The Worst Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Tell me whatcha say now
Tell me whatcha say?
Come again?

If you cannot stay down
Then you do not have to pretend
Like there is no way out
I shoulda never let you in
'Cause you got me face down

[Pre-Chorus 1]
And don't take this personal
But you're the worst
You know what you've done to me
And although it hurts, I know
I just can't keep runnin' away
(I can't keep runnin' away
I can't keep runnin' away
I can't keep runnin' away)


[Chorus]
I don't need you, I don't need you
I don't need you, I don't need you
But I want you
I don't mean to, I don't mean to
I don't mean to, I don't mean to
But I love you
[Verse 2]
Tell me whatcha say now
Tell me whatcha say?
You said that you would come again

You said that we would remain friends but
You know that I do not depend on
Nothing or no one
So why would you show up?
So uninvited then
Just change my mind like that

[Pre-Chorus 2]
Please don't take this personal
But you ain't shit
And you weren't special
'Til I made you so
You better act like you know
That I've been through worse than you
I just can't keep runnin' away
(I can't keep runnin' away
I can't keep runnin' away
I can't keep runnin' away)


[Chorus]
(But I don't need you)
I don't need you, I don't need you
I don't need you, I don't need you
(But I) But I want you
I don't mean to, I don't mean to
I don't mean to, I don't mean to
But I love you (It's lost in hope, aye-aye)
[Verse 3]
Everybody's like "He's no item"
"Please don't like him"
"He don't wife 'em"
"He one nights 'em"

I never listen, no
I should have figured though
All that shit you was spittin', so unoriginal
But it was you, so I was with it
Then tell you the truth, wish we never did it
'Cause I usually do stick to the business
But you came out the blue and then you just flipped it
(God damn) God damn, baby, my mind's blown
Be forgettin' you live in a different time zone
I think I know what this is
It's just the time's wrong
And, yeah, I know what you did
But, baby, I'm grown
And my love is patient
And kind of shit

If this is real we can build
Through different types of shit
If you was really the realest
Wouldn't be fightin' it
I think your pride is just
[Bridge]
In the way
Funny how everything changed
Once you got all that you wanted
Nothing was ever the same

[Outro]
And though I don't need you, I don't need you
I don't need you, I don't need you
I still want you (Oh)
I don't mean to, I don't mean to
I don't mean to, I don't mean to
But I, but I love you
I don't need you, I don't need you
I don't need you, I don't need you
But I want you
I don't mean to, I don't mean to
I don't mean to, I don't mean to
But I love you

How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

About

Genius Annotation

From the “Sail Out” EP, this song was released January 14, 2014 as the album’s second official single through ARTium and Def Jam Recordings. It offers a sample of the 2003 single “Excuse Me Miss” by Jay Z.

The song’s lyrics explore Aiko’s regret towards falling in love with someone not right for her. It peaked at #43 on the Billboard Hot 100. The accompanying video directed by Danny Williams depicts the aftermath of the murder of Aiko’s boyfriend (presumably because of his mistreatment of her described in the song).

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Who was she with
Genius Answer

At the time of the release of the track (2014) Jhené was single, however she has stated the song was written about a real life relationship. Although it may be about an un-publicized relationship, one possibility is that it is written about ex-boyfriend O'Ryan with whom she also has a daughter.

What has the media said about the song?
Genius Answer

In 2018, NPR ranked this as the #173 greatest song by a female or nonbinary artist in the 21st century, saying:

Against the backdrop of a simple, haunting piano, Jhené Aiko’s angelic voice on ‘The Worst’ seeps in like the sweetest of poisons. She grapples with herself in real time over choosing a lover ill-suited for her. And as the song progresses, she turns agitation into venomous aggression. ‘Don’t take this personal / But you ain’t shit / And you weren’t special 'til I made you so,’ she seethes in the second verse. Aiko exhibits the same coquettish charm as ‘90s predecessors Aaliyah and Brandy, but what sets 'The Worst’ and Aiko apart is the level of savagery delivered in such a sweet package.

Credits
Produced By
Assistant Mixing Engineer
Mixing Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Release Date
November 12, 2013
View The Worst samples
Tags
Comments