Raised in the Djursholm district of Danderyd, Lo is an alumna of the music school Rytmus Musikergymnasiet. She formed the rock band Tremblebee in 2006. After it disbanded, Lo pursued a career in songwriting and earned a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music in 2011. Working with producers Alexander Kronlund, Max Martin and Xenomania, she became a successful songwriter, while also recording and releasing her own compositions independently.
In 2013, Lo was signed to Universal Music, Island and Polydor. The following year, Lo rose to prominence with her debut album, Queen of the Clouds. It spawned the sleeper hit single "Habits (Stay High)", which peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, as well as "Talking Body". Her second album, Lady Wood, was released in October 2016 and debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200. Its lead single, "Cool Girl", became an international hit. Her follow-up records, Blue Lips (2017) and Sunshine Kitty (2019), also performed well, the latter spawning the song "Glad He's Gone", which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music Video.
In addition to her solo work, Lo has co-written songs for other artists, including: Lorde's "Homemade Dynamite" (2017) and Ellie Goulding's "Love Me Like You Do" (2015), a song that garnered her Grammy Award and Golden Globe nominations. She has collaborated with many artists, such as Charli XCX, Flume, SG Lewis, Dua Lipa, Kylie Minogue and Coldplay, among others.
The Pain
Tove Lo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mid-summer's pool and I fill it with secrets
You're gonna get what you've given to me
You're gonna get what you've given to me
Watch me break down and then you'll say it against me
Watching me drown like a beach on the concrete
You're gonna get what you've given to me
You're gonna get what you've given to me
Pleasure's got a thousand faces
But none of them will play the realest
Mirror all the ways, I'm lone
Spiking all my right princesses
I'm not even pulsive
Even, falling too fast
I'm forgetful
When it's hurtful, why let it last?
You're gonna get what you've given to me
You're gonna get what you've given to me
All that good shit on the table to eat
Passion and pain taste the same when I'm weak
If you break my bones, if you
I'mma hurt my soul, I'mma
Broken cassette where the love songs repeating
Follow my pattern in darkness, I see it
I see an end, though pretend that I don't
Sayin' I'll stay unafraid that I won't
If you break my bones, I'mma hurt my soul
Gonna fuck it out again and again, hmm
Stop me fooling lies, that I'll swallow down
You're gonna get what you've given to me
You're gonna get what you've given to me (hmm)
Pleasure's got a thousand faces
But none of them will play the realist
Mirror all the ways, I'm lone
Spiking all my right princesses
I'm not even pulsive
Even, falling too fast
I'm forgetful
When it's hurtful, why let it last?
You're gonna get what you've given to me
You're gonna get what you've given to me
All that good shit on the table to eat
Passion and pain taste the same when I'm weak
If you break my bones, if you
I'mma hurt my soul, I'mma
Break my bones, all way down
You're gonna get what you've given to me
You're gonna get what you've given to me
You're gonna get what you've given to me
All that good shit on the table to eat
Passion and pain taste the same when I'm weak
The lyrics of Tove Lo's song The Pain is a representation of a complicated relationship between two people. The opening lines of the song talk about how love helps the singer stay away from the deep end, while the line "Mid-summer's pool and I fill it with secrets" gives the impression that the relationship is fun, but filled with untold secrets. The next few lines ("You're gonna get what you've given to me / Watch me break down and then you'll say it against me / Watching me drown like a beach on the concrete") reveal that the relationship isn't as perfect as it may seem, and that one person is treating the other badly.
The chorus of the song ("Pleasure's got a thousand faces / But none of them will play the realest / Mirror all the ways, I'm lone / Spiking all my right princesses / I'm not even pulsive / Even, falling too fast / I'm forgetful / When it's hurtful, why let it last?") talks about how the singer is often alone and struggling to find true happiness. The line "spiking all my right princesses" may be a reference to turning to drugs to numb the pain. However, the singer also acknowledges her own faults, saying that she falls too fast and forgets the hurtful things that have happened in the relationship.
The second verse goes on to say that even though the singer knows things aren't good, she's pretending that everything is fine ("Sayin' I'll stay unafraid that I won't"). The line "If you break my bones, I'mma hurt my soul" shows that the person is trying to hurt themselves to cope with the pain of the relationship. The final chorus repeats the same lines as the first, emphasizing that the person will eventually get what they have given in the relationship.
Overall, The Pain is a song about a relationship that is filled with secrets, hurt, and pain. It shows the complexities of love and relationships and how they can affect a person's mental health.
Line by Line Meaning
Love on my moods and keep me off the deep end
Love me despite my ups and downs and prevent me from falling into darkness
Mid-summer's pool and I fill it with secrets
I have secrets I keep to myself, like a pool filled during the hot summer months
You're gonna get what you've given to me
You will receive what you have given me
You're gonna get what you've given to me
You will receive what you have given me
Watch me break down and then you'll say it against me
You wait until I fall apart before you criticize me
Watching me drown like a beach on the concrete
You watch me suffer and do nothing to help, like a beach washing away on concrete
Pleasure's got a thousand faces
There are many forms of pleasure, each with its own presentation
But none of them will play the realest
However, none of them are truly genuine
Mirror all the ways, I'm lone
I see myself reflected and realize I am alone
Spiking all my right princesses
I indulge in things that are bad for me, like I'm trying to harm myself
I'm not even pulsive
I'm not even impulsive
Even, falling too fast
I even rush into things too quickly
I'm forgetful
I forget the lessons I've learned
When it's hurtful, why let it last?
When something hurts, why let it continue?
All that good shit on the table to eat
There are many good things available
Passion and pain taste the same when I'm weak
When I am vulnerable, both passion and pain feel similar
Broken cassette where the love songs repeating
I feel stuck in a cycle of repeating the same mistakes in love
Follow my pattern in darkness, I see it
I am aware of my pattern, even in the dark moments
I see an end, though pretend that I don't
I know the end is near, but I try to ignore it
Sayin' I'll stay unafraid that I won't
I try to convince myself that I won't be scared
If you break my bones, I'mma hurt my soul
If you physically hurt me, I will emotionally hurt myself
Gonna fuck it out again and again, hmm
I will use sex as a coping mechanism repeatedly
Stop me fooling lies, that I'll swallow down
Don't let me believe lies, that I will accept without question
You're gonna get what you've given to me
You will receive what you have given me
You're gonna get what you've given to me (hmm)
You will receive what you have given me
Break my bones, all way down
If you hurt me badly enough, I will fall apart
You're gonna get what you've given to me
You will receive what you have given me
You're gonna get what you've given to me
You will receive what you have given me
All that good shit on the table to eat
There are many good things available
Passion and pain taste the same when I'm weak
When I am vulnerable, both passion and pain feel similar
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tove Lo, Finneas O'Connell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Liquid Lyrics
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TheeRealKey
who came from tiny pretty things 🥺💜
・Rosie・
Omg me!
BronxxMajesty
Loved this new series cant wait for season 2
Ayse Akbas
Same but it said it was a limited episode thing
Honey B
Is it wierd I had this show on repeat for weeks now damn I wish my ballet career took off
Ayse Akbas
I have been watching it or repeat for 10 months 😩😬😳
・Rosie・
I know bette isnt the most perfect person but she didnt deserve to go through that just imagine how scared she must have been I mean, put your self in her shoes
Magdieliz Diaz
i love this song so pretty
Erin Corbus
Spiking all my right brain senses