What's The Real Meaning Behind Drake's Overdrive? Here's What We Think
Is it time to have sad boy hours while listening to Drake music again? The Canadian rapper surprised the world on June 16 when he announced that he would drop an album called "Honestly, Nevermind" at midnight that night. As opposed to 2021's Certified Lover Boy, Drake's newest album is much more low-key and introspective. Ever since its sudden release, fans have been clamoring for answers as to the true meaning of all of the 14 songs on "Honestly, Nevermind's" track list. But Drake has been relatively quiet since the drop, letting the music speak for itself.
"I got here being realistic / I didn't get here being blind," Drake reminisced in the statement he released accompanying the album on Apple Music. "I know what's what and especially what and who is by my side / Honestly...Nevermind." He added that "Honestly, Nevermind" is dedicated to fashion designer and creative, Virgil Abloh, who sadly died in November 2021.
"Honestly, Nevermind's" first single was the song, "Falling Back," which exemplified the album's motif of heartbreak and the ups-and-downs of relationships. But perhaps the song with the most please-don't-leave-me energy is the 10th track, "Overdrive."
Drake begs a mystery lady to stay
The song "Overdrive" features Drake's signature melodic singing over a constant, thumping beat. This beat pulses throughout the song and sounds very similar to the rhythm of a heartbeat. Then, the synths come in and get you dancing, but the meaning of the song is much more melancholy. This song, in turn, creates the "dance-crying" phenomenon — best explained by Dua Lipa — with Drake's heart being the thing that he sings is working overtime.
"Hold the line, we ain't done / Don't give up this divine bond between us," Drake's first verse goes. "The tide is high, nothing's lost / Could turn over a new leaf, for my love." So basically, Drake has a lover that is beginning to drift away from him because they have had hard times, thus the high tide. He begs her to hold onto him because he "could turn over a new leaf" and fix everything if she stays.
"My heart is in overdrive," he sings before entering the chorus — but before exiting the first verse, he reveals that the reason why they are falling apart is because of "jealousy." Then the chorus repeats: "I hope we can make it." Oof...
Overdrive is a love letter, hoping for forgiveness
As sad as the lyrics are, Drake also seems to have hope for a better future with the subject of this song. Well, other than co-parenting with the mother of Drake's son, Sophie Brussaux, Drake has been very private about his relationship status. Even though we don't know exactly who the song is about, it's clear that Drake was fighting hard for this relationship to work.
"I'm hanging on, but you don't see," he sings in the second verse. "It's a phase we'll overcome, my love." But then Drake ends the song by saying, "You are afraid to be fully open / Though you can see all my cards / My heart is in overdrive." So while he is trying to fight to fix the relationship, she is just unable to trust him. For Drake, being one of the biggest rappers in the world makes it challenging to have real, true relationships.
Even though "Falling Back" was chosen as the first single for "Honestly, Nevermind," it seems that "Overdrive" is an early stand-out on the track list. Billboard ranked "Overdrive" as the 4th best song behind "Massive," "Sticky," and "Jimmy Cooks" ft. 21 Savage. So it looks like we're gonna be dance-crying all summer, huh?