Get to know the guy behind the lyrics – NF.
Since admitting that it’s his own life experiences that inspire his music, what better way to get to know NF than to dissect some of his older lyrics. Let’s take a look at the story behind the, Perception, hit song.
Chorus.
Feels like we’re on the edge right now
I wish that I could say I’m proud
I’m sorry that I let you down
Let you down
All these voices in my head get loud
I wish that I could shut them out
I’m sorry that I let you down
Le-le-let you down
This song relates back to the relationship between NF and his parents. NF ended up living with his dad because his mom’s boyfriend would physically abuse him. In the end, she wound up dying of a drug overdose while he was in high school. – Genius.
Verse 1.
Yeah, I guess I’m a disappointment
Doin’ everything I can, I don’t wanna make you disappointed, it’s annoying
I just wanna make you feel like everything I ever did wasn’t ever tryna make an issue for you, but, I guess the more you
Thought about everything, you were never even wrong in the first place, right? Yeah, I’ma just ignore you
Walking towards you with my head down, lookin’ at the ground, I’m embarrassed for you
Paranoia, what did I do wrong this time? That’s parents for you, very loyal?
Shoulda had my back, but you put a knife in it—my hands are full
What else should I carry for you? I cared for you, but
Verse one very much relates to the trust issues he’s been coping with his whole life. “I have horrible trust issues. Sometimes it can be OK to be careful, but trust issues can also cause a lot of problems—to the point you no longer really understand what it means to trust somebody.” NF says. – Genius.
Verse 2.
Yeah, you don’t wanna make this work, you just wanna make this worse
Want me to listen to you, but you don’t ever hear my words, you don’t wanna know my hurt yet
Let me guess, you want an apology, probably, how can we
Keep going at a rate like this? We can’t, so I guess I’ma have to leave
Please don’t come after me, I just wanna be alone right now, I don’t really wanna think at all
Go ahead, just drink it off, both know you’re gonna call tomorrow like nothing’s wrong
Ain’t that what you always do? I feel like every time I talk to you, you’re in an awful mood
What else can I offer you? There’s nothing left right now, I gave it all to you
In the second verse, NF describes a one-sided argument where he feels that he will never be right. No matter how much he states his opinion or wants to tell the other person how he is feeling, he will always be wrong in their eyes. – Genius.
Verse 3.
Yeah, don’t talk down to me, that’s not gonna work now
Packed all my clothes and I moved out, I don’t even wanna go to your house
Everytime I sit on that couch, I feel like you lecture me, eventually, I bet that we
Could have made this work, and probably woulda figured things out
But I guess I’m a letdown, but it’s cool, I checked out, oh, you wanna be friends now?
Okay, let’s put my fake face on and pretend now, sit around, and
Talk about the good times that didn’t even happen, I mean, why are you laughing?
Must have missed that joke, let me see if I can find a reaction, no, but at least you’re happy
In the third verse, NF describes the relation between “fake friends”. The term “fake friends” – when two people act like friends but aren’t true, loyal friends. – Genius.
“Let You Down” – NF
“I don’t tell you these things for pity; I tell you these things because seeing the love for this album puts a smile on my face, even if it’s a brief one. I truly feel like this moment right now is the beginning of something important not only in my personal life, but for people who feel like me.”
“Let You Down” may be a super personal song, but it’s resonated with a lot of people who are able to relate. NF has definitely paved the way for himself with his brutally honest lyrics that allow his fans to really get to know him.
