WANTED U by Joji Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Layers of Heartache and Desire
Lyrics
Torn into a thousand shapes and folds
Torn into a thousand ways, I know (I know)
Fornicate inside your broken arms
Before I throw a smile your way, no more
I can’t tell
If all my answers correlate at all
I’m telling you a thousand things, I know
I’ve been missing a long time
To know I had to move
I’ve been waiting my whole life
To know I wanted you
Are you feeling me slowly?
You can take your fucking time
And I promise I won’t lie
Make it out alive
I’m on trial
I’m not so good at hiding loathsome truths
You see it on my face when I turn blue
So punish me, I’m hanging on your noose
So pull me up so I can breathe with you
I know
I’ve been missing a long time
To know I had to move
I’ve been waiting my whole life
To know I wanted you
Are you feeling me slowly?
You can take your fucking time
And I promise I won’t lie
Make it out alive
Ah, ah, ah, ah
In the melancholic sea of modern music, Joji emerges as a troubadour for the Internet age, strumming the digital heartstrings with a delicate touch that resonates with raw emotional honesty. ‘WANTED U’ is no exception, as it presents a tapestry woven with threads of longing, vulnerability, and an inescapable sense of self-aware introspection. It is a ballad that, at its core, manages to simultaneously be both an unshod confession of personal desire and a reflective examination of relational dynamics.
Joji, with his unique blend of lo-fi elements and soul-stirring lyrics, creates an atmosphere within ‘WANTED U’ that invites listeners into the depths of his emotive narrative. The poignant simplicity of his words belies the complexity of the feelings they evoke, ranging from solitude to an intense yearning for connection. This piece intends to dissect the intricacies of ‘WANTED U’, exploring the different facets of its meaning and the way it resonates with the ethos of a generation adrift in the melancholy tide.
The Paradox of Intimate Distance
Confronting ‘WANTED U’, one cannot help but be pulled into the dichotomy of intimacy and distance present within the lyrics. Joji articulately pens his experiences in a way that depicts a closeness marred by an emotional chasm. ‘Torn into a thousand shapes and folds, torn into a thousand ways, I know’, articulates the fragmentation of self that often accompanies the tumultuous journey of understanding one’s desires in relation to another.
It is in this torn state that Joji’s narrative persona seeks solace within ‘broken arms’, suggesting a contradictory need to find comfort within the very source of pain. This troubling need signifies not only the complexity of human relationships but also the deeply embedded desire to connect even when it leads to potential self-destruction.
A Confession of Time and Timing
Time, as a theme, flows intrinsically through ‘WANTED U’. The lyrics ‘I’ve been missing a long time to know I had to move’ suggest a reflective revelation about missed opportunities and the poignancy of recognizing one’s desires too late. Joji’s confession delineates the universal struggle of timing, the wrestle with moments lost and the dawning of realizations in their aftermath.
Yet, it is not a sentiment rooted in defeat. Instead, the ‘whole life’ spent waiting becomes an illuminating journey towards self-discovery, culminating in the epiphany ‘To know I wanted you’. It encapsulates the moment when latency transforms into an impactful moment of truth, marking the transition from longing in silence to the acknowledgement of desire.
The Dance of Desire and Patience
Are you feeling me slowly? This inquiry within ‘WANTED U’ embodies the artist’s play between desire and the patience demanded by the object of his affections. Joji is not merely voicing a yearning; he is orchestrating a delicate dance, gently probing the space of receptivity, giving his emotions and timing equal weight in the grand scale of affection.
The juxtaposition of ‘You can take your fucking time’ and ‘I promise I won’t lie’ highlights a commitment to transparency and a willingness to endure the proverbial waiting game. It underscores the silent pact between Joji and his intended, where authenticity is paramount, and the prize of ‘Making it out alive’ together becomes worth every agonizing tick of the clock.
Unveiling the Noose of Vulnerability
‘I’m on trial, I’m not so good at hiding loathsome truths’, Joji exposes himself musically and emotionally in a manner that is both unsettling and deeply moving. Far from veiling his insecurities, he casts them in sharp relief, using ‘WANTED U’ as a confessional booth from which to vocalize the burden of his flaws and the judgement he fears they might provoke.
The image of being ‘hanging on your noose’ is a grim yet powerful embodiment of vulnerability, where the peril of unrequited feelings is ever-present. Yet, Joji’s plea for salvation, ‘So pull me up so I can breathe with you’, reveals the longing for mutual understanding and the lifeline that empathy represents, even in the darkest emotional depths.
Echoes of the Memorable: The Lines That Linger
Certain lines within a song strike like lightning, resonating long after the track ends. ‘I’m telling you a thousand things, I know’ is one such reverberating verse from ‘WANTED U’. This fragment carries the weight of untold stories and silenced confessions that speak to the shared human experience of complex, often uncommunicated emotions.
Further, ‘Before I throw a smile your way, no more’ captures the essence of an emotional turning point. What was once a disposition to mask true feelings with a facade of contentment transforms into a bold step towards a more genuine self. It speaks to the point of no return, where personal truth eclipses the urge to present falsely to the world.
