Listening to Mac Miller's posthumous album, Circles [1], is a bittersweet experience. Its lyrics and composition are poignant from start to finish, but the late rapper's charming relatability [2] still offers a sense of hope. Sadly, this LP is also a reminder of how we lost an amazing talent [3] at such a young age. I listened to Circles in its entirety three times in a row as soon as it dropped, and I've since played my personal favorites — "Blue World," "I Can See," "Everybody," and "Surf" — countless times. I've yet to get through a song without tearing up or thinking about how Miller was a light in this world. It is, quite honestly, heartbreaking.
But Circles is also beautiful [4]. It's soul-baring, nourishing, and endearing. It talks about mental-health battles and insatiable longings for love and inner peace in such a real way that it's hard to feel alone in those struggles. Miller gets it. He gets me. He gets us. There are so many verses that struck me and have continued to linger in my musings. Though it wasn't easy, I managed to pick my favorite lyrics from each song. Ahead, listen to every track and read some of the standout lines.
"Circles"
- "And I don't have a name, I don't have a name, no
Who am I to blame? Who am I to blame though?
And I cannot be changed, I cannot be changed, no
Trust me, I've tried"
- "Do not be afraid, do not be afraid
You're feeling sorry, I'm feeling fine
Don't you put any more stress on yourself, it's one day at a time"
"Complicated"
- "Well, I'm way too young to be getting old"
- "Inside my head is getting pretty cluttered
I try, but can't clean up this mess I made
Before I start to think about the future
First, can I please get through a day?"
"Blue World"
- "F*ck the bullsh*t, I'm here to make it all better
With a little music for you"
- "Think I lost my mind, reality's so hard to find
When the devil tryna call your line, but sh*t, I always shine
Even when the light dim
No, I ain't God, but I'm feelin' just like him"
- "Hey, one of these days we'll all get by
Don't be afraid, don't fall"
"Good News"
- "Why can't it just be easy?
Why does everybody need me to stay?
Oh, I hate the feeling
When you're high but you're underneath the ceiling"
- "No, they don't like it when I'm down
But when I'm flying, oh
It make 'em so uncomfortable
So different, what's the difference?"
- "I'm running out of gas, hardly anything left
Hope I make it home from work
Well, so tired of being so tired
Why I gotta build something beautiful just to go set it on fire?"
"I Can See"
- "I'm looking for balance, I'm in an oasis
Well, I need somebody to save me, hmm
Before I drive myself crazy"
- "And now I know if life is but a dream then so are we
Show me something, show me something, show me something"
- "You never expect to drop, so hold on, but
That's just the way it goes, your god don't wait for no one
And when that's all you know, it keeps you on your toes
You got so far to go, but look at where you came from"
"Everybody"
- "Everybody's gotta live
And everybody's gonna die
Everybody just wanna have a good, good time
I think you know the reason why"
- "Feel like I've seen a million sunsets, yeah
If you're with me I'll never go away
That's when I stopped, and I took a look at my baby
She said, 'If you're with me, I won't go away'"
"Woods"
- "Yeah, things like this ain't built to last
I might just fade like those before me"
- "Hey love, heartbreak will have you bankrupt
Too many days in a daze, better wake up"
"Hand Me Downs"
- "And all I ever needed was somebody with some reason who can keep me sane
Ever since I can remember I've been keeping it together, but I'm feeling strange"
- "Yeah, well I'm just being honest my conscience ain't doing bad
Because I try to minus the problems that I attract
And half the time the wheels that's in the back of my mind
Just keep on turning 'til the tires flat and burn until the fire crack"
"That's on Me"
- "That's on me, that's on me, I know
That's on me, that's on me, it's all my fault"
- "I don't know where I've been lately, but I've been alright
I said good morning this morning, and I'll say good night
Don't, don't, don't, don't wait around"
"Hands"
- "Yeah, why don't you wake up from your bad dreams?
When's the last time you took a little time for yourself?
There's no reason to be so down
Rather fly around like there's no ground"
- "No reason to be that upset
I'm busy trippin' about some sh*t that still ain't even happen yet"
"Surf"
- "Sometimes I get lonely
Not when I'm alone
But it's more when I'm standing in crowds
That I'm feeling the most on my own
And I know that somebody knows me
I know somewhere there's home
I'm starting to see that all I have to do is get up and go"
"Once a Day"
- "I wonder what they know
I wonder if they ever even cared at all
I wonder, do they see their own reflection in the rain
And look away?"
- "Don't keep it all in your head
The only place that you know nobody ever can see
You're running low on regret
No tears that's keeping you wet
I think you gettin' it now"
