Love On The Brain

Song meaning of Love On The Brain by Rihanna

The song's lyrics deal with the highs and lows of poisonous love swinging back and forth.

For Rihanna's album Anti, "Love on the Brain" was the first song that was ordered. The song was written by American songwriter Joseph Angel and Norwegian songwriter and producer Fred Ball in 2013 with influence from Prince and Al Green.

Ball recalls, "We wanted it to have that contrast of a current song with an old school soul sound. Even though Amy Winehouse's music has an old soul vibe, she was never pastiche or retro". Ball added that Rihanna was not considered when writing the song. However, when Jay Brown, his manager at Roc Nation, heard the song, he was a fan. When Rihanna received it from Brown, she responded by adding more lyrics.

It has been said that Rihanna's vocals are acrobatic, spanning from her "trademark snarl" to high notes. Dark lyrics in the song "Love on the Brain" show a relationship that is both harmful and addictive, with themes of "swinging back and forth between the highs and lows of love."

In addition to reaching the top twenty in France and New Zealand and the top forty in Austria, Canada, and Germany, "Love on the Brain" peaked at number one on the Polish Singles Chart. It was Rihanna's 22nd top-five single, breaking her tie with Elvis Presley for the artist with the fifth-most top-five singles, and it was also her 30th top-ten single, matching her with Madonna and The Beatles for the most top-ten singles. The song peaked at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Love On The Brain lyrics by Rihanna

And you got me like, "Oh, what you want from me?"

(What you want from me?)

And I tried to buy your pretty heart, but the price too high

Baby, you got me like "Oh"

You love when I fall apart (fall apart)

So you can put me together and throw me against the wall

Baby you got me like i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-hiii, woo i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-hiii

Don't you stop loving me (loving me)

Don't quit loving me (loving me)

Just start loving me (loving me)

Ow

And babe I'm fist-fighting with fire

Just to get close to you

Can we burn something babe

And I run for miles just to get a taste

Must be love on the brain

That's got me feeling this way

It beats me black and blue but it fucks me so good

And I can't get enough

Must be love on the brain yeah

And it keeps cursing my name

No matter what I do

I'm no good without you

And I can't get enough

Must be love on the..... brain

Baby keep loving me

Just love me

Yeah, just love me

All you need to do is love me, yeah

Got me like, ah-ha-ha-ow

I'm tired of being played like a violin

What do I gotta do to get in your motherfucking heart?

Baby like i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-hiii, woo i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-hiii

Baby you got me like i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-hiii, woo i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-hiii

Don't you stop loving me (loving me)

Don't quit loving me (loving me)

Just start loving me (loving me)

Ooh

And babe I'm fist-fighting with fire

Just to get close to you

Can we burn something babe

And I run for miles just to get a taste

Must be love on the brain

That's got me feeling this way

It beats me black and blue but it fucks me so good

And I can't get enough

Must be love on the brain yeah

And it keeps cursing my name

No matter what I do

I'm no good without you

And I can't get enough

Must be love on the.... brain