If We’re Being Honest

Song Meaning

The lyrics open with a vivid, almost cinematic scene: a call to meet at "chapel pines" in August, followed by dramatic declarations like "Bury me in orbit, marry me on 565." This intense moment is immediately undercut by a stark, self-aware admission: "that was just adrenaline." It sets a tone of impulsive grandiosity quickly brought back to earth by a dose of reality. The central tension lies in the speaker's regret over past inaction and the lingering weight of unexpressed feelings. The repeated phrase "if we're being honest" highlights a struggle with truth, both with oneself and perhaps with the other person. The speaker acknowledges, "I should've said my own goodbye" and "I could've let my feelings slide," revealing a deep self-reproach for not taking agency when it mattered. The craft here is particularly effective in its modern, almost clinical self-awareness. The speaker notes, "It's messing with my serotonin," a contemporary way to articulate emotional distress, contrasting sharply with the earlier romanticized imagery. There's also a poignant irony in the line, "Isn't it ironic how I'm kind of falling out of time?" given the precise future date mentioned for a potential call, suggesting a desire to reconnect despite feeling out of sync. Ultimately, the lyrics capture the profound difficulty of truly letting go. The repeated outro, "I feel shallow / If I could, I'd make it all come back," conveys a raw longing to undo the past. This regret is tempered by a hopeful, yet still distant, aspiration: "someday I'd like to say 'I'm letting go'," which makes the speaker's ongoing emotional struggle feel incredibly honest and resonant.