Lyric Examination: Charlie Puth, ‘Nine Track Mind’

After analyzing the lyrics from ‘Nine Track Mind’, it’s revealed that at times, Charlie Puth could stand to upgrade his lyrical game.  

Charlie Puth recently saw major label debut Nine Track Mind debut at no. 6 on the Billboard 200. That’s no small feat. After reviewing Nine Track Mind traditionally, it seemed like a fun idea to examine it lyrically. After analyzing the lyrics from Nine Track Mind‘, it’s revealed that at times, Charlie Puth could stand to upgrade his lyrical game. 

1. “I’m only one call away / I’ll be there to save the day / Superman got nothing on me / I’m only one call away” – “One Call Away”

Commentary: Schmaltzy as a FU… “Superman got nothing on me?” O…M…G…!

2. “This is gonna hurt but I blame myself first / cause I ignore the truth / drunk off that love, my head up / there’s no forgetting you” – “Dangerously”

Commentary: Sigh, this dude can’t get over this girl. Nothing more to decode.

3. “I loved you dangerously / more than the air that I breathe / knew we would crash at the speed that we were going / didn’t care if the explosion ruined me…” – “Dangerously”

Commentary: She doesn’t want him and he wants her intensely. He’s in a bad state of affairs, to say the least.

4. “Let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on / you got that healing that I want / just like they say it in the song / until the dawn / let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on…” – “Marvin Gaye” 

Commentary: Marvin Gaye “would turn over in his grave” hearing this cutesy sex song.  C’mon! – “Let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on?” Who says that when it’s “about to go down?”

5. “We got this king size to ourselves / don’t have to share with no one else / don’t keep your secrets to yourself / it’s Kama Sutra show and tell” – “Marvin Gaye”

Commentary: Never reference the Kama Sutra again.

6. “I’m sorry that I’m not there to give you what you want / I’ll think about us some other time / and I’m sorry that I can’t be the perfect type of man / I’ll think about us some other time” – “Losing My Mind” 

Commentary: Charlie got one thing right, he is losing his mind!

7. “I just heard you found the one you’ve been looking /you’ve been looking for / I wish I would have known that wasn’t me / cause even after all this time I still wonder / why I can’t move on / just the way you did so easily” – “We Don’t Talk Anymore” 

Commentary: Charlie’s feelings may be genuine, but there’s clearly a reason why “we don’t talk anymore.”

8. “I’d stroll into a bank and put a ski mask on / and walk out with a million bucks / then I’d burn it in a pile out on your front lawn / just to prove it didn’t mean that much” – “My Gospel”

Commentary: A bit over the top…

9. “I’m not afraid to look insane / cause I’m crazy about you” – “My Gospel”

Commentary:  Charlie, “Superman got nothing on me” solidified your insanity… Superman could kick your…

10. “Well I get the thrill run down my spine / when I see you hitting me up / feeling so electrified / with the heat of a million suns” – “Up All Night”

Commentary: A guy meets a girl, though usually “million suns” don’t come to mind when the feeling hits…

11. “I said times are changing, tell me how can I keep up / every time that I turn around there’s a wall / but I’m climbing up daily, until I can see the top / and I get up right after every fall…” – “Left Right Left”

Commentary: This concept has been done how many times at this point? Unpredictable directions are quite predictable.

12. “There’s beautiful and then there’s you” – “Then There’s You”

Commentary: TOTALLY. THE. BEST. LYRICS. EVER. SAID. NO. ONE. EVER.

13. “I’m just a sucker for a cold-hearted lover / you make me suffer, you make me suffer” – “Suffer” 

Commentary: Charlie,  she doesn’t have a stranglehold on you, bro! Move the [bleep] on !

14. “Cause I, I will always love you / baby I could never judge you / I would take you as you are…” – “As You Are”

Commentary: Didn’t Billy Joel said something along these lines YEARS ago?

15. “When the world’s on fire / we won’t even move / there is no reason if I’m here with you / and when it’s said and done / I’ll give me to you / that’s some type of love / that’s some type of love.”

Commentary: DEFINITELY “some type of love.” 

Charlie Puth • Nine Track Mind • Atlantic • Release Date: 1.29.16