The Weeknd’s “My Dear Melancholy ” EP Analysis
Abel, The Weeknd, returns! “My Dear Melancholy” winds back the clock to the dark and heartbroken R&B Abel we grew to love since “House of Balloons” and “Trilogy.”
Melancholy:
1.A gloomy state of mind, especially when habitual or prolonged; depression.
2.Sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness
Call Out My Name
“Call Out My Name” is the intro of the EP. The Weeknd brings the listeners into his past relationship with Selena Gomez by stating, “We found each other; I helped you out of a broken place; You gave me comfort; But falling for you was my mistake.”
During his 10 month relationship with Selena, The Weeknd supported her through her battle with Lupus. The Weeknd cancelled shows during his “Legend of the Fall” tour to make sure he was by her side.
He goes on to say “I claimed you so proud and openly.”
He admits he wasn’t hiding their relationship nor his affection for her. He didn’t care about the media being around because he genuinely cared for her.
And to cap it off, The Weeknd states, “Guess I was just another pit stop; till you made up your mind; you just wasted my time.” In this metaphor The Weeknd is describing himself as Selena’s pit stop, meaning she never actually wasn’t as emotionally invested and in love as he was. He’s also referring to the fact days after their break-up, photos emerged of Selena with her ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber.
Try Me
“I didn’t know you were down for him finding out; I thought you had some kind of love for your man; Well, I’m not tryna break up something; You’ve been workin’ out, you’ve been steady; But I’m ready to go all the way if you let me; Don’t you tempt me.”
The Weeknd is trying to convince a former lover to leave her relationship for him. He’s trying to minimize his own guilt while still giving the woman an open-invitation.
Wasted Times
“Wasted times I spent with someone else; She wasn’t even half of you.”
The Weeknd is telling the listeners he wasted his time with Selena Gomez. He feels he could have spent that time with his ex-girlfriend, Bella Hadid. He’s subliminally stating Selena was only half the woman Bella Hadid is.
“Catching feelings, these girls only want you when you’re winning (winning); But you’ve been with me from the beginning (ooh, yeah, yeah)”
Bella Hadid was a fan of Abel before his height of fame and fortune. She went to see him perform multiple times during his “Kiss Land” tour in 2013. Before that she went to see him at OVO fest in 2012 and constantly tweeted out his lyrics before the public knew they were dating.
“And I know right now that we’re not talking’ (not talking’); I hope you know this d*** is still an option; cause I’ll beat it up (I’ll beat it up, yeah); I took my time to learn the way your body functions.”
Abel still has immense feelings for Bella and though they’re currently not on speaking terms he wants her to know he’s all for them being sexual again.
“You were equestrian, so ride it like a champion (I’ll beat it)”
Bella was an equestrian before suffering from Lyme Disease. She had to end her dreams of one day competing in the Olympics.
The Weeknd was simply giving her another invitation to be sexually explicit with him.
I Was Never There
“His happiness is never real (Real, real, real, real); and mindless sex is how he feels, ooh, he feels”
Abel has never truly experienced anything meaningful without sex or drugs being involved.
“Ooh, now I know what love is; and I know it ain’t you for sure”
Abel throws another subliminal at Justin Bieber and Selena.
Hurt You
“And now I know relationships my enemy; So stay away from me.”
Abel expresses his difficulty with relationships and how he wants nothing to do with them.
“When you’re with him, you close your eyes and think of me.”
He’s telling the listeners that though his former lover has found another she still imagines herself being with him.
Privilege
“And I don’t wanna hear that you are suffering; you are suffering no more; ‘Cause I held you down when you were suffering; You were suffering.”
Abel is stating how he had helped her get out of a toxic relationship with Justin Bieber, but she went right back to him so he doesn’t want hear her complaints or suffering. Him being there to help her the first time should’ve been sufficient enough.
“And I got two red pills to take the blues away, oh”
He’s referring to Oxycontin, which is a painkiller. The red pills will suppress physical pain, but he’ll use it to suppress emotional pain and for the high it’ll bring.
