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A “rolling stone” refers to smoking weed while rolling on ecstasy. The title alludes to Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone”, where the phrase means a man who never settles down, but rather restlessly moves through the world.
While this song essentially serenades the “Lonely Star,” it also covers a larger metaphor. Instead of settling on the sound and success Abel’s found early in his career, he acknowledges that he wants to grow as an artist, and hopes his fans will follow him through his journey. He details this in an open letter to fans he released in 2012.
The Trilogy cover was derived from the music video for this song.
The guitar melody for this track was influenced by Andre Nickatina’s “Ayo For Yayo”.
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The eerie opening track on The Weeknd’s debut project takes us into an interaction between Abel and a girl being introduced to the XO nightlife. This song also serves as a notice for listeners to prepare to dive into the life of an innovative, edgy artist.
The atmosphere depicted in this track is both dark and mysterious, leading to The Weeknd assuming a dominant position. However, this should not portray a non-consensual situation, as The Weeknd has explained:
The tone is dark, the environment is the dark. But there’s not force in it. They want to have a good time. Everybody wants to be there. Whether they regret their choices after is whatever. But everybody is in consent.
I always want you when I'm coming down (Ayy)
I always want you when I'm coming down (Oh no)
I always want you when I'm coming down (Ayy)
I always want you when I'm coming down (Ayy)
I always want you when I'm coming down (Ooh)
I always want you when I'm coming down (Oh yeah)
I always want you when I'm coming down The Weeknd – Coming Down
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That I'm only fuckin' 20, girl
Amnesia, put your mind in a dream world The Weeknd – Loft Music
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That I flow from the bottom
Closer to the top
The higher that I climb
The harder I'ma drop The Weeknd – The Morning
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What is this?
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So I tell them use a debit
Watch they image start to lessen The Weeknd – The Morning
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I know everything (Yeah, yeah)
I know everything (Everything, ayy, ayy)
I know everything (Yeah, yeah) The Weeknd – The Knowing
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I know
So I'ma let you taste her
I ain't washing my sins
I ain't washing my sins The Weeknd – The Knowing
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Abel begins with a proclamation asserting his knowledge of his girl’s infidelity. The plot twist comes when he admits he has also cheated and that he feels no remorse for doing so, all in one line.
When he hooks up with his girl again, he’s going to let her taste the remains of his encounter with his mistress. Religious undertones emerge when Abel admits his awareness of his sins, but he has no desire to cleanse himself of the vices he’s committed.
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In a literal sense, Abel doesn’t mind if she’s taller than him with heels. Abel’s about 5' 9."
While this girl is definitely taller than average, it doesn’t matter; any physical dominance this girl has over Abel will be irrelevant when they hit the bed. Even if she ends up “on top” of him, he’s still the bird.
This is embodied in the phrase “watch me knock your boots off” as Abel metaphorically claims he can still end up as the dominant partner in their interaction.
This could also double as an entendre for going down on her, a position that places the power in his hands.
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Abel is 173 cm, which would make him 5'8. He also brings up his height in a track in Kissland where he says “ When I was on stage she could swear I was six feet tall ” and once again implying height is irrelevant for him especially when it comes to his various romantic endeavours.