Zayn is back into the music scene after a few years of break, and released a brand new single and a music video titled “Better.” The release comes only days after Zayn and Gigi Hadid welcome their baby daughter.
“Better” is the lead single off of Zayn’s upcoming third studio album, ‘Nobody Is Listening.’ The album is expected to release on January 15, 2021. His last major project was his 2018 album ‘Icarus Falls.’
On the new release, Zayn resumes to his moody lullabies to tell us a story of love and heartache. He sings that sometimes it is better to give up on love just to save impending heartbreak.
Watch “Better” Video by Zayn
“Better” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
Verse 1
In the song, Zayn and a woman have a secret relationship–maybe even friends with benefits. But things are about to come to an end, mainly because Zayn is falling for this woman, and ‘love’ and ‘casual’ don’t go together.
Zayn is not without regrets about this decision to move on. He feels that the girl also wants something more for them. They might just be good together, beyond just sex. But for some reason, Zayn has doubts. He foresees an impending doom for them.
He also has blessings from her family, because he is a straight-up man now. But something is holding him from moving forward…
Pre-chorus
As bitter as it tastes, Zayn sings that “sometimes it’s better that way.” If you do have doubts, it certainly is better to wait or walk away. “Wise men say only fools rush in,” right?
In these lyrics, however, Zayn admits how much he loves her. But he also wants to prevent them from going through some traumatizing heartbreak. Why does he expect it to not work for them? We don’t know yet.
Chorus
In the chorus of “Better,” we see some reasoning behind Zayn’s decision. He stresses the idea that relationships end in fights and heartbreaks. This could only manifest in such strong form in a person through experience. Maybe Zayn has been burnt before, and he does not want to mess up their friendship by trying to get more out of what they have right now.
Zayn is afraid, or rather worried, about the hate that’s ‘guaranteed’ to come his way if they become a couple. Maybe, he has very little confidence in him to hold up his end of the relationship. So, he would rather say ‘goodbye’ now and save some tears and friendship for both of them.
Verse 2
In the second verse of the song, Zayn piles up on the same set of excuses to back up from moving forward in this relationship. He is in love with her, and he feels that she is too. But he envisions a dangerous future for them as a couple.
The latter part of the verse is a reference to the infamous court case of the O. J. Simpson murder trial. In the case, former NFL star O. J. Simpson was accused of the murder of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman, who was returning Nicole’s sunglasses on the night both were murdered at the Simpson household. All fingers were pointed towards O. J. Simpson, and during the trial, a bloodied glove, supposedly of the murdered, was presented to the court and O. J. was asked to wear it. He did, and it did not fit his hand, thus ruling him out as the primary suspect. Zayn wraps around this subject to say that like the glove that didn’t fit O. J.’s hand, he and this girl also would not work.
A tragic ending to a story that has not even started yet. Maybe, it is better that way.
Let us hear what you think about this song in the comments below. Check out the complete lyrics and further meaning breakdown on Genius.
I really appreciated the breakdown of the lyrics! Zayn’s vulnerability in “Better” shines through, and your analysis helped me connect with the emotions even more. The exploration of love and self-reflection is so relatable. Great post!