The ability to manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in the face of temptations and impulses to achieve long-term goals. This the definition of self control, from psychology today. This is what the common belief to other’s that self control means, but to Frank this self control feeling isn’t so simple. To Frank self-control is the attempt to stay composed and let go of someone, even when your emotions, memories, and identity are quietly unraveling underneath. Instead of just sitting to himself and thinking this his directly depicted his feelings in the way he found to most comfortable; his music.

The 600 million plus streams, the beautiful melodic song with a soft guitar track and genuine vocals is Frank Oceans masterpiece of artwork realeased to please each listeners ears in way. The vibrant songs starts with a story of a poolside convo with a lover. This moment was a key memory in the realtion with intmacy, and romantic pulls. But, even in the beggining we get a prolepsis of this love breaking down over time.

Moving out of the intro into the verse of “You cut your hair but you used to live a blonded life” , is a direct showing of change and turnaround. As symbolised by many, cutting hair is cutting memories or trauma away and moving on. Frank Ocean is the person in the relashionship still grabbing onto what isn’t there while his partner is moving on, lines like “Now and then you miss it, sounds make you cry” , and “Wish I was there, wish we’d grown up on the same advice” show Frank reasoning and yearning on this past intmacy that doesn’t exist anymore. In these lyrics strong vocals are now faded into a higher pitched starchy sound. This shift mirrors losing yourself within the heartbreak or even, your love turning into something you once knew to something unrecognizable.

In the end Frank Ocean sounds as if he’s trying to keep it together and reason with himself including lines like ” I I I know you gotta leave leave leave” reasoning with the fact of something he can’t truly grasp.

In total this song represents a relashionship going from a memory you hold close, into a present reality flash that this persons gone. This emotional honesty isn’t easy for either the listener or Frank Ocean to completly wrap their head around to. This constant tension is what provides the song with such a regretful and remorseful connatation, leaving you jaded.