Frank Ocean 'Novacane' lyrics meaning revealed

13 April 2023, 12:23

Frank Ocean Serenading Brad Pitt At FYF Festival 2017

'Met her at Coachella' now has a brand-new meaning!

For those who have been living under a rock, Frank Ocean is set to headline Sunday's spot at Coachella in his first public performance since 2017.

Rumours have been circulating over what songs Frank will play, and it is likely that he will be playing a lot of his older music.

The song 'Novacane' was Ocean's debut single way back in 2011, and here's a breakdown of the lyrics behind his groundbreaking track.

Frank Ocean dating history: does he have a boyfriend & who has he dated?

Frank released Novacane back in 2011.
Frank released Novacane back in 2011. Picture: Def Jam

"Novacane, baby, baby / Novacane, baby, I want you"

Novacaine is a drug for numbing an area of the body, and makes a comparison of this feeling with the use of auto-tune in the business.

The song is used as an extended metaphor for the numbness Frank feels after this sexual encounter, which the song seems to heavily imply.

Like the drug, Ocean is writing about having developed an addition and dependency on the woman's love.

Frank Ocean pictured in 2014.
Frank Ocean pictured in 2014. Picture: Getty

"Met her at Coachella"

Ocean explains that he met the woman in question at Coachella festival - an annual music event in California.

It is best known for its celebrity attendees and is the IT place for fashion and being seen.

Frank is headlining 2023's Coachella, which brings the song full circle since it's release in 2011.

Frank Ocean is headlining 2023 Coachella.
Frank Ocean is headlining 2023 Coachella. Picture: Getty

"I'm feelin' like Stanley Kubrick / This is some visionary sh*t"

Ocean is referring to film director Kubrick's final film 'Eyes Wide Shut' in 1999.

The title of the film is a play on words of 'Eyes Wide Open', and the premise is similar to the song's themes.

The main character in the film goes on a journey of self-discovery in order to understand his wife's desires.

Similarly to this song, Ocean also embarks on a wild night, but can't seem to pin down anything pleasurable about the experience.

Frank Ocean pictured in 2013.
Frank Ocean pictured in 2013. Picture: Alamy

See the full lyrics for Frank Ocean's 'Novacane' below:

Novacane, novacane-cane

I think I started something
I got what I wanted
Did-didn't I can't feel nothing, superhuman
Even when I'm f*cking, Viagra popping
Every single record, autotuning
Zero emotion, muted emotion
Pitch corrected, computed emotion, uh-huh
I blame it on the model broad with the Hollywood smile, ow
Stripper booty and a rack like wow
Brain like Berkeley
Met her at Coachella
I went to see Jigga, she went to see Z Trip, perfect
I took a seat on the ice cold lawn
She handed me a ice blue bong, whatever
She said she wanna be a dentist really badly
She's in school paying
For tuition, doing porn in the Valley
At least you working
But, girl, I can't feel my face
What are we smoking anyway?
She said, "Don't let the high go to waste"
But can you taste a little taste?

Novacane, baby, baby
Novacane, baby, I want you
F*ck me good, f*ck me long, f*ck me numb
Love me now, when I'm gone, love me none
Love me none, love me none
Numb, numb, numb, numb

Sink full of dishes, pacing in the kitchen
C*caine for breakfast, yikes
Bed full of women, flip on a tripod
Little red light on shooting
I'm feeling like Stanley Kubrick
This is some visionary sh*t
Been tryna film pleasure with my eyes wide shut
But it keeps on moving
I blame it on the model broad with the Hollywood smile
Stripper booty with a rack like wow
I'll never forget ya
You put me on a feeling I never had
Never had, never had (Never)
And ever since I've been tryna get it back
And pick it up and put it back
Now I'm something like the chemist on campus
But there's no drug around
Quite like what I found in you, you
I still can't feel my face
What am I smoking anyway? (Ah)
She said, "Don't let the high go to waste" (Ooh)
But can you taste a little taste?

Novacane, baby, baby (Shh)
Novacane, baby, I want you
F*ck me good, f*ck me long, f*ck me numb
Love me now, when I'm gone, love me none
Love me none, love me none
Numb, numb, numb, numb

Novacane, novacane, novacane
Novacane, novacane (Oh)
Numb the pain, numb the pain, numb the pain
Numb the pain, numb the pain (Oh, oh)
Novacane, novacane, novacane
Novacane, novacane
For the pain, for the pain (Oh, oh, oh)
Novacane, novacane (Ooh)

Pretty girls involved with me
Making pretty love to me, pretty
Pity, pity
All the pretty girls involved with me
Making pretty love to me, pretty
Pity, pity
I can't feel a thing, I can't feel, I can't feel a thing
I can't feel a thing, I can't feel, feel, feel, feel her
I can't feel, feel her
Novacane, novacane, novacane
I can't feel, feel her
Novacane for the pain, for the pain
I can't, can't feel her
Feel her, feel her, oh

Here Are All The Ways You Can Listen To Capital XTRA