The Real Meaning Behind Lil Nas X's 'MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)'
Lil Nas X's song "Old Town Road" made history in 2019 when it broke 17 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100 at Number 1, per Billboard. The unforgettable medley won song of the year at the 2019 VMAs, thanks to its catchy tune, brilliant collab with Billy Ray Cyrus, and its hidden meaning. Fun fact: When Lil Nas X accepted the award for this accolade, given to him by Kelly Clarkson, the American Idol winner's reaction to his acceptance speech was a whole mood.
It's safe to say Lil Nas X has secured his place on top and continues to elicit fascination for his creative antics. For instance, his early penchant for dressing like a cowboy is forever iconic. Lil Nas X also scored points for featuring the talented Skai Jackson in his music video, "Panini," another hit. He also hung out with James Charles and got everyone talking. In fact, Lil Nas X had something to say about everyone's chatter on the subject!
The talk continues, but rest assured, it's all good. Lil Nas X announced on Twitter that his song "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)" dropped at midnight on March 26, 2021. Here's what the song really means.
Lil Nas X renames the Garden of Eden in MONTERO
Lil Nas X's big hit, "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)," is loaded with meaning. For starters, his birth name is Montero Lamar Hill, something he explained during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in January 2021. "It's slightly embarrassing, but I'm not embarrassed," the singer said. "My mom wanted the car, the [Mitsubishi] Montero, and she never got one." He added, "So yeah, I'm named after a car."
It's significant that Lil Nas X used his birth name, which seems to be a soft spot for him, in a song that emphasizes names. The lyrics read: "Call me by your name, I do not care if you lyin'," per Genius. Both the lyrics and music video have major links to the biblical story of the Garden of Eden, aptly renamed Montero. There's a snake of temptation that Lil Nas X's character seems unable to resist. The lyrics echo both the Garden of Eden and temptation: "I'm not phased, only here to sin/ If Eve ain't in your garden, you know that you can."
In a 2019 interview with Gayle King, the singer said that as a teenager, he prayed that being gay "would go away," per CBS. Well, his reclaiming of the Garden of Eden, where traditionally all living things were named, and calling it Montero, shows an embrace of who he is to the very core. One fan tweeted that MONTERO "is the most gorgeously subversive and proudly queer music video I think I've ever seen." Bravo.