get it on again
Intimacy between them can be reignited if they mentally separate themselves as being friends

Let's pretend we never met
Being strangers enables them to be more spontaneous and experimental without any established expectations

A good excuse to play forget
Excusing yourself from remembering past mistakes and hurts can be liberating

Let's pretend you never lied
Pretending they were always honest allows the singer to trust and be more giving

So I can give it up all night
This allows for the possibility of a passion-filled night, with no reservations or inhibitions

Swallow my pride, and learn to forgive
To move on from past hurts, one must forgive and set aside pride

When I'm looking for love I pretend
To cope with the difficulties of finding true love, the singer pretends and creates her own version of love

It's you
The singer imagines an unattainable, ideal love interest

A love that never ends
The love she imagines is eternal and everlasting

I pretend it's you
The illusion becomes so powerful that the ideal love interest expresses itself in the real world

That I'm in love with
The singer becomes completely infatuated with the idea of this perfect lover

If we pretend that I'm happy when I'm really not
Pretending to be happy when unhappy is a coping mechanism

Pretend that I give you everything I've got
To win the affection of the other, the singer pretends to be generous and giving

Pretend that I'm there when I ain't there
Pretending to be present when not physically there is a form of emotional and psychological attachment

Pretend that I care when I don't care
To maintain relationships, one might pretend to care when they actually don't

Once upon a time, I did
There was a time when the singer cared about the relationship, but not anymore

Now I admit that I was fucking with a kid
The realization that the singer was immature in the past comes to light

Now I pretend that everything's straight
The singer is making an attempt to return to her previous self and ignore past mistakes

When everything ex covered up like pain
There is a clear attempt here to mask pain and put on a good face outwardly

Let's pretend it's my first time
To feel the excitement and wonder of a first experience, the singer wants to forget and pretend

So you can really blow my mind
The goal is to have an intense, unforgettable experience

To never fool around with you was my best deed
The singer sees previous flings and infidelities as regrettable or immoral

Stand up guy, heart up on my left sleeve
The singer is describing herself as a trustworthy and loyal person

When I could find another lover by the next week
Although the singer is holding herself to a high standard, she has been tempted in the past

Besties turn to ex-ies from a pep tease
Sometimes friendships can transition into something else, or be sabotaged by flirting

Fuck what these other niggas on, I came to flaunt
The singer is unconcerned with the opinions and actions of others, and is there to have a good time

What's that A$AP, little Saint Laurent?
The singer is admiring or acknowledging the fashion choices of someone in particular

Probably what you're thinking 'bout, the commas in my bank account
The singer is aware that her financial status and success is considered attractive by some

Pretty bitches bring em out, jiggy nigga in the house (house)
The singer is aware that attractiveness and success can draw in other attractive and successful people

When I caught her dancing by the couch (oww)
The singer is seeing someone else in a spontaneous moment, maybe even being flirtatious

With her little booty hanging out (her blouse)
The singer is noticing the inviting and tempting physical attributes of the person dancing

Sticking something in her stomach
The singer is alluding to the actions of someone else, perhaps not approvingly

Got her screaming out "I'm coming", fronting like you really want it
The singer is describing someone else in the heat of passion or making a sacrifice to keep the other person happy

Still my nigga though
Even though the singer is critical of someone else, she still considers the person a friend and ally

You
The ideal love interest is once again being invoked

A love that never ends
The desire for an eternal, perfect love is reiterated

I pretend it's you
The singer is immersing herself once more into the imagination of the perfect love

That I'm in love with
The fantasy has become a fundamental part of the singer's emotional and psychological being

Can we pretend?
The singer ends the song with the same question she began with, suggesting a cycle that will continue