“Photograph” describes Cole finding a girl’s picture on social media and trying to finesse and get her.
Thematically the track sees Cole examining the state of romance and relationships in the social media era. Social media these days can be seen as a drug, relating to the album’s title.
[Chorus]
Fell in love through photograph
I don't even know your name
Wonder if you'd follow back
I hope to see you one day
I won't show my niggas now
I'II keep this one for myself
Love today's gone digital
And it's messing with my health
[Verse 1]
Yeah
Damn, I love your sense of humor
You don't get caught up in rumors
You don't be talking 'bout who fuckin' who
And I notice the way you maneuver
Sexy, but never show too much
Ain't heard from you in like two months
All of a sudden, you pop on my line
You could make time, stop on a dime
I think you mastered the art of sublime
Your type is harder to find
You could turn water to wine, yeah
You could turn water to wine, yeah
I think you mastered the art of sublime
Your type is harder to find
You could turn water to wine, yeah
You could turn water to wine, feel me
[Refrain]
Niggas be talkin' so slick (ugh)
I'm not the nigga for lip (yeah)
Puttin' my heart in a click (yeah)
Can't see my heart, it don't fit (yeah)
Don't think I'm built for this shit (yeah)
Too busy thinking what if (yeah)
I shoot my shot and it brick (yeah)
I shoot my shot and it brick (yeah)
Niggas be talkin' so slick (yeah)
I'm not the nigga for lip (yeah)
Puttin' my heart in a click (yeah)
Can't see my heart it don't fit (yeah)
Don't think I'm built for this shit (yeah)
Too busy thinking what if (yeah)
I shoot my shot and it brick (yeah)
I shoot my shot and it brick (mmm)
[Chorus]
Fell in love through a photograph
I don't even know your name
Wonder if you'd follow back
I hope to see you one day
I won't show my niggas now
I'II keep this one for myself
Love today's gone digital
And it's messing with my health
[Verse 2]
Yeah
Feel like I gotta say somethin'
Thought of you got my heart jumpin'
But I can't come up with nothin' (no)
But I can't come up with nothin'
I put it off for a day
I come back around your way
Searching for what I could say
That accurately could convey
The way that I feel in the word
That's different than what you done heard
So many done hit you wit game
So many been sent to the curb
And I did not come here to play
And I did not come to observe
And I did not come here to play
But I did not come to observe
Feel me
[Refrain]
Niggas be talkin' so slick (ugh)
I'm not the nigga for lip (yeah)
Puttin' my heart in a click (yeah)
Can't see my heart, it don't fit (yeah)
Don't think I'm built for this shit (yeah)
Too busy thinking what if (yeah)
I shoot my shot and it brick (yeah)
I shoot my shot and it brick (yeah)
Niggas be talkin' so slick (yeah)
I'm not the nigga for lip (yeah)
Puttin' my heart in a click (yeah)
Can't see my heart it don't fit (yeah)
Don't think I'm built for this shit (yeah)
Too busy thinking what if (yeah)
I shoot my shot and it brick (yeah)
I shoot my shot and it brick (mmm)
[Chorus]
Fell in love through photograph
I don't even know your name
Wonder if you'd follow back
I hope to see you one day
I won't show my niggas now
I'II keep this one for myself
Love today's gone digital
And it's messing with my health
Photograph was written by Jay Livingston & Francis Hime & Ray Evans & J. Cole & Livingston & Evans.
Photograph was produced by J. Cole.
J. Cole released Photograph on Fri Apr 20 2018.