Time Flies

"Time Flies" is a deep, introspective exploration of themes like nostalgia, regret, and the complexities of maintaining relationships amidst a life of fame. The song captures Drake reflecting on a past romance, seemingly parked outside his ex-girlfriend's house, contemplating what went wrong. The central message revolves around the relentless and rapid passage of time, which leads to missed opportunities and altered connections. Drake grapples with the contrast between his current success and the emotional sacrifices made along the way. The lyrics convey a sense of longing for a relationship that was ultimately incompatible with his "unconventional" lifestyle. He acknowledges his own faults and the pain of realizing that even genuine effort can't always save a connection that isn't meant to be, making the song a poignant commentary on love, loss, and the bittersweet nature of looking back.

The narrative unfolds with the protagonist sitting in his high-end car, a Mercedes-AMG, outside the home of a former or current love interest. A sense of immediacy and restlessness permeates his thoughts as he reflects on the fast-paced nature of his life, acknowledging how quickly time slips away. He's with his loyal friends, his 'ride or dies', creating a contrast between the steadfastness of his crew and the instability of his romantic life. He describes a recent, superficial encounter with someone he met through a 'finsta'—a fake Instagram account—highlighting the fleeting and often inauthentic nature of modern connections. This interaction underscores his unconventional lifestyle, a life he feels is constantly moving towards an uncertain end, creating a tension that he believes could be eased by escaping on an adventure with his partner.

The core of his introspection revolves around a deep-seated conflict between his feelings for this person and the inherent difficulties posed by his fame and lifestyle. He expresses a desire for commitment, suggesting he could be her man 'down the road,' but simultaneously reveals his own trust issues and emotional reservations. He feels a profound loneliness, wishing he could multiply himself to better manage his obligations and relationships. This longing for a different reality is tinged with regret as he reminisces about a past love, pondering what could have been. There's a palpable sense of apology and loss as he addresses an ex-lover directly, admitting his own shortcomings and the ways he changed for the worse during their time together. He acknowledges the sacrifices he made, but ultimately concludes that sometimes one's best efforts are simply not enough, leading to the painful realization that they were not meant to be. Despite the emotional turmoil and the passage of time, he insists that his core self, the person she first met, remains unchanged. He feels he had to trade parts of his life and perhaps his happiness for her, and he extends a heartfelt apology for how things ended, wishing her life had remained stable and unchanged.

"Time Flies" was released on May 1, 2020, as the seventh track on Drake's commercial mixtape, Dark Lane Demo Tapes. The song was written by Drake (Aubrey Graham) and its producer, Ozan Yıldırım, who is professionally known as OZ. OZ is a Swiss producer also known for his work on other Drake tracks like "Toosie Slide" and their collaboration with Future, "Life Is Good". Drake first previewed the track during an Instagram Live session on April 7, 2020. The Dark Lane Demo Tapes project was curated by Drake's associates Oliver El-Khatib and Noel Cadastre, and it compiled various leaks, SoundCloud releases, and new songs that fans had been requesting. Interestingly, "Time Flies" was originally conceived as a potential collaboration with the rapper Future, serving as a backup plan in case their hit single "Life Is Good" didn't work out.

"Time Flies" utilizes a conversational and fluid rhyme scheme that leans more towards free verse than a rigid, structured pattern. The rhymes often feel natural and unforced, supporting the song's narrative and introspective tone. Drake's rhythmic delivery is melodic and flows smoothly over the beat, blurring the lines between rapping and singing, a hallmark of his style. The track's rhythm is driven by the prominent, fast-paced hi-hats, which create a sense of urgency that lyrically mirrors the theme of time passing quickly. This contrasts with the slower, more melancholic synth pads, creating a juxtaposition between the relentless pace of life and the somber, reflective mood of the lyrics. The interplay between his vocal cadence and the beat's persistent rhythm enhances the feeling of a late-night drive spent lost in thought.

Musically, "Time Flies" is characterized by its minimalist and atmospheric production. It features a soft, synthesizer-laced instrumentation with watery synth pads, persistent hi-hats, and soft percussion, creating a soundscape often described as mellow and ethereal. This production style allows Drake's melodic, R&B-influenced vocal delivery to be the central focus. His vocal approach is both introspective and effortlessly catchy, blending vulnerability with his signature self-assuredness. Lyrically, Drake employs a confessional, narrative voice, directly addressing a former lover and reflecting on their shared past. This technique creates a sense of intimacy and personal reflection. He uses vivid imagery, such as being parked outside a lover's house, to ground the abstract feelings of regret and nostalgia in a concrete scenario.

Released as part of the Dark Lane Demo Tapes mixtape, "Time Flies" achieved notable commercial success, debuting in the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and the Canadian Hot 100. The song was certified Silver in the United Kingdom and Platinum in Australia. While not released as an official single, it became a standout track from the project, appreciated by fans for its classic introspective Drake sound. The track also inspired a well-received cover version by singer-songwriter Tori Kelly, who recorded a poignant acoustic interpretation for her 2020 EP, Solitude. Within Drake's discography, the song is seen as a quintessential example of his ability to blend vulnerability with confidence, contributing to his reputation as an artist who explores the emotional complexities of fame and relationships.

The song is built around the central metaphor of 'time flying,' which symbolizes the rapid, uncontrollable passage of life and the fleeting nature of opportunities, especially in love. This is a direct reflection on how his busy, fame-filled lifestyle accelerates everything, often to the detriment of his personal relationships. The luxury cars mentioned, the Mercedes-AMG and Audi TT, symbolize his successful, fast-paced life but also his physical state of being stuck—parked outside her house, unable to move forward emotionally. They represent the material gains he has achieved, which stand in stark contrast to the emotional connection he has lost. The line, "Heart's still on javelin, baby," serves as a powerful metaphor for emotional vulnerability. It portrays love as a risky sport where he is both the one throwing his heart out there and the potential target, fully aware it could be pierced and shattered, encapsulating the danger of emotional exposure.

The most significant recurring phrase is the song's title, "time flies," which acts as the central refrain and thematic anchor. Its repetition throughout the hook emphasizes the core message about the swift passage of time and the ensuing sense of lost opportunities. Another recurring motif is the imagery of Drake being in his car (an AMG or TT), often parked outside. This image is repeated to ground the listener in the specific moment of his lonely reflection, symbolizing a state of being in transit physically but emotionally stagnant, caught between the past and the future. The theme of loyalty and brotherhood is also a recurring motif in Drake's broader work and appears here with the line about being "still with the dawgs," which highlights the enduring nature of his friendships in contrast to the impermanence of his romantic relationships.