Eric Nam’s “Idea of You” is a pop ballad that speaks to the confusion and pain that arise when someone is unsure of whether they miss a person or just the idea of them. The song was released on June 9, 2017, and has since become a fan favorite for its relatable lyrics and catchy melody.
Idea Of You Lyrics
[Intro]
Do I miss you?
Or do I just miss the idea of you? Idea of you
[Verse 1]
Haven’t been myself
Lost you and then I lost myself
Yeah, I know
Said it’s for the best
So why this feeling in my chest?
Yeah, I know
[Pre-Chorus]
‘Cause I’ve been, up late at night
With you on my mind
Does that make it right?
Yeah, I’ve been, up all alone
My bed feeling cold
But still I don’t know
[Chorus]
Do I miss you?
Or do I just miss the idea of you? Idea of you
Do I miss you?
Or do I just miss the idea of you? Idea of you
[Post-Chorus]
Idea of you
Or do I just
(Or do I just)
[Verse 2]
Staring at a photo
Just to keep the feeling going, I know
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah
Should be moving on
But there’s a chance of holding on, can’t let go
[Pre-Chorus]
‘Cause I’ve been, up late at night
With you on my mind
Does that make it right?
Yeah, I’ve been, up all alone
My bed feeling cold
But still I don’t know
[Chorus]
Do I miss you?
Or do I just miss the idea of you? Idea of you
Do I miss you?
Or do I just miss the idea of you? Idea of you
[Post-Chorus]
Idea of you
Or do I just
(Or do I just)
[Bridge]
All that I know is my heart feels more like a stone, ooh
All that I know is I don’t really know at all
Do I miss you?
Or do I just miss the idea
[Chorus]
Do I miss you?
Or do I just miss the idea of you? Idea of you
Do I miss you?
Or do I just miss the idea of you? Idea of you
[Post-Chorus]
Idea of you
Or do I just
(Or do I just)
Lyrics message:
The lyrics of “Idea of You” are straightforward and raw. Eric Nam expresses his vulnerability and confusion about his emotions towards someone he has lost. He wonders if he misses them or just the idea of them. The song’s lyrics paint a picture of someone struggling to move on from a past love and grappling with the feeling of being lost without them.
The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. Eric Nam sings, “Do I miss you? Or do I just miss the idea of you? Idea of you.” This line captures the central theme of the song, which is the confusion and uncertainty about one’s feelings towards a past love.
In the first verse,
Eric Nam admits that he has not been himself since losing the person. He says, “Haven’t been myself, Lost you and then I lost myself. Yeah, I know, Said it’s for the best, So why this feeling in my chest? Yeah, I know.” This verse speaks to the feeling of emptiness that comes with losing someone and the difficulty of accepting that it was for the best.
The pre-chorus
delves deeper into Eric Nam’s emotions, as he confesses that he has been up late at night thinking about the person. He sings, “Cause I’ve been, up late at night, With you on my mind, Does that make it right? Yeah, I’ve been, up all alone, My bed feeling cold, But still I don’t know.” This verse speaks to the struggle of trying to make sense of one’s emotions and the internal conflict that comes with it.
The chorus
is where Eric Nam poses the central question of the song: “Do I miss you? Or do I just miss the idea of you? The idea of you.” This line is repeated twice, emphasizing the confusion and uncertainty that Eric Nam feels about his emotions.
The post-chorus
is a repetition of the line “Idea of you, Or do I just (Or do I just),” emphasizing the idea of missing someone versus missing the idea of them.
The second verse
sees Eric Nam admitting that he still looks at a photo of the person to keep the feeling going, even though he knows he should be moving on. He sings, “Staring at a photo, Just to keep the feeling going, I know, Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, Should be moving on, But there’s a chance of holding on, can’t let go.” This verse speaks to the struggle of letting go of someone and the temptation to hold onto them, even if it is just an idea of them.
The bridge
is where Eric Nam admits that he doesn’t know what he feels anymore. He sings, “All that I know is my heart feels more like a stone, ooh, All that I know is I don’t really know at all, Do I miss you? Or do I just miss the idea?” This verse speaks to the confusion and numbness that can come with trying to make sense of one’s emotions.
The song ends with a repetition of the chorus and the post-chorus, emphasizing the central question of the song: “Do I miss you? Or do I just miss the idea of you? Idea of you.”
