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When it comes to breaking down the lyrics of “Timeless” by The Weeknd and Playboi Carti, there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface than the usual flexing about success and status. Sure, at first glance, it’s about luxury, self-confidence, and being “timeless,” but if you take a closer look, there’s this subtle undercurrent of emotional conflict and personal reflection. That’s where I’m coming in. With my background in English literature and creative writing, I wanted to dive into this track from a more poetic angle—exploring the themes and emotions in a way that might not be immediately obvious. These are just my own thoughts and interpretations, but I hope this deeper look gives a new perspective on what’s really happening in these lyrics.
Now, I get that not everyone is going to see it this way, and that’s fine. Music is personal, and we all take different things from it. But for me, songs like this are interesting when you peel back the layers and start connecting them to larger themes. By looking at these lyrics through a more literary lens—drawing connections to poets like Langston Hughes, Robert Lowell, and Walt Whitman—I think we can see how “Timeless” goes beyond just being a song about flexing. It touches on themes of identity, emotional struggle, and what it really means to chase something that lasts. Whether you agree with me or not, I hope this exploration gives you something new to think about next time you listen.
[embed]https://youtube.com/watch?v=16jA-6hiSUo&si=9DPkObUA8nvqx-qI[/embed]Timeless The Weeknd Lyrics
Timeless
[Intro: The Weeknd]
XO
Ooh, yeah, ooh, yeah, no
[Verse 1: Playboi Carti & The Weeknd]
Ever since I was a jit, knew I was the shit (Ooh, yeah)
Shorty keep wanna come ’round, she wanna get hit (Wanna get hit so hard)
She think she the main because I keep her by my side
Double-O, bust down the watch, she know that I’m timeless (Timeless)
I put my son in some Rick
I pull that gun off the hip
Pockets hold twenty-two clips (Ah)
I break her heart, Comme Garçons
Put on a shirt, get put on a blimp
Bitch like a stain, get ready to lick
I had to tell her that ever since I was a jit, knеw I was the shit(Oh)
She singin’ my songs, she wanna diе lit, tryna get hit
House like a bank, deposit this bitch, deposit that check
Smile on my face, ain’t playing shit, come and get checked (Uh)
Ice on my neck, double-O wrist
She in the Scat, hell of a ‘Cat
Fresh out the trench, four hundred packs
Uh, yeah, I’m spinnin’ in Paris (Uh)
Dress for these hoes, they finna flock
Just poured a four in a soda, it pop
Them drugs finna hit, I’m feelin’ ill
I’m wrestlin’ all of my demons, I feel like The Rock
[Chorus: The Weeknd & Playboi Carti]
(Shit, uh, yeah)
Ever since I was a kid, I been legit (Jit, ooh, nah)
If I was you, I would cut up my wrist (Dumb bit’)
XO tatted all over her body, yeah (Yeah)
She just wanna roll and I don’t mind it, yeah
Ever since I was jit, I been legit (Ooh, nah, uh)
You should let her go, she wanna be it (Oh, yeah)
Double-O tatted on her body, yeah
It don’t matter what they say, I’m timeless, yeah (Schyeah)
[Verse 2: The Weeknd & Playboi Carti]
Oh, city on fire when I’m comin’ home
Fill up the sky (Yeah), I fill up the Dome
They’ll play it one day (Yeah), it’s a hell of a show
But it’s gonna hurt ’cause we did it first
Feel like Skateboard P, BBC boys on the creep
Feel like it’s ’03, Neptune drum with a beam (Yeah)
She hippie-flippin’ a bean, she wanna fuck with the team
She fell in love with the cream (Yeah), she fell in love with the scene
Ooh, yeah, her man quiet, not a peep (Oh, nah)
Broke his heart, PTSD (Oh, nah)
Hold his chest, let it breathe
Let it breathe, niggas scheme
And I got a priest, he got a cross
Get out of line, send him to God
I shed a tear, pray for a loss, ooh, yeah (Yeah)
[Chorus: The Weeknd & Playboi Carti]
Ever since I was a kid, I been legit (Homixide, Homixide, Homixide, oh, oh)
If I was you, I would cut up my wrist (Ah)
XO tatted all over her body, yeah (Body, yeah)
She just wanna roll and I don’t mind it, yeah
Ever since I was jit, I been legit (Yeah, ooh, nah)
You should let her go, she wanna be it (Oh, nah)
Double-O tatted on her body, yeah (Body, yeah)
It don’t matter what they say, I’m timeless
[Outro: The Weeknd & Playboi Carti]
Timeless (Oh), timeless, timeless
Timeless, timeless, timeless, we timeless, oh
Timeless, timeless, timeless (Yeah), timeless
Timeless (Yeah), timeless, timeless, we timeless, oh
Oh (Blatt)
Oh (Yuh, lit)
Timeless The Weeknd Meaning
Verse 1: Carti’s Confidence and Materialism
From the opening lines of Playboi Carti’s verse, it’s clear that confidence and self-assurance are central. “Ever since I was a jit, knew I was the shit,” he declares. In my opinion, this line is a bold statement of self-identity. Carti sees his success not as something he stumbled upon but as something he was destined for, even from a young age. There’s a real parallel here to Walt Whitman’s assertion in “Song of Myself”, where he famously writes, “I celebrate myself, and sing myself.” Whitman’s self-assurance mirrors Carti’s, though Whitman’s is more philosophical, while Carti’s is rooted in the material world.
As the verse continues, Carti’s sense of legacy becomes tied to wealth and status: “Double-O, bust down the watch, she know that I’m timeless.” Here, Carti is not just flaunting a luxury watch but using it as a metaphor for his lasting impact. I think this concept of being “timeless” through material success is interesting because it shows a more modern, consumer-driven way of thinking about legacy. In comparison, Whitman’s timelessness comes from his connection to the human spirit, while Carti’s comes from diamonds on his wrist. Both are looking to immortalize themselves, but the approaches are drastically different.
What I find compelling is how the confidence in Carti’s words covers up an underlying vulnerability. He insists on his success, but by focusing so heavily on material symbols, there’s a sense that without these markers, his “timelessness” might not feel as secure. This echoes Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem (Dream Deferred)”, which asks, “What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up / like a raisin in the sun?” I believe Carti’s dreams are not deferred, but there’s an implicit fear here—what happens if the material symbols go away? Will the legacy hold? Like Hughes’ dream, Carti’s success could be fragile beneath the surface.
Chorus: The Weeknd’s Search for Permanence
The chorus shifts the focus slightly, with The Weeknd repeating the idea that he’s been “legit” since childhood. “Ever since I was a kid, I been legit” emphasizes a sense of authenticity and worthiness that both artists claim has always been present. This idea of being “legit” is more than just about success—it’s about having a sense of inner value that’s independent of external validation. However, as the chorus unfolds, material symbols still play a major role. “XO tatted all over her body, yeah” implies permanence, but that permanence is literal, etched into the skin through tattoos, which aligns with the song’s theme of lasting influence.
What’s really striking to me is how this need for permanence reflects The Weeknd’s deeper emotional struggles. On the surface, he’s declaring his timelessness, but I can’t help but notice a vulnerability here—almost as if he’s trying to convince himself. Robert Lowell’s “Skunk Hour” comes to mind, particularly when Lowell writes, “My mind’s not right.” Lowell’s words reflect a deep-seated unease, and I think The Weeknd is playing with a similar idea. The outward bravado hides inner conflict, a theme that runs through much of The Weeknd’s work.
In the chorus, there’s also this bold line: “If I was you, I would cut up my wrist.” On the one hand, it’s a brash, exaggerated statement, but it also hints at the emotional toll of constantly proving your worth. To me, this line, like Lowell’s reflections on self-doubt, suggests that living under the pressure of maintaining an image of success can become unbearable at times. The material success, tattoos, and watches are all ways to declare “I’ve made it,” but the emotional weight behind it lingers.
Verse 2: Wrestling with Success and Demons
As we move into the second verse, The Weeknd’s lyrics become more introspective. He describes the intensity of his fame: “City on fire when I’m coming home / Fill up the sky, I fill up the Dome.” This image of grandeur, of setting the city ablaze and filling up a stadium, perfectly captures the peak of success. But what I find fascinating is the subtle hint of exhaustion beneath the spectacle. Filling up the sky and the Dome is impressive, but is it enough? Is there something missing?
This ties back to Robert Lowell’s exploration of public and private life in “Skunk Hour.” Lowell, reflecting on a similarly empty grandeur, writes, “The season’s ill—we’ve lost our summer millionaire.” For both Lowell and The Weeknd, there’s an awareness that material success can feel hollow. The Weeknd talks about being surrounded by wealth and fame, yet he admits to wrestling with inner demons: “I’m wrestlin’ all of my demons, I feel like The Rock.” Here, the metaphor of wrestling with his demons highlights the internal conflict he can’t escape, despite his outward success. In my opinion, this is where the song’s real tension lies—between the desire to be seen as timeless and the personal struggles that fame exacerbates.
Even when he sings about women falling in love with “the cream” and “the scene,” I think there’s a clear disconnect. The women are drawn to his success and wealth, but The Weeknd remains distant, emotionally detached. This reminds me of Langston Hughes’ line from “Dream Deferred”, where he wonders if unfulfilled dreams “crust and sugar over—like a syrupy sweet?” The Weeknd’s fame is like that sweet exterior, but underneath, there’s a sense that something has gone unfulfilled, or that it comes at too great a cost.
Poetic Themes, Takeaways, And What Literature Teaches Us
The themes in “Timeless” dive into self-confidence, materialism, and internal struggle, but they’re also more layered when you look at them through the lens of poetry. Playboi Carti and The Weeknd are essentially saying they’ve been legit since day one, calling themselves “timeless” like their impact is permanent. It’s very similar to what Walt Whitman talks about in Song of Myself—the idea that the self is something to be celebrated and recognized as enduring. In the song, that sense of self-worth is tied to things like luxury watches and status, just like Whitman ties it to the sheer act of being.
The takeaway here is that their success and confidence are meant to last, but there’s more happening beneath the surface.
When you peel back the bravado, there’s some real emotional conflict in the mix. Playboi Carti mentions wrestling with demons, which brings up that Skunk Hour vibe from Robert Lowell. On the outside, everything looks perfect—big houses, expensive clothes, all that—but inside, there’s a different story.
The cracks show when they mention feeling ill and dealing with inner demons. It’s the same kind of struggle Lowell digs into, where there’s this deep sense of isolation and self-doubt hiding behind a public persona. The lyrics give us this push-pull between outward success and inner turmoil, which really grounds the song in something more relatable.
Then there’s Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes, which connects with the song’s hints about the hollowness of material success. Hughes talks about the fallout of dreams put on hold, and even though “Timeless” doesn’t directly hit on that, there’s this underlying sense that all the money, fame, and status aren’t filling a deeper void. Playboi Carti and The Weeknd have everything on the outside, but they’re still grappling with emotional pain, almost like their dreams haven’t been fully realized.
Hughes’ poem feels like a mirror to that—when success doesn’t bring the fulfillment you expect, what’s left? Both the song and the poem leave you questioning whether all that external validation really delivers what you’re after.
The post Timeless The Weeknd Lyrics And Meaning: Self-Confidence, Poets, And Inner Demons appeared first on Magnetic Magazine.