Reminder
Verse 1
Record man play my song on the radioYou too busy tryna find that blue-eyed soulI let my black hair grow and my weed smokeAnd I swear too much on the regularWe gon' let them hits fly, we gon' let it goIf it ain't XO, then it gotta goI just won a new award for a kids showTalkin' 'bout a face numbin' off a bag of blowI'm like, goddamn, bitch, I am not a Teen ChoiceGoddamn, bitch, I am not a bleach boyWhip game, make a nigga understand thoughGot that Hannibal, Silence of the LamboHit the gas so hard make it rotateAll my niggas blew up like a propaneAll these R&B niggas be so lameGot a sweet Asian chick, she go lo mein (Oh-oh-oh)Chorus
You know me (Know me, uh, na-na-na-na-na)You know me (Know me, know me, oh-oh-oh)You know me (Know me, know me, na-na-na-na-na)Every time you try to forget who I amI'll be right there to remind you againYou know me (Pow, pow)You know me (Know me)Verse 2
Said I'm just tryna swim in somethin' wetter than the oceanFaded off a double cup, I'm mixin' up the potionAll I wanna do is make that money and make dope shitIt just seem like niggas tryna sound like all my old shitEverybody knows it, all these niggas know mePlatinum off a mixtape, sippin' on that codeinePour it in my trophies, roll until my nose bleedI'ma keep on singin' while I'm burnin' up that OGAll my niggas get it, they make money all aloneRock a chain around they neck, makin' sure I'm gettin' homeWhen I travel 'round the globe, make a couple mil' a showAnd I come back to my city, I fuck every girl I knowUsed to walk 'round with a slouch, had a mattress on the floorNow my shit straight, eatin' all day, tryna lose weightThat good sex, we'll sweat it outHotel bed springs, we'll wear it outI ain't gotta tell youChorus
'Cause you know me (Oh-oh-oh)You know me (Know me, ah, na-na-na-na-na)You know me (Know me, know me, oh-oh-oh)You know me (Know me, know me, na-na-na-na-na)Every time you try to forget who I am (Try to forget who I am)I'll be right there to remind you again (Hey)You know me (Pow, pow)You know me (Know me, know me)Bridge
Why don't you shake somethin', shake somethin'For the Don? Don't you break nothin', break nothin'Baby girl, won't you work somethin', work somethin'For the Don? Don't you hurt nothin', hurt nothin'Baby girl, won't you shake somethin', shake somethin' (Shake some)For the Don? Don't you break nothin' (Break nothin'), break nothin'Baby girl, won't you work somethin' (Work), work somethin'For the Don? Don't you hurt nothin', hurt nothin'Refrain
'Cause you know meGirl, you know meYou already know meYeah, you know meOutro
Oh-oh-oh, na-na-na-na-naOh-oh-oh, na-na-na-na-naOh-oh-oh, na-na-na-na-naOh-oh-oh, na-na-na-na-naWhat the song means
"Reminder" is a boastful track in which The Weeknd presents himself as a star who refuses to be ignored or doubted. He mocks the radio and the industry gatekeepers who are "too busy" chasing other sounds, and he dismisses rivals who try to imitate his style. The verses are a stream of brags about money, awards, tours, and his crew, all delivered with a loose, carefree swagger.
The mood shifts a little as the song goes on. The second verse reflects on his past, when he lived with a mattress on the floor, and sets that against his current life of luxury and excess. The chorus works as the central message: no matter how hard people try to forget who he is, he will always be there to remind them. The bridge turns the attention to a listener, pleading with a woman to dance "for the Don," which places him as the commanding figure at the centre of the party.
The key images are the drug references, such as the cup of codeine and the "potion," which evoke the hazy, indulgent lifestyle he celebrates. "Silence of the Lambo" twists the film title *Silence of the Lambs* into a car reference, showing the playful wordplay typical of the song. The repeated "you know me" is the hook that ties everything together, turning the track into an assertion of identity and a warning that he is impossible to forget.
Key phrases explained
- blue-eyed soul
- soul music performed by a white artist — A jab at the industry for favoring white performers over Black artists in R&B.
- Whip game
- charisma, style, and the ability to attract people — Slang boasting about his smooth, confident image.
- Silence of the Lambo
- a pun on the film *Silence of the Lambs* — Replaces "Lambs" with "Lambo" (Lamborghini) to brag about his cars.
- Faded off a double cup
- intoxicated from drinking a double cup of lean — Refers to drinking codeine-mixed soda, a common image in hip-hop.
- For the Don
- a respectful way to call for attention to the boss or leader — The bridge calls on a woman to dance in his honor, positioning him as the king.
- Platinum off a mixtape
- certified platinum sales from an independent mixtape — Shows his rise from underground releases to mainstream success.
Song info
- Release date
- 2016-11-25
- Album
- Starboy
- Written by
- The Weeknd, Sir Dylan, DaHeala, Mano, Doc McKinney, Cirkut
- Produced by
- DaHeala, Cirkut, Mano, Doc McKinney
- Interpolates
- The Weeknd – Youngest Killer