Residuals Lyrics - Chris Brown

The song captures the emotional turmoil of someone reflecting on a past relationship. The lyrics delve into the feelings of confusion, loss, and longing that arise when a once significant other moves on. The narrator is left questioning where their love and efforts went, feeling the weight of the memories and emotions that remain.

[Verse 1]
Don't know when my nights became so complicated
Can’t recall my mornings ever being this faded
Maybe this is karma, definition of jaded, oh
This stays on my mind, this stays on my mind
Tryna put a muzzle on my crazy feelings
One minute I'm cool and then the next, I'm tripping, no
With somebody new, I swear she done deserted
Wasted on my mind, she still on my mind

Explanation of Verse 1
In the first verse, the narrator describes how their nights and mornings have become difficult since the breakup. They reflect on feelings of karma and being jaded, struggling to manage their emotions while dealing with the presence of a new person in their ex-partner's life.

[Pre-Chorus]
Do we build it up, build it up
Just to let it wash away?
Tell me did I lace you up, lace you up
Just to watch you run away?

Explanation of Pre-Chorus
The pre-chorus presents rhetorical questions about the relationship, pondering whether their efforts to build and support it were ultimately in vain as they watched it fall apart.

[Chorus]
Please tell me who
Who’s getting all my love? (Love)
Who's getting all my love?
Tell me who
Who's getting all my time?
All of that used to be mine, oh
Who did you teach what I taught ya? (Oh)
Better not give him my nickname
I don't like thinking about it
I swear that it's wearing me down, no
But tell me who
Who's getting all of my?
Who's getting all of my residuals?

Explanation of Chorus
The chorus is a plea for answers. The narrator wants to know who is now receiving the love and time that used to be theirs, feeling distressed by the thought of their ex-partner sharing intimate parts of their past relationship with someone new.

[Post-Chorus]
(Who)
Who's getting all of my?
Who’s getting all of my residuals?
(Who)
Who’s getting all of my?
Who's getting all of my residuals?

Explanation of Post-Chorus
The post-chorus repeats the central question, emphasizing the narrator's preoccupation with who is now getting the emotional and affectionate "residuals" from their past relationship.

[Verse 2]
Made it clear you didn’t wanna see the sequel
I was lying when I said the feeling's mutual, oh
It took some time to realize that we're different people
And love is blind, I see love is blind

Explanation of Verse 2
In the second verse, the narrator acknowledges that their ex-partner didn't want to continue the relationship. They admit to lying about their mutual feelings and realize that they are different people, with love having blinded them to their incompatibilities.

[Pre-Chorus]
Do we build it up, build it up
Just to let it wash away?
And tell me did I lace you up, lace you up
Just to watch you run away?

Explanation of Pre-Chorus
The repeated pre-chorus reinforces the narrator's internal conflict and sense of loss over the dissolved relationship.

[Chorus]
Please tell me who
Who's getting all my love? (Who’s getting? Love)
Who's getting all my love? (My love)
And tell me who
Who's getting all my time? (My time, no)
All of that used to be mine, oh (Believe it)
Who did you teach what I taught ya? (Oh)
Better not give him my nickname
I don't like thinking about it
I swear that it's wearing me down, no
But tell me who (So tell me who, yeah)
Who's getting all of my? (My)
Who's getting all of my (Oh) residuals?

Explanation of Chorus
The repeated chorus highlights the narrator's persistent need for answers and their struggle with the leftover emotions and memories from their past relationship

[Post-Chorus]
(Who)
(Who)

Explanation of Post-Chorus
The repeated post-chorus underscores the ongoing impact of the breakup on the narrator, as they continue to wonder about the new recipient of their ex-partner's love and attention.

OVERALL
The song captures the emotional aftermath of a breakup, focusing on the narrator's feelings of loss, confusion, and lingering attachment. They question who is now receiving the love and time they once gave and struggle with the emotional "residuals" left behind. The lyrics express a deep sense of heartbreak and the difficulty of moving on from a significant relationship.