What Now Lyrics

Lyric discussion by bbgab 

Cover art for What Now lyrics by Rihanna

It sounds like depression, when there is no pinpointed reason for your sadness ("whatever it is") or its just been built up over a period of time. You don't know why you feel the way you do and you can't help but feel that way. Everyone, sometimes including yourself("I shouldn't be crying,") thinks you should be happy, and that you have no reason not to be. And even though it may seem like you have everything together ("I'm supposed to be in love,") it just doesn't feel that way. You feel like you have to pretend to be happy towards others ("just playing games with them all.") You put on a front and no one even realizes your suffering and it seems like no one gets it, ("The more I swear I'm happy the more that I'm feeling alone.") The chorus, in my opinion, says how confusing it is. You don't know why you feel the way you do, how to end it, and where to go next. Depression is like that sometimes, its been that way in my case, it comes from seemingly nowhere and it is just truly difficult to understand yourself.

My Interpretation

Totally agree. I'm not a big fan of Rihanna at all but couldn't help but take a deeper look into the lyrics whenever I heard it.

Definitely seems to be a song about depression.

"The more I swear I'm happy, the more that I'm feeling alone 'Cause I spent every hour just going through the motions"

Apathy is a symptom of depression and she seems to be describing it here.

"What now? I just can't figure it out What now? I guess I'll just wait it out What now? Somebody tell me What now?"

The chorus...

@bbgab I posted this above however just had to relate it to your description as I agree with you perfectly.

Whilst the lyrics refer to Rihanna combatting her relationship issues, the lyrics are an exact replica for depression. I have suffered from mental illness over the last few years and listening to this song, it feels the words are coming out of my mouth. The numbness, the games, the acting, the loneliness, the confusion, the battle, the misunderstanding, the lies, the pain, but whilst she may seem to be that bad person, she is really the victim. The attempt to...