“RATHER BE” by GIVĒON
GIVĒON is an American R&B singer-songwriter known for his rich, baritone voice and emotionally raw lyrics. Rising to fame through collaborations with artists like Drake (“Chicago Freestyle”) and Justin Bieber (“Peaches”), GIVĒON has carved a niche for himself in modern soul and R&B with his introspective songs centered around heartbreak, longing, and vulnerability.
“RATHER BE” continues GIVĒON’s signature theme of emotional conflict, where love isn’t simple, but loyalty, memory, and hurt are deeply intertwined. Released as part of his 2022 album “Give or Take”, the track explores the pain of letting go, the emptiness of moving on, and the emotional resistance to replacing a lost love.
🎙️ “RATHER BE Lyrics” by GIVĒON
[Verse 1]
Rather be a fool
Than to start with somethin’ new (Start with somethin’ new)
Cryin’ hardly does it anymore
Can’t drink with your pain anymore, oh
Oh, I’d rather
[Chorus]
I’d rather be a fool than believe in someone new
I’d rather be with you
Any other half with someone who is not even half of you
[Post-Chorus]
Oh-oh
Yeah
Oh-oh-oh
[Verse 2]
Now I’m in this room
Wishin’ you settled down or come around
I’ve been dancin’ to all the songs that you love all along
Lost in the dark
‘Cause you stole the sun, oh-oh
Oh, tears are fallin’
When I see your face in our phone, I can’t erase the memory
[Pre-Chorus]
Countin’ all the ways she ain’t right for me
I’ll take your mistakes over missin’ you, always (Ooh)
Am I out of place? Out here when I’m supposed to leave
Oh, I’m tellin’ you
[Chorus]
Rather be a fool than believe in someone new
I’d rather be with you
Any other half with someone who is not even half of you
[Post-Chorus]
Oh-oh
Yeah
Oh-oh-oh
🎧 Lyrics (Highlighted Excerpts)
“Rather be a fool than to start with somethin’ new”
He’d rather stay heartbroken than open up to someone else.
“Any other half with someone who is not even half of you”
Even the best alternative feels like a downgrade compared to you.
“You stole the sun”
His world has gone dark in their absence.
“I’ll take your mistakes over missin’ you, always”
He prefers the flawed past over an empty present.
🧠 Step-by-Step Breakdown
[Verse 1]
“Rather be a fool / Than to start with somethin’ new”
Shows an emotional stalemate. The speaker chooses self-inflicted suffering over the risk of starting again with someone else.
“Cryin’ hardly does it anymore / Can’t drink with your pain anymore”
He’s tried crying and drinking to numb the pain, but neither works anymore, signaling emotional exhaustion.
“Oh, I’d rather”
The incomplete sentence implies so much left unsaid—he’d rather do anything than forget.
[Chorus]
“I’d rather be a fool than believe in someone new”
He’d rather be irrational and hold on than pretend he can easily love someone else.
“I’d rather be with you”
Direct, raw longing—nothing feels right except being with the lost person.
“Any other half with someone who is not even half of you”
Brilliant wordplay: even a “whole” relationship with someone new feels like a “half” compared to the past lover.
[Post-Chorus]
“Oh-oh / Yeah / Oh-oh-oh”
Wordless vocalizations convey emotional overflow—these melodic sighs act like musical tears.
[Verse 2]
“Now I’m in this room / Wishin’ you settled down or come around”
He’s physically alone but emotionally trapped in the past, wishing for resolution or return.
“I’ve been dancin’ to all the songs that you love all along”
Trying to stay connected through shared memories, even if the person is gone.
“Lost in the dark / ‘Cause you stole the sun”
His entire world feels dim without their presence—metaphorically, she was his light.
“Tears are fallin’ / When I see your face in our phone”
Even a photo triggers heartbreak. The shared memories (symbolized by the phone) can’t be deleted.
[Pre-Chorus]
“Countin’ all the ways she ain’t right for me”
He tried moving on but constantly compares the new person to his ex.
“I’ll take your mistakes over missin’ you, always”
He would rather deal with flaws in the relationship than face emptiness.
“Am I out of place? Out here when I’m supposed to leave”
He questions whether his loyalty is irrational—should he have moved on by now?
“Oh, I’m tellin’ you”
Leads into another confession, unable to hide the truth.
📊 Song Details
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Title | RATHER BE |
| Artist | GIVĒON |
| Album | Give or Take |
| Release Year | 2022 |
| Genre | R&B, Soul |
| Language | English |
| Mood | Melancholic, introspective, soulful |
| Key Motifs | Foolish love, emotional loyalty, heartbreak |
🌈 Theme
- Loyalty Through Pain: Holding onto love even when it hurts.
- Emotional Comparison: No new love measures up to the old.
- Romantic Idealization: Seeing the past lover as irreplaceable.
- Nostalgic Grief: Living in the memories and finding it hard to let go.
- Self-Sabotage by Choice: Choosing sorrow over a potential future.
🔍 Meaning
“RATHER BE” is a ballad about emotional resistance—the refusal to replace deep, flawed love with something unfamiliar and possibly easier. GIVĒON masterfully expresses how heartbreak lingers, not just because of what was lost, but because the idea of anyone else feels hollow in comparison.
The song also wrestles with self-awareness—he knows he’s being irrational (“rather be a fool”), but he embraces it. This raw admission of weakness becomes a strength: honesty over performative healing.
In the end, it’s not just about missing someone; it’s about choosing to live with their absence rather than settle.
❓ FAQs
Q: Is “RATHER BE” about a breakup?
Yes. It details the aftermath of a breakup where the narrator cannot move on emotionally, despite efforts to.
Q: Why does he say “rather be a fool”?
Because he recognizes that clinging to a lost love is irrational, yet emotionally necessary for him.
Q: What does “Any other half… not even half of you” mean?
It’s poetic irony: even a new partner can’t match the emotional value of the old one—so they feel less than whole.
Q: Is this a toxic or romantic message?
Both. It’s romantic in emotional depth, but also toxic in the sense that he chooses sadness over growth.
✅ Conclusion 💔🌧️🕯️🖤
“RATHER BE” by GIVĒON is a hauntingly beautiful ode to stubborn love and unresolved longing. With stripped-down vocals and soul-baring lyrics, it reveals how hard it is to move forward when the heart is still frozen in time. GIVĒON doesn’t pretend to be healed—he invites us into his hurt, showing that:
- 💭 Memories can haunt more than heal
- 🖤 Real love isn’t always rational
- 🕯️ Some hearts stay lit for one person, even after they’re gone
- 🌒 Darkness follows when your “sun” disappears
If you’ve ever chosen loneliness over pretending to love someone else—you’ll understand this song deeply.
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