“Only” is a personal ballad describing the want to have someone there in difficult times. The track features the sole-feature of the The Search, Sasha Sloan, who is a Los Angeles based singer-songwriter. The track’s chorus and bridge samples Sloan’s 2018 cut “The Only.”
[Chorus: Sasha Alex Sloan]
I can't be the only one who’s lonely tonight
I can't be the only—
[Verse 1: NF]
Yeah, does anybody feel like me?
Show of hands, I don't need a lot, I just wanna find my peace
Yeah, why you throwin’ rocks, oh, you wanna kill my dreams?
Okay, tell me everything I'm not
You think I didn't know those things?
Always been a little lost and I still might be
Life's hard, but it's okay (It's okay)
Watchin' the comments feels like I'm at a court date
How could I complain
With a house like this and a car like that in the driveway?
Half of what I say
Kinda feels like a dream that I’m gonna wake from someday
Wishin’ that I'd pray
A little more often and put more time into my faith
Travel in my brain, woo, might find damage and no grace
Things that I hold on to, but I won’t say things that I won't let go
So I chain my soul to the heartbreak
Havin' a nice day, that's not a average in my case
Don’t like cameras in my face; glamour, it's all fake
Love my job, but it might seem odd that I'm here 'cause I hate fame (Oh)
Yeah, pain might get to me, throwin' threats at me
They can't tell, disconnectin' me, it's affectin' me
Hide that well, they'll write checks to me, but don't check on me
Find myself, always questioning what comes next for me
I can't be the only—
[Chorus: Sasha Alex Sloan]
No, I can't be the only one who's lonely tonight
No, I can't be the only—
[Verse 2: NF & Sasha Alex Sloan]
Yeah, if you made a list of people that you trusted, would you put your name down?
Do you know who you are?
When you look at life and you talk about yours, do you feel proud? (Lonely)
Are you leaving a mark, or scared to make a bad impression so you just go hide in the dark? (Lonely)
Livin' and playin' a part, knowin' regret'll come back up tomorrow
That's what it does, ain't it? Don't know what we're chasin', but we all do it
Just a part of life, I guess we're all foolish
Running after what we think will make us happy 'til it falls through (Lonely)
And then we find out later it ain't what we wanted
So we give up on it, then we pile the garbage (Lonely)
And we watch it grow and find a drug to numb it
'Til we hit the point that we can barely function
Am I motivated? Is my music dated?
Would I be the same if I was medicated?
Even therapists say I need medication
I avoid it, though, because I'm scared to take it
Am I the only one that has a loaded gun
That's full of doubts and memories to overcome?
And I complain about 'em when they shoot at me
But I know truthfully I like to load 'em up and let 'em—
That's so sad to see, that's so sad to see, I need help
They talk passively, then come after me by myself
Lost that half of me, God, there has to be someone else
Don't feel bad for me, I just can't believe that I'm the only
[Chorus: Sasha Alex Sloan]
No, I can't be the only one who's lonely tonight
No, I can't be the only—
[Bridge: Sasha Alex Sloan, with NF]
There's gotta be somebody out there
There's gotta be somebody somewhere
Who needs company, and it's comforting to know, know (Know)
There's gotta be somebody out there
There's gotta be somebody somewhere
Who needs company, and it's comforting to know
[Chorus: Sasha Alex Sloan]
I can't be the only one who's lonely tonight
No, I (I) can't be the only— (Only)
Can't be the only one who's lonely tonight
No, I (I) can't be the only—
Only was written by Sasha Alex Sloan & King Henry & NF & Tommee Profitt.
Only was produced by Tommee Profitt & NF.
NF & Sasha Alex Sloan released Only on Fri Jul 26 2019.