Certainly
Love's Unwanted Makeover: Erykah Badu's 'Certainly' Revelations
Lyrics
Who gave you permission to rearrange me
Expressing surprise or disapproval at someone rearranging the speaker's life without permission.
Certainly not me
Emphasizing that the speaker did not grant permission for the changes mentioned in line 1.
Who told you that it was alright to love me
Questioning who authorized the act of loving the speaker without consent.
Certainly, certainly not me
Reiterating that the speaker did not permit the love mentioned in line 3.
I was not looking for no love affair
Repeatedly stating that the speaker was not seeking a love affair and expressing resistance to being molded or controlled by someone's romantic intentions.
And now you want to fix me
-Was not looking for no love affair
-And now you want to mold me
-I was not looking for no love affair
-And now you want to kiss me
-Was not looking for no love affair
-And now you want to control me
-Hold me
Highlighting the desire for independence and resistance to being held or controlled.
I know you're trying to get creative with my love
Acknowledging creativity in expressing love but criticizing deceitful or manipulative actions that feel like being drugged ("slipped me a mickey").
And that's alright, but
-You tried to get a little tricky, turned my back
-And then you slipped me a mickey
-Certainly, certainly not me
Reiterating that the speaker did not give permission for the actions described earlier.
The world is mine
Asserting a sense of ownership and control over the speaker's world and time upon waking up.
When I wake up
-I don't need nobody telling me the time
-Who told you that it was alright to love me
Repeating the questioning of who allowed the unauthorized love mentioned earlier.
Certainly not me, no way no
-Who gave you permission to rearrange me
-Certainly not me, oh no no
Emphasizing once again that the speaker did not permit the rearrangement mentioned in line 29.
I was not looking for no love affair
Reiterating the speaker's lack of interest in a love affair and resistance to being fixed, molded, kissed, or controlled.
And now you want to fix me
-Was not looking for no love affair
-And now you want to mold me
-I was not looking for no love affair no no
-And now you want to kiss me
-I was not looking for no love affair no
-And now you want to control me
-Hold me
-You're really trying to get creative with my love
Acknowledging creativity in love pursuits but condemning deceptive actions, similar to lines 16-19.
And that's real cute, but
-You tried to get a little tricky, turned my back
-And then you slipped me a mickey
-Certainly, certainly, certainly not me
Final emphasis on the speaker's lack of permission for the actions described throughout the song.
The world is mine
Reiterating a sense of ownership over the world and time upon waking up.
When I wake up
-I don't need nobody telling me the time
-Certainly, certainly, certainly not me (I wasn't looking, was not looking for no love affair)
Final repetition and emphasis on the speaker not seeking a love affair.
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