Baby, you could have it all (Ooh yeah)
Baby, you can have the cars, the clothes, the jewels, the sex, the house
Baby, you could be a star, oh yeah
Baby, you could have it all
Baby, you could have it all
Baby, you can have the cars, the clothes, the jewels, the sex, the house
Baby, you could be a star The Weeknd – Lonely Star
Got me feelin' kinda weak
And it's kinda hard to breathe The Weeknd – Gone
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“Lean” or “potion” consists of cough syrup containing promethazine and codeine as well as clear Sprite. The mixture results in purple-colored Sprite, which is why Abel refers to it as “dirty Sprite.”
Abel’s probably weak and wheezing because lean can cause difficulties in breathing. “Wheezing” or respiratory issues also pose a clever allusion to Lil Wayne’s “Weezy Baby” alias, as he has a notorious love for drank.
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To close the Thursday narrative, The Weeknd cites a lack of a father figure as the reasoning behind the events that he documents on this tape. In contrasting Heaven and the hellish, vice-filled “Sin City,” this song explores the hedonism that has become a trademark to The Weeknd’s songs.
Some inspiration for this song may be derived from the Cocteau Twins, who have an album called Heaven or Las Vegas. Abel used a Cocteau Twins sample on “The Knowing”, which is also track 9 on House of Balloons.
When Trilogy was released, “Valerie” was added to the tracklist and was thereby the new final track on Thursday.
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After The Weeknd proclaims that the “Thursday girl” foolishly fell in love with a bird, one of the darkest, most eerie songs in Abel’s discography emerges.
A gun being loaded and fired, crying, and the calling of crows are all heard during this song. The Thursday girl appears to shoot something in response to Abel’s proclamation. What she targets is left in ambiguity, although it seems to be The Weeknd himself.
This song samples Martina Topley Bird’s song, “Sandpaper Kisses”, a song from the soundtrack of the video game Fahrenheit.
In your birthday suit
I'ma give you what you fiend, oh
But I ain't taking off my black boots
I'm fallin'
Cause I'm numb from the neck down
I'm sorry The Weeknd – Gone
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I can win a fuckin' Oscar
By the way I fuckin' hid it
And you'll never fuckin' know
I'll never fuckin' show it The Weeknd – Gone
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Abel can’t even feel the sex because he is so messed up, but he will still “do it” so well, she won’t even notice. The way he masks his numbness through his “act” is so good, in fact, that Abel believes he deserves an Oscar.
This also draws a reference to these lines from “House Of Balloons/Glass Table Girls”:
We just never act a fool
That’s just how we fuckin' livin'
And when we act a fool
It’s probably cause we mixed it
By drawing on his acting skills to hide how messed up he is, you know Abel “mixed it.”
'Cause everything you do leads to them, right? Right, right The Weeknd – Lonely Star
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This girl is always screwing up and suffering the consequences of bad decisions. Even though she dislikes pain and regret, it’s what she’s used to which is commonly known as a “masochist.” Her gratification is a product of pain and suffering.
What adds a lot of power to this line is the croon Abel adds to run away from those “friends”, because in reality they’re tearing her apart. Meanwhile, he wants the opportunity to slip into her life as her savior, sexual or otherwise.
That's that north north, that up top
That OVO and that XO The Weeknd (Ft. Drake) – The Zone
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OVO is Drake’s label and XO is The Weeknd’s. When they collaborate, OVOXO is in full swing.
“North North, that up top” refers to Toronto, Canada, since it’s high up in the Northern Hemisphere. Both label heads hail from the city.
“North north” could also refer to where Drake’s father lived in Memphis, where popular rappers and brothers Juicy J and Project Pat commonly say “north north” to refer to their neighborhood in North Memphis.
The Weeknd sings this line at the end of Echoes of Silence standout “Initiation”.
You probably thought that you'd break my heart (Oh-oh-oh-ooh)
You probably thought that you'd make me cry
But, baby, it's okay
I swear it's okay The Weeknd – The Knowing
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The Weeknd takes no responsibility for this situation. In fact, he not only blames his girl for cheating, but he drops the guilt card on her to show what her actions ultimately lead to.
He also reiterates that her cheating doesn’t hurt him, although Abel’s tone may prove otherwise.
A painful croon or cry emerges above gasps the second time these lines are sung as Abel tells her the situation is “okay,” suggesting it is anything but okay. This contrast between the lyrical content and the delivery is expanded in the video, where Abel’s character has his heart removed instead of broken and he sheds tears when he cheats on his girl.
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In this track, The Weeknd warns his girl to not fall in love with him, or he will just leave her. However, she can’t seem to help herself, and Abel does not want to be the one held responsible.
This song is preceded by an unreleased interlude detailing a conversation between Abel and his girl.
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The girl is the “Lonely Star.” Her beauty could merit any materialistic possession she desires. If she gives her body to Abel, he’ll make her shine through the promise of wealth—it doesn’t matter that she’s just being used.
This hook also follows similar themes established in Drake’s “Successful,” as well as Abel’s “Material Girl:”
I think this is also him talking to himself from the devils point of view. At this time he was blowing up and it seems he’s embracing that conspiracy that stars only blow up because they sold their soul. The lonely or morning star is telling HIM he could have it all and that he could be a star. Just like in twenty eight it sounds like he’s telling a story about a girl, when really he’s talking to his fans
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I always thought it said “the cars, the clothes, the DRUGS, the sex, the house.” aha.