Keep the Family Close by Drake Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Ties that Bind and Break
Lyrics
How you can stand there is beyond me
All of my “let’s just be friends”
Are friends I don’t have anymore
How do you not check on me when things go wrong?
Guess I should’ve tried to keep my family closer
Much closer
All of my “let’s just be friends”
Are friends I don’t have anymore
Guess it’s what they say you need family for
‘Cause I can’t depend on you anymore
Always saw you for what you could’ve been
Ever since you met me
Like when Chrysler made that one car
That looked just like the Bentley
I always saw you for what you could’ve been
And even when it’s business with you it’s personal again
I knew you before you made ends meet
And now we’re meeting our end
And it’s all because you chose a side
You’re supposed to put your pride aside and ride for me
Guess it wasn’t time (yeah)
And of course you went and chose a side that wasn’t mine
You’re so predictable, I hate people like you
Kennedy Road taught me not to trust people like you
How you supposed to figure out what I’m going through?
You can’t even figure out what’s going on with you
You judge me ‘fore you met me, yeah, it figures
I make all the players anthems for the real niggas
With my dad out in Tennessee is where I belong
Out here in L.A., I don’t know what’s going on (yeah)
I don’t know what’s going on
And it’s all because you chose a side
You’re supposed to put your pride aside and ride for me
Guess it wasn’t time (yeah)
And of course you went and chose a side that wasn’t mine
You sit and you pray hoping that the stars align
My luck is a sure thing ’cause I’m living right
When I needed you, you couldn’t give me any advice
But you always had something to say every other time
Everybody that I met on the way tries to get in the way
I’m fooding and serving ’em all like I work for minimum wage
Someone up there must just love testing my patience
Someone up there must be in need of some entertainment
Forgiveness for your ways
If I ever loved ya, I’ll always love ya, that’s how I was raised
Same way I’m right here still feeling a way
Same way I’m realizing on a day to day that
All of my “let’s just be friends”
Are friends I don’t have anymore
How do you not check on me when things go wrong?
Guess I should’ve tried to keep my family closer
Much closer
All of my “let’s just be friends”
Are friends I don’t have anymore
Guess it’s what they say you need your family for
‘Cause I can’t depend on you anymore
Much closer
Any time people wanna start problems
It’s like “for real, are you dumb?”
You know who mans are?
I’m not afraid no gyal heart man
And I’m not afraid of no cyattie
And I’m not afraid of no waste yute neither
So anybody who want it can get it
Seh feh
Drake’s ‘Keep the Family Close’ is a poignant exploration of loyalty, trust, and the complexities of personal relationships. With its raw emotion and candid lyricism, the song delves into the disintegration of connections considered sacred, calling into question the very essence of what it means to keep someone close.
As we meticulously dissect the lyrics of this track, we uncover a narrative that is as much about self-reflection as it is about the disappointment found in the actions (or inactions) of others. ‘Keep the Family Close’ serves as an introspective journey, forcing listeners to confront the uncomfortable realities of human nature and the bonds we share.
The Chilling Realization of Isolation
The track opens with a metaphorical chill, a representative shiver that speaks volumes about the loneliness that creeps in when bonds are severed. Drake isn’t just referencing the physical coldness but a deeper, emotional frost that comes from feeling abandoned.
This sense of solitary confinement thickens as the artist reflects on relationships reduced to past tense – friendships that have wilted in the face of tribulation. It’s a universal experience, the bewildering silence that follows a cry for help, and Drake captures this with aching accuracy.
From Acquaintances to Strangers: The Evolution of Disloyalty
Drake weaves imagery of the Chrysler and Bentley to signify imitation and fallacy, suggesting the painful truth that sometimes, what we hoped someone could become is marred by who they truly are. This notion transcends material comparisons and cuts to the heart of human deception and disappointment.
Amidst the personal and professional spaces that have grown entangled in his life, the Toronto-bred rapper confronts the realization that people whom he entrusted with his vision could not see beyond their own ambitions – a betrayal that bleeds into every verse.
A Jarring Juxtaposition of Pride and Partnership
In a relationship, whether forged by blood or built on promises, there exists an unspoken covenant of mutual support. ‘Keep the Family Close’ hones in on the moment when this covenant is broken, outlining how the choice of self-interest over solidarity can lead to the unravelling of even the strongest ties.
Drake’s rhetorical confrontation calls out the absence of loyalty, questioning the lack of sacrifice and laying bare a truth in interpersonal connections: the expectation of standing united against the world is oftentimes a one-sided conviction.
The Hidden Meaning: A Portrait of an Artist as a Man Betrayed
Beneath the surface narrative of faltering friendships, ‘Keep the Family Close’ transpires as an allegory for Drake’s own encounters in a cut-throat industry. It’s a reflection of how public personas can magnify private pain, and how fame exacerbates the fear of disposability.
The narrative thus becomes a somber soliloquy on the part of an artist who has recognized the finitude of connections in a world that continually tests his resolve and exploits his vulnerabilities.
Memorable Lines: The Echo of Unreciprocated Devotion
‘All of my “let’s just be friends” / Are friends I don’t have anymore’ – these lines serve as a haunting refrain throughout the song. Drake lays bare the toll that the fading echoes of failed relationships have taken on him, encapsulating the angst of realizing that those who were once close have become distant shadows.
The rhetorical question ‘How do you not check on me when things go wrong?’ reverberates with the sense of being forsaken, a lingering sentiment that becomes an anthem for anyone who has ever felt the sting of solitary struggles amidst the expected comfort of companionship.
