Just a Friend

Song Meaning

The narrator is trying to convince a partner that their close friendship with someone named Ben is purely platonic, despite the partner's suspicions. The opening lines immediately set up a defensive posture, urging the partner to "put to bed your old ideas." The narrator insists that their daily interactions and deep conversations, even those involving "hurting bad," are not romantic, likening their shared experience to geeking out over a "slasher movie part three." The core tension lies in the partner's lack of trust. The chorus hammers this home, repeatedly stating, "If you've got a girl who says she's just got a friend / Then you should just believe." The narrator feels unfairly labeled a "grand deceiver" because the partner "never just believe," highlighting a fundamental disconnect in their relationship. Verse 2 reinforces the platonic nature of the friendship, describing Ben as someone who "got my back" and is "always his fan." The narrator acknowledges a strong affection, "love him big time," but clarifies it's not in a romantic sense. The lyrics then pivot to a darker, more nihilistic worldview shared by the friends, mentioning "broken glass bottles trash role models nihilism down pat," suggesting a shared sense of rebellion or alienation that fuels their bond. The bridge and later verses introduce a confusing element, with the narrator seemingly adopting the partner's perspective or expressing a desire to be the "grand deceiver." Phrases like "Objectify these boys" and the repeated "Drowning in abasement" suggest a potential internal conflict or a desperate attempt to understand the partner's distrust, even to the point of wishing they could live up to the deceitful image projected onto them. The outro echoes this, with the narrator wishing they were a deceiver because the partner refuses to believe them anyway.