In this song, Willow is talking about how her previous lover gaslighted her in many ways, but now that she’s ‘blown it out’, or come to realize the manipulation she was under, she can move forward.
Gaslight feat. Travis Barker
Willow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And love me instead
It's not official, but I think it's common sense
Or am I insane?
I blew out the gaslight, now I feel a different way
I'll just love me instead
Love me instead
Love me instead
I like you, you like me
That's why I'm confused, I can't read the signs
So why you gotta treat me like this?
I just need to breathe so I don't go apeshit
When I wake up
I see you at night in my dreams
Yeah that too, and I
I just need some closure
Can you hit my line? Yeah
I had to tell her, just stop messing with my head
And love me instead
It's not official, but I think it's common sense
Or am I insane?
I blew out the gaslight, now I feel a different way
I'll just love me instead
Love me instead
Love me instead
Confused
I'm right here, so what we gon' do?
Act like there's something to lose
But there ain't none, but there ain't none
You really tryna (waste my time)
I need to get ya (out my mind)
We'll break the cycle
(In due time, in due time) ohh
I had to tell her, just stop messing with my head
And love me instead
It's not official, but I think it's common sense
Or am I insane?
I blew out the gaslight, now I feel a different way
I'll just love me instead
Love me instead
Love me instead
In "Gaslight," Willow sings about a turbulent relationship in which she feels confused, lacking clarity about the other person's feelings, and unsure about what she should do. She is asking her partner to stop playing with her emotions and to start loving her instead. Willow starts the song by telling her partner that she needs him/her to stop messing with her head and just love her instead, and she questions whether she must be crazy to want such a simple thing. She then makes it clear that she will no longer tolerate being emotionally manipulated and that she has taken control of the situation by blowing out the gaslight metaphorically. This action symbolizes her taking control of her own life and emotions, and it allows her to move forward without the burden of confusion that the relationship had been causing her.
The chorus repeats throughout the song, emphasizing the point that Willow has given up trying to please her partner and is choosing to love herself instead. This message provides the audience with a positive and empowering message, as it encourages self-love and not relying on others for validation. Willow further expresses her frustration with her partner's confusing behavior, and she questions their motives and just wants some closure so she can move on. Ultimately, Willow decides that it is time to break the cycle finally, and she is ready to let go and move on.
Line by Line Meaning
I had to tell her, just stop messing with my head
I had to ask my partner to stop messing with my head and change their behavior towards me
And love me instead
I want my partner to love me and treat me with respect instead of playing games and manipulating me
It's not official, but I think it's common sense
I believe that it is common sense to treat others with love and respect, even if we are not officially in a relationship
Or am I insane?
I wonder if I am being unreasonable or crazy for expecting my partner to treat me with kindness
I blew out the gaslight, now I feel a different way
I stopped allowing my partner to manipulate me and now I feel empowered and in control of my own emotions
I'll just love me instead
I have decided to love and prioritize myself rather than continuing to let my partner mistreat me
Love me instead
I am requesting that my partner show me love and respect instead of playing mind games with me
I like you, you like me
We have mutual feelings for each other
That's why I'm confused, I can't read the signs
Despite our mutual feelings, I am confused by my partner's behavior and cannot understand their true intentions or feelings towards me
So why you gotta treat me like this?
I am questioning why my partner is treating me poorly or playing games with me when we both have feelings for each other
I just need to breathe so I don't go apeshit
I need some space and time to process my emotions so that I don't become overwhelmed and react impulsively
When I wake up, I see you at night in my dreams
Even when I am not with my partner, I think about them and have dreams about them
I just need some closure
I need to have a clear understanding of where our relationship stands and what my partner's intentions are
Can you hit my line? Yeah
Can you call or message me to talk about our relationship and provide me with the closure that I need?
Confused
I am feeling uncertain and confused about our relationship
I'm right here, so what we gon' do?
Since we both have feelings for each other and are in the same place, what actions can we take to move our relationship forward in a positive way?
Act like there's something to lose
We should approach our relationship with the understanding that there are feelings and emotions at stake
But there ain't none, but there ain't none
In reality, there is nothing to lose by being honest and open with each other about our feelings and intentions
You really tryna (waste my time)
I feel like my partner is not being honest or serious about our relationship, and may be wasting my time
I need to get ya (out my mind)
I need to release my attachment to my partner and move on if they are not willing to treat me with love and respect
We'll break the cycle
We can break the cycle of negative behavior and hurtful actions in our relationship
(In due time, in due time) ohh
We will take the time needed to work on our relationship and make positive changes, even if it is a slow process
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Willow Smith, Tyler Cole
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ohmyprettygirl
This song is sooo fucking addicting it’s literally the only song I’ve played all day
@krisb8753
Same!! I love this song
@zamomkhize7871
This is literally me
@therealsirenayasmin
this sounds like it should be in an edgy 90’s teen romcom 😭
@virgo6890
YES
@mothsarelikegothbuterflies9561
Or an anime op!😭
@catleal8970
why are all her songs so criminally short
@second12ask
It’s just long enough to keep this gens attention tbh 😂
@catleal8970
@@second12ask i guess that’s fair lmao, but personally i prefer longer songs. especially if they’re from willow hah
@phlangephace
punk songs are typically short. melt banana has songs that are like 12 seconds long.