Justin Bieber – At Least for Now

General CommentFeatured from Justin Biebers new album Changes, his track “At Least for Now” draws from Bieber’s younger days with a song that draws on the heart strings and a couple looking for love. The lyrics of this song show Bieber singing his soul out with a simple instrumental background, focusing on piano chords that build up. Bieber’s lyrics remind us that even one partner is still in love, the other one can continue to drift away. His song title “At Least for Now” foreshadows the eventual breakup of the couple as the lyrics focus on him taking things one step at a time, enjoying the time they have together. He eventually knows that their relationship will end with disappoint, but he wants to remember things as they were. This is a song that shows a man hoping for the best in his relationship but straining to stay because he does not want to get hurt again. He will stay for now, but in the future who knows. It is not fair to him for her to continue stringing him along, and he is doing his best to shield his heart. Bieber’s song is sure to ring true with many people around the world. This is a song that you will listen to when you need reassurance, but also a song that will make you think about your own relationship and what you want. With a tenderer side than many of the other songs on the album, “At Least for Now” is a piano ballad that we can also listen to with our hearts on our sleeves.

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  @ReonataO

General Comment"At Least For Now" is on Bieber's fifth studio album, Changes.

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  @mike

General Comment“At Least for Now” by Justin Bieber does not sound like a typical pop song. Without much consistency in rhyme scheme or verse length, it reads more like a blank verse poem. And like with a poem, I wanted to analyze the lyrics closely for a deeper understanding of what the speaker is saying. I tried to remember throughout that, while Justin often sings autobiographically, “the speaker” is not necessarily him, but a persona he’s adopting for this song. It describes a particular situation: it may be one he has personally experienced, or he may be imagining it in a more metaphorical sense. To me, the song is all about whether outward appearance can reveal what someone is thinking or feeling, and the struggle to understand others and be understood yourself.

We begin the song with a complex, wordless exchange: “I’m concerned when you look at my face/You’re excited for no reason.” The speaker is guessing based on another person’s expression what she is thinking based on his expression (genders aren’t specified, but I’ll refer to the speaker as male and the other person as female, just to keep track). What’s more, he even seems unsure of his own inner thoughts, as he is reading himself as if from the outside: “I look lost,” “It’s cold outside from my expression.” Initially he treats not only her, but himself, as a stranger he must study. He has come to some conclusion about what she must be feeling, because he speculates on “what you think is fair,” but there is no indication that they are speaking. What we have is two people staring wordlessly at one another, trying to intuit their mental states.

And, accordingly, the rest of this verse and much of the second verse are concerned with outward appearance, as the two study one another. (I’ll skip the chorus and return to it later.) The speaker is loosening a tie and accepting a scarf; they sit on a couch; she is smoking; he is embracing her; they are both drinking. He mentions “ain’t nobody takin’ pictures,” so there are no external witnesses, but there need not be—they are laser-focused on one another’s movements. Importantly, he sings “Throw my arms around you, bear witness.” He is affirming that his action here, the only one that makes it clear they are touching, is not him pretending, but truly “bears witness” to his emotions. He cares for her. But he cannot access her internal state, and must continue to guess at her reaction to his appearance: “The stripes on my shirt, can you read between the lines?” He wonders if they’re on the same page.

In the last few lines, he seems to escape the tense situation, dismissing the guessing game that has sprung up between them: “Never mind me watching you, never mind the tension.” He goes to dance, “going on strike,” apparently giving up on being able to read her mind or have her understand his. And here the chorus, which may seem out of place in the rest of the song, begins to make sense: in contrast to the verses, it is all about what he is thinking and feeling, making it clear that we are now completely sharing in his thoughts, but not hers.

And what does he think? That at least for now, he’s trying to avoid disappointment—the disappointment of potentially learning that, contrary to appearances, they are not in sync at all. At least for now, he turns the pages, trying not to get stuck in these difficult moments.

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  @ElevatorMuzak

General CommentThe singer wants their partner to be more intimate again with them, giving them many open opportunities to do so. However, frustration also comes through when they bitterly talk about the unfairness of their partner’s behavior. They’re taking the relationship one day at a time (“One finger at a time, I turn the pages, yeah”). However, they’re losing hope with every one, alternating between that frustration and love, intimacy and distance, seemingly in an attempt to induce jealousy.

The “right leg crossed” could symbolize the partner’s closed-off attitude. The camera on the couch, a reminder of the couple’s past, a piece of nostalgia haunting the singer as they occupy the same space as their partner. They are desperately trying to get them to connect and see how much the singer loves the, though they also openly admit to their sins within the relationship (“stripes on my shirt’). The partner sipping champagne could symbolize their celebration of their distance, while his grief is reflected in his consumption of red wine.

They now that the situation isn’t sustainable, but they’re willing to keep it going for a while longer.

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  @Nat83

General CommentYears ago, I was one of those guys who hated Justin Bieber simply because girls loved him, and because he didn't conform to traditional masculinity. To be fair, “Baby” wasn’t exactly a work of musical genius, but my disdain for Bieber was, admittedly, about more than just his music. I reckon the same was true for countless other boys and men, as well. However, lately, I’ve learned to appreciate his recent work, such as “At Least for Now,” which he released in April.

“At Least for Now” strikes a great balance between chill and mature. The music behind the lyrics is soft and relaxing. It’s a perfect background track for a lazy day at home in your vaguely rundown suburban apartment. Many of the lyrics enhance the music’s lowkey and subdued energy, as Bieber sings about a normal day at home with his partner. She loosens his tie for him when he gets home, and they spend the rest of the day together. They smoke, sip alcohol, and dance as they “[try] to avoid disappointment.” And isn’t that what the nicest days of our lives are like? Just hanging out with the person we love? Whether you answer yes or no, that’s the kind of day that Bieber describes here, and he certainly seems to like it.

But the song isn’t only about being a couch potato at home. It’s easy to get distracted by its chill vibes, but the lyrics convey something deeper. “At Least for Now” is about enjoying the good times while they last. Behind Bieber’s dancing and drinking, there’s a feeling that those good times he’s enjoying are going to end. But he’s not afraid, nor is he in despair. Right now, life is going well for him, and he’s not questioning it. And he’s not trying to cling desperately to the current moment, either. He tells his partner that the “Camera's on the couch, ain't nobody taking pictures.” They’re too busy living and loving each other to worry about capturing the moment in a photograph. “At least for now,” they’re together and happy. No matter whether or not something bad happens tomorrow, they have this moment. And that’s enough.

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  @ChrisPOak

General CommentBieber’s nostalgic release on valentine’s day is a reflection of the relationships of the past. Each one ending in disappointment and failure. He looks at the lady who, sitting in front of him extravagantly admires him with seeing no flaws but, just as the pop star says:

What you think is fair ain't even even

...is just a mirage she sees because she doesn’t know the scars and experiences from the hurtful past deep within, the broken hearts, the divided paths, the tears, the sorrow and memories that pain even to this day. Bur even so, he still tries to stand up on his feet, struggles to forget all done in the past and just plays along with the emotions of the girl in front of him and dance, dance till all the sorrow is gone, all the disappointments are gone. Gone, just for the moment.

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  @ybbob