Needed Me – English Lyrics

• By: Rihanna
• Album: ANTI

Lyrics & Translation

Explore Rihanna's anthem of self-empowerment, "Needed Me," a song that dissects relationships and reclaims independence. With its blend of R&B and trap elements, this track offers a lesson in setting boundaries and understanding the nuances of casual relationships. Learn how Rihanna's commanding vocal performance elevates the song’s message of dominance and emotional control .

[English]

(WAVES MOVING)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ MUSTARD ON THE BEAT HO! ♪

♪ I WAS GOOD ON MY OWN THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS ♪

♪ THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS YOU WAS GOOD ON THE LOW ♪

♪ FOR A FADED FUCK ♪

♪ ON SOME FADED LOVE ♪

♪ SHIT, WHAT THE FUCK YOU COMPLAINING FOR? ♪

♪ FEELING JADED, HUH? ♪

♪ USED TO TRIP OFF THAT SHIT I WAS KICKIN' TO YOU ♪

♪ HAD SOME FUN ON THE RUN THOUGH I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU ♪

♪ BUT BABY, DON'T GET IT TWISTED ♪

♪ YOU WAS JUST ANOTHER NIGGA ON THE HIT LIST ♪

♪ TRYNA FIX YOUR INNER ISSUES WITH A BAD BITCH ♪

♪ DIDN'T THEY TELL YOU THAT I WAS A SAVAGE? ♪

♪ FUCK YA WHITE HORSE AND YA CARRIAGE ♪

♪ BET YOU NEVER COULD IMAGINE ♪

♪ NEVER TOLD YOU YOU COULD HAVE IT ♪

♪ YOU NEEDED ME ♪

♪ OOOH, YOU NEEDED ME ♪

♪ TO FEEL A LITTLE MORE, AND GIVE A LITTLE LESS ♪

♪ KNOW YOU HATE TO CONFESS ♪

♪ BUT BABY OOO, YOU NEEDED ME ♪

♪ ♪

♪ YOU BEEN ROLLIN' AROUND, SHIT I'M ROLLIN' UP ♪

♪ LIGHT AND ROLL IT UP ♪

♪ BREAK IT DOWN, LIKE A POUND, SHIT WAS NEVER US ♪

♪ SHIT WAS NEVER US ♪

♪ THAT'S THE REAL, ON THE REAL, ARE YOU SERIOUS? ♪

♪ HOW YOU FEEL, HOW YOU FEEL? ♪

♪ USED TO TRIP OFF THAT SHIT I WAS KICKIN' TO YA ♪

♪ HAD SOME FUN ON THE RUN THOUGH, I GIVE IT TO YA ♪

♪ BUT BABY, DON'T GET IT TWISTED ♪

♪ YOU WAS JUST ANOTHER NIGGA ON THE HIT LIST ♪

♪ TRYNA FIX YOUR INNER ISSUES WITH A BAD BITCH ♪

♪ DIDN'T THEY TELL YOU THAT I WAS A SAVAGE? ♪

♪ FUCK YA WHITE HORSE AND YA CARRIAGE ♪

♪ BET YOU NEVER COULD IMAGINE ♪

♪ NEVER TOLD YOU YOU COULD HAVE IT ♪

♪ YOU NEEDED ME ♪

♪ OOOH, YOU NEEDED ME ♪

♪ TO FEEL A LITTLE MORE, AND GIVE A LITTLE LESS ♪

♪ KNOW YOU HATE TO CONFESS ♪

♪ BUT BABY OOO, YOU NEEDED ME ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - of high quality or an acceptable standard
fade /feɪd/ B1	verb - to gradually disappear adjective - having lost freshness or intensity of color
complain /kəmˈpleɪn/ B1	verb - to express dissatisfaction or annoyance about something
jaded /ˈdʒeɪdɪd/ B2	adjective - tired, bored, or lacking enthusiasm, typically after having had too much of something
trip /trɪp/ B1	verb - to stumble or fall
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move at a speed faster than a walk noun - an act or instance of running
twisted /ˈtwɪstɪd/ B2	adjective - distorted, perverted, or misrepresented
fix /fɪks/ A2	verb - to repair or mend something
inner /ˈɪnər/ B1	adjective - situated inside; internal
issue /ˈɪʃuː/ B1	noun - an important topic or problem for debate or discussion
bad /bæd/ A1	adjective - of poor quality or a low standard
savage /ˈsævɪdʒ/ B2	adjective - fierce, violent, and uncontrolled
white /waɪt/ A1	adjective - of the color of milk or fresh snow
imagine /ɪˈmædʒɪn/ B1	verb - form a mental image or concept of
hate /heɪt/ A2	verb - to feel intense dislike for
confess /kənˈfes/ B2	verb - admit or state formally that one has committed a crime or done something wrong
roll /roʊl/ A2	verb - move or cause to move in a particular direction by turning over and over
serious /ˈsɪriəs/ B1	adjective - grave; giving cause for concern.

Key Grammar Structures

• I WAS GOOD ON MY OWN

  ➔ Past Simple with 'good' as an adjective

  ➔ Describes a past state of being self-sufficient. "I was good" means I was doing well, I was okay. "On my own" clarifies this was achieved independently.

• YOU WAS GOOD ON THE LOW

  ➔ Non-standard Past Simple with 'was' and colloquial use of 'on the low'

  ➔ The use of "was" instead of "were" with "you" is grammatically incorrect but common in some dialects and adds to the casual tone. "On the low" means secretly or discreetly.

• FOR A FADED FUCK

  ➔ Preposition "for" + Noun Phrase (adjective + noun)

  ➔ "For" indicates reason or purpose. "Faded" describes a state of being diminished or weak. "Fuck" is used informally and intensifies the expression.

• WHAT THE FUCK YOU COMPLAINING FOR?

  ➔ Interrogative sentence with "what", vulgar language, and stranded preposition

  ➔ "What the fuck" is an intensifying expletive. The sentence is grammatically informal, ending with a preposition. The correct formal structure would be "What are you complaining about?".

• USED TO TRIP OFF THAT SHIT I WAS KICKIN' TO YOU

  ➔ Past Habit ('used to'), phrasal verb ('trip off'), slang ('shit', 'kickin''), preposition stranding

  ➔ "Used to" indicates a past habit. "Trip off" means to react strongly or emotionally to something. "Kickin' to you" is slang meaning saying or telling you something. The sentence structure informally ends with the preposition "to".

• BUT BABY, DON'T GET IT TWISTED

  ➔ Imperative sentence with negative command, idiomatic expression

  ➔ "Don't get it twisted" is an idiomatic expression meaning "don't misunderstand" or "don't be mistaken".

• TRYNA FIX YOUR INNER ISSUES WITH A BAD BITCH

  ➔ Shortened form of 'trying to', infinitive of purpose, adjective + noun ('bad bitch')

  ➔ "Tryna" is a shortened colloquialism for "trying to". The infinitive "to fix" expresses purpose. "Bad bitch" is slang, usually meaning a confident and attractive woman.

• DIDN'T THEY TELL YOU THAT I WAS A SAVAGE?

  ➔ Past Simple Negative Interrogative; Noun Clause (that + clause); Past Simple.

  ➔ The main question is formed in the Past Simple Negative. 'That I was a savage' functions as a noun clause, being the object of the verb 'tell'. The verb 'tell' implies information was previously shared or warned about.