“Dear April” by Frank Ocean
The lyrics of Frank Ocean’s “Dear April” are directed at a person/entity whom the narrator has very strong feelings for. And apparently that person/entity’s name is April. But it looks like they/it messed him up, as in did something negative to his heart.
What exactly April did to Frank isn’t made lavishly clear. Actually the lyrics are so ambiguously written that getting the song’s precise meaning or who its addressee is without the assistance of Frank himself is almost a futile attempt.
Some have even suggested that the song’s addressee isn’t a person but rather the month of April. And why? Because the song was released in the month in question. And secondly, April is widely considered the cruelest month of the year. Even the legendary American poet, T.S. Eliot once famously referred to this month as “the cruellest month” in his iconic 1922 poem “The Waste Land“.
And considering the song’s addressee (April) is being so cruel to Frank, it kinda makes sense when people say the addressee is none other than the cruel month. But is this really what’s happening in this song? Of course many have also rubbished that interpretation. Their arguments being it’s beyond clear that Frank is referring to an unfaithful significant other in this ballad. Furthermore according to them, the fact that the song came out in the month of April is just a coincidence.
But who is really right? Is Frank talking to the month of April? Is Frank personifying the month of April and likening her cruelty to an unfaithful lover? Or is he literally talking to a lover of his who failed to treat him well?
We guess only Frank Ocean can give us the answers to the above questions. And somehow we suspect that it’s only just a matter of time before the true identity of April is revealed.
Writing Credits
Frank wrote and produced “Dear April” alongside Daniel Aged.
Release Date
On the 3rd of April 2020, Frank officially released “Dear April” on several digital platforms. Actually he released it along with another song titled “Cayendo“.
