Professional by The Weeknd Lyrics Meaning – The Depths of Disillusion in the Spotlight
Lyrics
You need someone to tell you how to feel
And you think your happiness is real
There’s so much more the world has to reveal
But you choose to be concealed
So you’re somebody now
But what’s a somebody in a nobody town
I don’t think you even know it
So you’re somebody now
But what’s a somebody in a nobody town
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
You made enough to quit a couple years ago
But it consumed you
It’s everywhere you go
And just the thought alone
Got you trippin’, got you losing your mind
And I don’t blame you
It’s everything you know
But I owned this time
This ain’t new
Now I decide
When we’re through
I love
You love
This love
We’re professional
I know
You know
We’re sophisticated
At lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’
Lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’
We’re professional at lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’
Lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’
Lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin'(we’re prof-)
What does it mean, oh
When your heart’s already numb
You’re professional
Won’t treat it like it’s personal
No, ’cause it’s just love
It always makes its way back around
It’s dispensable
To fall is unacceptable
‘Cause everything you’ve been through made you stronger
And every day you learn about yourself
And nothing really played out how it’s supposed to
Depending on somebody else’s wealth
But now you know the value of a dollar
And girl I make enough of it to spend
I love the way you’ve put yourself together
I love the way you make that body bend
For me again, oh yeah
I love
You love
This love
We’re professional
I know
You know
We’re sophisticated
At lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’
All of those nights you were up early holding your own
Girl, you’ve got it made
Had you blaming yourself all when life did you wrong
Now, you’ve got it made
Getting rich to the drums of your favorite song
Girl, you’ve got it made
‘Cause your freedom was here in this cage all along
Oh, how did you drain all the soul from your eyes?
How did you teach, teach yourself, how to smile?
In a world (in a world)
Where your dreams (where your dreams)
Can’t be real, no
Every touch
That you sell
Is a lie (oh)
I love
You love
This love
We’re professional
I know
You know
We’re sophisticated
At lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’
Lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’
We’re professional at lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’
Lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’
Lovin’, lovin’, lovin’, lovin’
We’re professional
In the shadowy interplay of desire and detachment, The Weeknd’s ‘Professional’ emerges as a haunting meditation on the modern ethos of love and identity. Long hailed for his piercing insights into our most labyrinthine emotions, The Weeknd delves deep, sowing a narrative that’s as complex as it is cathartic.
The song’s lyrical journey weaves through the tapestry of fame, success, and the often-pedestaled ‘somebody’ defined by a ‘nobody town.’ It’s a melodic unraveling of the truths behind the facade of professional success – a deft exploration of what it means to love and live within the blinding lights of expectation and self-imposed exile.
The Price of Becoming ‘Somebody’ in a ‘Nobody Town’
With a stoic poignancy, The Weeknd grapples with the notions of success in ‘Professional.’ As the lyrics unfurl, ‘So you’re somebody now, But what’s a somebody in a nobody town,’ we confront the paradox of achieving a societal benchmark of ‘being somebody’ while internally recognizing the vacuous nature of such an attainment.
The artist’s portrayal of emotional concealment amidst worldly exposure challenges the listener to question the cost of chasing dreams that are imbued with materialism and external validation, rather than personal fulfillment and genuine connection.
Threading Sophistication with Sorrow in Love
The refrain ‘We’re professional’ echoes like a heartbeat throughout the track, a resounding admission of expertise in the mechanics of love, devoid of its intrinsic warmth. The Weeknd’s voice, laced with a cold sophistication, underscores a bleak narrative of love distorted by the inescapable influence of fame and fortune.
When The Weeknd articulates, ‘You love, This love, We’re professional,’ listeners are met with the striking irony of professionalizing something as inherently personal as affection, suggesting an emotional acumen hardened and desensitized by a transactional world.
Unpacking the Heart’s Numbing Journey
A deeper dive into the psyche is palpable with the line, ‘What does it mean, oh, When your heart’s already numb?’ Here, the idea of being so accustomed to the desensitization of emotions presents a chilling reminder of the costs associated with detaching oneself from the rawness of real, vulnerable human connection.
This detachment isn’t romanticized but scrutinized; it’s laid bare as a surgical procedure for survival in the cutthroat dynamics of fame where every move is calculated and every touch a potential deception.
The Metamorphosis: From Victim to Victor
Progressing towards empowerment, The Weeknd notes how tribulations forge tenacity in lines like, ‘Cause everything you’ve been through made you stronger.’ Acknowledging the inherent growth and knowledge that comes from struggle, the song delves into the transformative power of self-discovery and the acquisition of financial independence.
Yet, even as success becomes a reality, as reflected in ‘Girl, you’ve got it made,’ there’s an underlying lament for the loss of something more profound—a suggestion that perhaps what’s gained in wealth and independence might be offset by what’s compromised in genuine human empathy and intimate connections.
Dissecting the Memorable Lines: A Facade of Freedom
The Weeknd’s poignant query, ‘How did you drain all the soul from your eyes? How did you teach, teach yourself, how to smile?’ implores us to reflect on the emotional sacrifices made on the altar of success. The seemingly contradictory phrase ‘your freedom was here in this cage all along’ resonates as both a denial and an acceptance of the traps we find comfort in—the routines and facades that both confine and define us.
This duality captures the essence of ‘Professional’ and serves as a sobering reminder of how easily one can become estranged from their own spirit in pursuit of a phantom ideal—a poignant musing on the silent battles fought behind the blinding glare of the spotlight.
