The Need To Know
Wale Lyrics


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(I guess maybe some little problems could arise
Well, there always a few
I mean, if anything happened and we couldn't be friends the way we are now
That would really be bad
Devastating
Because this is very good
And that would be good
That would be good too
The idea is to combine the this and that)

Mm, tryna keep it low
Keep 'em on the need to know
Tell e'rybody that we're just friends
But to be honest that plutonic shit's for TV shows
Same place, we were with different folks
Case closed if they crack the code
Is it me, or is you cold?
'Cause the feelings you ain't showin' pokin' out your clothes
Go put a sweater on or get a room
Forbidden fruit, swim in your juice
Lot of ways I can get to you
But my train of thought is tryna get you out your ch-ch-choo

Still we keep it low
Keep 'em on that need to know
Cause somebody tell somebody
And somebody then sorry but somebody gon' need to go

I'm not tryna pressure you
Just can't stop thinkin' 'bout you
You ain't even really gotta be my boyfriend
I just wanna know your name
And maybe some time
We can hook up
We can hang out, we could just chill

Mm, so tryna keep it low
Keep 'em all on the need to know
Tell 'em all that we're just cool
As far as me and you, we got a simple code
Spendin' nights, well that's optional
No telephones in the afternoon
I know that overthinkin' only leads to subtweetin'
Every time your ass in the mood
Mm, sharin' thoughts when we share a room
Though we barely talk when we share a room
Mm, in the dark, still see your curves
Body like what, swear to God you a miracle

Mm, so we keep it low
Keep 'em on the need to know
Mm, 'cause somebody tell somebody
And somebody then sorry but somebody gon' need to go, mm

I'm not tryna pressure you
Just can't stop thinkin' 'bout you
You ain't even really gotta be my boyfriend
I just wanna know your name
And maybe some time
We can hook up
We can hang out, we could just chill

(I mean let's say what if we did
What if
Is that like the end of the world or something
Certainly not
Why shouldn't we be able to do that once in a while if we want to
I know
I mean really what is the big deal we go in there
We're in there for a while and then we come back out here
It's not complicated
It's almost stupid if we didn't
It's moronic
Absurd)

I'm not tryna pressure you
Just can't stop thinkin' 'bout you
You ain't even really got to be my boyfriend
I just wanna know your name
And maybe some time
We can hook up




We can hang out, we could just chill, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey

Overall Meaning

The Need To Know by Wale is a song about two people who are attracted to each other and trying to keep their casual relationship private. The lyrics showcase the desire to keep their connection a secret from others and the fear that if they were to be caught, things would go awry. The opening line suggests some reservations about the situation despite the obvious attraction between the two. Wale sings "I guess maybe some little problems could arise, well there always a few. I mean, if anything happened and we couldn't be friends the way we are now, that would really be bad, devastating because this is very good, and that would be good, that would be good too. The idea is to combine the this and that." This emphasizes that the two characters want to keep the good thing they have going, but they're afraid of things going wrong if they change their situation.


The song's chorus repeats throughout the song, emphasizes that they only want to keep the relationship between the two of them, and hide it from others. They don't want to complicate things, and want to keep it simple. Even though they both like each other, they don't want to rush into anything and just want to take things slow. The lyrics suggest that they're both interested in starting something more serious, but they don't want to pressure each other or ruin what they have.


Overall, the song portrays the complexity of relationships and how hard it can be to navigate our feelings. We want to be seen as cool and collected, but emotions often complicate things. The Need To Know is a relatable and heartfelt track that captures the thoughts and feelings of many people who are in a similar situation.


Line by Line Meaning

Mm, tryna keep it low
I am trying to keep our relationship low-key


Keep 'em on the need to know
We need to keep others in the dark about us


Tell e'rybody that we're just friends
We are publicly pretending to be just friends


But to be honest that plutonic shit's for TV shows
Our platonic facade is only for show, not reality


Same place, we were with different folks
We were both at the same place but with other people


Case closed if they crack the code
We do not want others to find out the truth about us


Is it me, or is you cold?
Are you distant towards me or is it just my imagination?


'Cause the feelings you ain't showin' pokin' out your clothes
I can see that you have hidden feelings for me


Go put a sweater on or get a room
Either express your feelings or stop sending mixed signals


Forbidden fruit, swim in your juice
I am attracted to you and I want to indulge in that attraction


Lot of ways I can get to you
I have multiple options to pursue you


But my train of thought is tryna get you out your ch-ch-choo
I am trying to coax you out of your shell and into a romantic relationship


Still we keep it low
We are still keeping our relationship low-key


Cause somebody tell somebody
If our secret gets out, it will cause trouble


And somebody then sorry but somebody gon' need to go
If someone breaks our trust, they will have to face the consequences


I'm not tryna pressure you
I do not want to force you into anything you are not comfortable with


Just can't stop thinkin' 'bout you
I am constantly thinking about you and our potential relationship


You ain't even really gotta be my boyfriend
I am open to a casual relationship with you


I just wanna know your name
I want to get to know you on a deeper level


And maybe some time
I am open to taking our relationship slow


We can hook up
I am open to a casual physical relationship with you


We can hang out, we could just chill
We can spend time together and enjoy each other's company without any pressure


Mm, so tryna keep it low
I am still trying to keep our relationship low-key


Tell 'em all that we're just cool
We are still pretending to have a strictly platonic relationship


As far as me and you, we got a simple code
We have an unspoken understanding between us


Spendin' nights, well that's optional
We do not have to spend every night together


No telephones in the afternoon
We do not want any interruptions during our time together


I know that overthinkin' only leads to subtweetin'
I understand that overthinking can lead to sharing our relationship online


Every time your ass in the mood
Whenever you are in the mood for something more, I am too


Mm, sharin' thoughts when we share a room
Even though we do not talk much, we have a strong connection


Though we barely talk when we share a room
Our connection is not based on constant communication


Mm, in the dark, still see your curves
Even when it is dark, I can still see your beauty and am attracted to you


Body like what, swear to God you a miracle
Your body is a wonder and I am in awe of it


Mm, so we keep it low
We are still keeping our relationship a secret


Mm, 'cause somebody tell somebody
If anyone finds out, it will cause complications


And somebody then sorry but somebody gon' need to go, mm
If someone breaks our trust, there will be consequences for them


Hey, hey, hey
Closing refrain


I mean let's say what if we did
Let us entertain the possibility of taking our relationship to the next level


What if
Hypothetically speaking


Is that like the end of the world or something
Would it be so bad if we took a chance on each other?


Certainly not
It would not be the end of the world


Why shouldn't we be able to do that once in a while if we want to
Why not explore our attraction for each other if we both want to?


I mean really what is the big deal we go in there
What is the harm in trying to pursue a romantic relationship?


We're in there for a while and then we come back out here
We could try out a relationship and if it does not work out, we can go back to being friends


It's not complicated
It does not have to be a complex situation


It's almost stupid if we didn't
It would be foolish to not explore our feelings for each other


It's moronic
It would be idiotic to not take a chance on each other


Absurd
It would be ridiculous to not pursue a romantic relationship between us




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bobby Hebb, Olubowale Victor Akintimehin, Julian Gramma, Carvin Haggins, Taalib Johnson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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