My interpretation of the song “Honest,” is that the narrator (Tessa Violet) is a people-pleaser because they care more about how others view them than themselves. By the end, they calm themselves down and accept that it wasn’t a healthy way of seeing things.
[Verse 1]
Here's the truth
My strength ain't bein' honest, hey, oh, oh
I mostly work from wanting to be wanted, hey, oh, oh
And if there's somethin' else, well
I don't know if I got it, got it, oh, oh
And come the night, I'm never really solid, hey oh, oh, no
[Chorus]
Guess I'm not doin' well, I'm not doin' well, ayy, ayy, oh, oh, oh, no
I'm not doin' well, I'm not doin' well, ayy ayy, oh, oh, oh, no
I'm no good tonight, no
I don't feel alright at all, hey, hey, oh
Guess I'm not doin' well, I'm not doin' well, ayy, ayy, oh, oh, oh, no
[Verse 2]
One, two, three, and four
How long till I feel like myself again? And
I'd walk out the door but...
Where would I go?
Try and hide from what's inside you, you can run but you can't hide, oh
Where would I go? Where would you go? Hey, hey, no
Flattery's my choice of weapon
Poison tastes like my resentment
Where would I go? Where would you go? Hey, hey, no
[Chorus]
Guess I'm not doin' well, I'm not doin' well, ayy, ayy, oh, oh, oh, no
I'm not doin' well, I'm not doin' well, ayy, ayy, oh, oh, oh, no
I'm no good tonight, no
I don't feel alright at all, hey, hey, oh
Guess I'm not doin' well, I'm not doin' well, ayy, ayy, oh, oh, oh, no
[Instrumental]
[Bridge]
Oh, sometimes I feel like there's nowhere else to go
And every road I take is leading me back
And lonely is the girl who doesn't let it show
But every road I take is leading me back
Funny to notice that about yourself like all at once
I realize I didn't want to see it
And if I been going crazy maybe it's because I keep on tellin' myself a story
That I should be doin' fine by now
Hey, hey
It's okay
Hey, hey
You're okay
[Chorus]
Guess I'm not doin' well, I'm not doin' well, ayy, ayy, oh, oh, oh, no
I'm not doin' well, I'm not doin' well, ayy, ayy, oh, oh, oh, no
I'm no good tonight, no
I don't feel alright at all, hey, hey, oh
Guess I'm not doin' well, I'm not doin' well, hey, hey, oh, oh, oh, no
Honest was written by Tessa Violet.
Honest was produced by Seth Earnest.
Tessa Violet released Honest on Mon Jul 22 2019.