Leave Me Alone by NF Lyrics Meaning – Navigating the Maze of Mental Health and Solitude
Lyrics
Leave me alone
Painic-stricken, handle business, not a joke, yeah
Manners missing, travel different, no control, yeah
Time to listen, time to zip it, keep it closed
My description, highly gifted, take some notes, yeah
Lack of interest, why’d you visit? Hit the road, yeah
I’m kinda twisted, so keep your distance, be a ghost
Yeah, see I’m inventive, but quite the menace, you ain’t know?
Well then I’m offended, let’s jog your memories, here we go, yeah
I went from nobody to kinda famous
Hide my plaques inside the closet, I just can’t explain it
My wife, she tells me that she’s proud and thinks that I should hang ’em
But I just leave ’em on the ground right next to my self-hatred
Yeah, yeah, mental health, where’s my mental health?
Diagnosed with OCD, what does that mean? Well, gather ’round
That means I obsessively obsess on things I think about
That means I might take a normal thought and think it’s so profound (leave me alone)
Ruminating, fill balloons up full of doubt
Do the same things, if I don’t, I’m overwhelmed
Thoughts are pacing, they go ’round and ’round and ’round
It’s so draining, let’s move onto something else, fine (leave me alone)
Runnin’ the game, but they don’t even know it
Like I’m undercover and don’t want to blow it
I come out of nowhere, they don’t even notice
The flow is so cold, you would think it was snowing (leave me alone)
I’m under the weather, but wind isn’t blowing
I got an umbrella for difficult moments
You got to admit it, I’m very devoted
I’m out in the rain, but it don’t always open, so I
Hold up my balloons and cover up my face
I can feel them weighing on me every day
I should let ’em go and watch ’em float away
But I’m scared if I do, then I’ll be more afraid
Tell them how I feel, but they don’t want to change
Tell them how I feel, but they remain the same
Loosen up my grip, they say that’s not okay
Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, ay, leave me alone
Ay, yeah
Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, ay (yeah), leave me alone
Woo, yeah
Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, ay (yeah), leave me alone
I hate when they debate if we’re underrated
We’re so overlooked that they’re looking over our numbers, Nathan (leave me alone)
We don’t do enough interviews or go out in public lately
We don’t post enough on our socials
To keep the buzz from fading (leave me alone)
Let it fade, yeah, let it fade
Once it’s decimated, then you drop a song out of nowhere
And all the fans embrace it (leave me alone)
Then the buzz will surface again, it’s part of my operation
I don’t need advice from my doubts right now end of conversation (leave me alone)
Shut your mouth, yeah, shut your mouth
Better tone it down, close it now
If you make a sound, I’ma change your dial (leave me alone)
Funny how they be acting loud, comin’ unannounced
Floating ’round
Man, the kid is wild, pretty vile, true (leave me alone)
I’m kinda phony but don’t really show it
I keep it together, but have a disorder
I go to my room and I sit in my corner
And talk to myself in a language that’s foreign (leave me alone)
I think of a rhyme and I have to record it
But know if I don’t, I’ll wake up in the morning
And question my life again, always avoiding
I hate to be different, but hate to be normal, so I (leave me alone)
Hold up my balloons and cover up my face
I can feel them weighing on me every day
I should let ’em go and watch ’em float away
But I’m scared if I do, then I’ll be more afraid
Tell them how I feel, but they don’t want to change
Tell them how I feel, but they remain the same
Loosen up my grip, they say that’s not okay
Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, ay, leave me alone
Ay, yeah
Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, ay (yeah), leave me alone
Woo, yeah
Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, ay (yeah), leave me alone
Remember back in “NO NAME,” I said fame called? (Yeah, yeah)
Told you I hung up, it kinda felt wrong (leave me alone)
Finally called him back, we didn’t talk long
He asked me how I’d been, I sent him this song (leave me alone)
Yeah, think he took offense, he kinda seemed off
I texted him that night to ask what he thought (leave me alone)
It took a couple days to get a response
But once I finally did, he said this song sucks (leave me alone)
Feel the symptoms, couldn’t miss ’em, wrestle with ’em
Then I pin and flip ’em
Brought some back up? No? Well, you should get some (leave me alone)
Who you dissin’? Mood is switchin’, don’t come in the kitchen
You should listen, cookin’ record for my hands are blistering
So persistent, don’t forget this, hold the tension, soul is bending
No pretending, open ended, low percentage, so demented (leave me alone)
Whole consensus, flow tremendous, no apprentice, dope incentive
Show intensive, so possessive, tone aggressive, watch your step when I (leave me alone)
Hold up my balloons and cover up my face (up my face)
I can feel them weighing on me every day (yeah, every day)
I should let ’em go and watch them float away (yeah, float away)
But I’m scared if I do then I’ll be more afraid
Leave me alone (yeah), leave me alone (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Leave me alone, leave me alone (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Leave me alone, leave me alone (yeah, leave me alone)
Yeah, leave me alone, leave me alone, ay, leave me alone (leave me alone)
Ay, yeah
Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, ay (yeah), leave me alone
Woo, yeah
Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, ay (yeah), leave me alone
Ay, yeah
Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, ay (yeah), leave me alone
Woo, yeah
Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, ay, leave me alone
Engulfed in the shadow of societal expectations and the labyrinth of his own thoughts, NF’s ‘Leave Me Alone’ emerges as a deeply personal and profoundly relatable anthem for those wrestling with mental health. With its haunting melody and gripping lyrics, the track is more than just a song—it’s a journey through the echoes of an introspective mind clamoring for respite.
The Michigan-raised rapper NF, known for his raw emotionality and brute honesty, weaves together a tapestry of his struggles with OCD, fame, and self-doubt. Here lies an exploration into the meticulously crafted verses of ‘Leave Me Alone’, unearthing the hidden turmoil and silent battles waged behind the veneer of celebrity.
The Eternal Struggle with Inner Demons
NF’s words resonate with a haunting familiarity, as they dive deep into the psyche of an individual at war with their mental health. ‘Leave Me Alone’ is more than a request for solitude—it is an urgent plea for relief from the constant, overbearing thoughts that plague his day-to-day existence. As he holds up balloons, the metaphorical burdens of his mind, listeners are given a vivid image of just how taxing his reality can be.
The song captures the essence of living with OCD, as NF describes the relentless cycle of rumination and the pressure of carrying out routines to stave off the overwhelm. His rhymes do not just depict his personal struggles; they serve as a voice for others trapped in similar battles, making the solitary experience universally understood.
A Cloak of Anonymity in Fame’s Glare
In an industry that thrives on recognition, NF delves into the paradoxical desire to remain unseen. ‘I went from nobody to kinda famous’ is a confession of his uneasy relationship with fame. The intentional act of hiding his awards embodies his conflict: does he embrace the limelight and forsake his privacy, or does he cling to the anonymity that offers him refuge from the chaos of renown?
The narrative describes the dichotomy between his public persona and private strife, a sentiment all too familiar in the social media age. NF’s candidness about the superficial aspects of celebrity culture, and his aversion towards it, gives ‘Leave Me Alone’ a layer of authenticity rarely disclosed in the glittering world of entertainment.
A Dance with Isolation and Vulnerability
Throughout ‘Leave Me Alone’, NF oscillates between craving isolation and the inherent fear that accompanies it. He pushes past the discomfort to reveal the depth of his vulnerability, a move that speaks volumes about his courage. The lyrics ‘I should let ’em go and watch ’em float away / But I’m scared if I do, then I’ll be more afraid’ encapsulate the human resistance to facing our deepest fears head-on.
These words strike a chord with anyone who has ever felt tempest-tossed on the sea of vulnerability. By addressing his dread of being exposed and judged on his insecurities, NF taps into the collective consciousness of a society wrestling with the notion of openness in the face of potential scrutiny.
Deciphering the Silent Screams for Change
NF’s frustration with the inertia of others, in the face of his call for change, rings painfully clear. Articulating his emotions only to be met with deaf ears, he describes an all-too-common struggle where personal evolvement feels stifled by the static nature of the external world. ‘Tell them how I feel, but they don’t want to change / Tell them how I feel, but they remain the same’ echoes the yearning for mutual growth and acknowledgment.
This element of the song offers a moment of solidarity for any listener who feels unheard or misunderstood in their quest for development. The intensity of these lines speaks to the heart of human connectivity and the desire to not just be heard but understood and accepted.
The Quintessential Lines: A Portrait of the Artistic Soul
‘I hate to be different, but hate to be normal’—perhaps no other line encapsulates the essence of NF’s inner conflict quite like this one. It stands as a testament to the complexity of the artistic soul, torn between the desire to stand out and the yearning to blend in. The paradox of individuality against conformity is a timeless theme, and NF captures this duality with poignant clarity.
This line, among others, cements ‘Leave Me Alone’ as more than just a narrative of personal affliction; it’s an exploration of the dualities that govern our lives. Every syllable echoed in this track underscores the nuanced nature of human existence and the art of balancing the myriad facets of self.
