What does "I Feel It Coming" by The Weeknd means?

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What does "I Feel It Coming" by The Weeknd mean?

I've been waiting for The Weeknd to release new singles from his upcoming Starboy album! He's an excellent musician, and I think when I first started explaining songs, he impressed me because he was proof that a pop artist could write about deeper things  while still being incredibly "poppy." The Weeknd proves it in songs like "Can't Feel My Face," "The Hills," and "Starboy."

That being said, "I Feel It Coming" may not take you too many guesses to figure out what it's about. I'll just give it away: it's about sex and orgasm. The title makes sense now, right? I'm going to keep objective throughout my explanation of the lyrics--I won't let my opinion of the subject matter taint my description of "I Feel It Coming"'s meaning--but I will say now that I feel a little let down that not all of his songs are deeper soul searchings like what I really liked in "The Hills" and other songs.

Oh well. We can't all be perfect, and that's one of the prevailing themes in The Weeknd's music--we're not all perfect, especially not him. He's open and honest about, so this isn't me attacking him; he shares it openly with all of his listeners. But let's move beyond this biographical discussion and let the lyrics speak for themselves a little. 

"I Feel It Coming"'s Lyrical Meaning

Like I said earlier, "I Feel It Coming" by The Weeknd is about orgasm, particularly female orgasm, and I'll let you know now that I don't necessarily recommend this song explaining post for children. If you're young enough to not know much about sex, I recommend enjoying some other song and just knowing that you should probably ask your parents about the meaning behind this one. This isn't me being condescending. I'm just watching out for you; ideally, you only have to worry about certain things at certain points in life.

That being said, for those of you who really want to know more about "I Feel It Coming," let's jump into the lyrics.

Verse 1: Orgasm

Verse 1 is probably the most explicit stanza of "I Feel It Coming." Here, The Weeknd sings, "Tell me what you really like / Baby, I can take my time," a reference, we assume, to sex. He zooms out of their sexual relationship for a moment to assure his significant other that they "don't every have to fight / Just take it step-by-step." Their relationship in general can be good, he assures her.

The second half of the verse is purely sexual as, we assume, they are having sex in probably one of the most graphic descriptions of the act on pop radio: "I can see it in your eyes / Cause they never tell me lies / I can feel that body shake / And the heat between your legs." There's very little subtlety here as The Weeknd describes having sex.

Pre-Chorus: Sex Will Set Your Free

In the pre-chorus, The Weeknd tells his intended, "You've been scared of love / And what it did to you." She may have been in a bad relationship, but he wants her to know that she doesn't "have to run." He knows "what [she's] been through."

His proposed solution? "Just a simple touch / And it can set you free." Having sex with him, we are led to believe, will reassure her and set her mind at ease as she eases back into another relationship. He tells her that they "don't have to rush / When you're alone with me." The reference to being alone further cements the idea that they're having sex. They're somewhere private and away from other people.

The Chorus: "I Feel It Coming"

The chorus is a simple repetition of the lines "I feel it coming / I feel it coming, babe." We can only assume that this is a reference to impending orgasm drawing nearer. The repetition of these two lines four times increases the intensity of the moment and highlights what's really important in this song: The Weeknd's belief in the power of sex to bring two people together.

Verse 2: "Not the single type"

In the second verse of "I Feel It Coming," Abel tells the woman, "You are not the single type / So, baby, this the perfect time." He believes that she is desirable and knows that she personally probably would rather be in a relationship. He offers himself as someone she can join, and reverts back to discussion of their sex: "I'm just trying to get you high / And faded off this touch"--again referring to the act.

He tells her, "You don't need a lonely night / So, baby, I can make it right." He's telling her that he wants to share a bed her and have sex with her. He wants her to just give him a shot when he sings, "You just got to let me try / To give you what you want."

"I Feel It Coming" Deeper Song Lyrics Meaning

There's not a lot below the surface of "I Feel It Coming" unless we want to delve into analyzing who The Weeknd is as a person. The song is a pretty straightforward "come have sex with me--I can do the sex really good" song that reminds us that The Weeknd is still human. Don't get me wrong. It sounds really cool, and I'll forever be a fan of The Weeknd's particular sound. He does a great job of creating music, but for this song in particular I feel that he had some great music but didn't have anything to say, so he resorted to doing what so many other pop artists write about because they have nothing else to say or because they think it will sell.

I think about what I just wrote above, and I really do feel like I'm being very critical. To be fair, I am being a little critical. I don't like the subject material in "I Feel It Coming"; it makes me uncomfortable for something that's usually so private to be made so public. It makes me feel like I've awkwardly opened a door and found complete strangers having sex. It's weird and awkward, and I stand there staring for a second before I realize what's happening and slam the door and run back down the hallway.

Of course, the above scene doesn't come with the cool sound (that vaguely samples Taylor Swift's "Style"?) and chill atmosphere of "I Feel It Coming," but it's still awkward and surprising, though mostly because I've loved the depth of thought and feeling in The Weeknd's other songs.

What do you think of "I Feel It Coming"? Does it surprise you too? Let me know down below!