Garden (Say It Like Dat)

"Garden (Say It Like Dat)" is a profound exploration of vulnerability, insecurity, and the desperate need for validation within a romantic relationship. The song's central theme revolves around the narrator's fear that her true self is flawed and ultimately unlovable. She sees her partner as a source of stability and sanity, someone who can ground her when her self-doubt becomes overwhelming. The lyrics reveal a deep-seated insecurity, where she implores her lover to love her despite her difficulties and even lie to her with affirmations to boost her confidence.

The chorus captures this paradox perfectly: "Hope you never find out who I really am / 'Cause you'll never love me." This line is the emotional core of the song, expressing a paralyzing fear of being truly seen. The narrator projects her own self-criticism onto her partner, believing that full disclosure of her perceived flaws would inevitably lead to rejection. The recurring plea for him to "say it like dat" underscores her need for a specific, convincing tone of reassurance that can temporarily silence her inner critic. It's not just the words of love she needs, but the unwavering conviction behind them.

The song also touches on body image issues and societal pressures, as SZA laments not having a "big booty" and feels sensitive about her body. This adds another layer to her vulnerability, rooting her insecurities in tangible, relatable anxieties. Ultimately, the song is a poignant and honest depiction of how a lack of self-love can impact a relationship, turning a partner into an essential source of self-worth and creating a fragile dependence on their perception for one's own happiness.

The narrator begins by expressing a deep-seated need for her partner, not just for companionship, but as an anchor to her past self and her sanity. She asks him to remind her of her origins and to keep her grounded, especially when she feels like she's spinning out of control and losing her connection to reality. This partner is her stabilizing force, the one who keeps her tethered to the earth. She craves his validation in its rawest forms, asking him to affirm her in ways that may not even be true, such as complimenting her physical appearance. Her plea is for unconditional love that persists through emotional turmoil and pain, acknowledging her own difficult nature and the challenges it brings to the relationship.

The central conflict of the song unfolds in the chorus. The narrator is caught in a paradox of desire and fear. She wants her partner to be completely open with her, yet she simultaneously hopes that he remains the person she fell in love with, unchanged and perfect in her eyes. This fear is then turned inward with even greater intensity. She is terrified of him discovering who she believes she truly is, convinced that her authentic self is unlovable. This deep insecurity creates a fragile trust; she can only believe his words of love and need when he says them with absolute conviction—'like dat'. His reassurance becomes the only antidote to her self-doubt, the only proof she can accept that his love is real.

In the second verse, she reinforces her commitment and vulnerability, stating she isn't playing games and requires his unwavering support. She paints a picture of raw intimacy, being physically bare and emotionally dependent on his presence. A significant source of her insecurity is revealed to be her body image. She contrasts herself with women who have what she perceives as a more desirable, 'positive' body type. She admits her sensitivity about her own physique, highlighting that he is the only one who can make her feel secure when they are alone and away from the world's judgment. This verse makes it clear that her need for his validation is tied to specific, deeply personal insecurities about her physical and emotional self.

The song concludes not with the narrator's voice, but with a spoken-word outro from an older, wiser family member, identified as her grandmother. This voice offers stern, practical advice about self-respect and dealing with negativity. The message is to stand your ground, to not concern yourself with those who don't like you, and to simply stay out of their way without engaging in mistreatment. This outro acts as an external perspective, a grounding piece of ancestral wisdom that contrasts with the narrator's internal, spiraling anxieties, suggesting a path towards the kind of self-assurance she desperately seeks from her partner.

"Garden (Say It Like Dat)" is a track from SZA's critically acclaimed debut studio album, Ctrl, which was released on June 9, 2017. The song itself was later serviced to urban radios as the fifth and final single from the album on June 19, 2018. The track was written by Solána Rowe (SZA), Daniel Tannenbaum, Craig Balmoris, Sergiu Adrian Gherman, and Tyler Reese Melenbacher. The production was handled by Bēkon (Daniel Tannenbaum), with additional production from Craig Balmoris and The Donuts.

The song's memorable outro features a spoken-word segment from SZA's grandmother, a recurring feature on the Ctrl album where SZA incorporated advice and monologues from her mother and grandmother to explore the theme of 'control'. SZA explained that she wrote the song from the perspective of a slightly older version of herself, reflecting on past insecurities.

The music video, released on May 18, 2018, became a significant part of the song's history. It was directed by Karena Evans, known for her work on several of Drake's music videos. Shot in Maui, Hawaii, the video features a lush, dreamlike aesthetic and co-stars actor and musician Donald Glover (Childish Gambino). Evans and SZA developed an "Adam and Eve" concept for the video, set in a modern-day Garden of Eden. The video also features a cameo from SZA's mother, Audrey Rowe, reinforcing the familial themes present in the album.

The rhythmic structure of "Garden (Say It Like Dat)" is built on a relaxed, mid-tempo beat with subtle trap influences in the hi-hats and bassline. The overall feel is fluid and unhurried, allowing SZA's vocal melody to drift languidly over the instrumentation. This pacing enhances the song's introspective and contemplative mood, giving space for the emotional weight of the lyrics to resonate.

The rhyme scheme is not strict or formal, favoring a more conversational and prose-like lyrical style. SZA often employs slant rhymes (e.g., "tumblin'" and "plummetin'") and internal rhymes to maintain a melodic flow without sounding forced or overly structured. This approach makes the lyrics feel more like a direct, personal confession rather than a composed poem. The rhythm of her vocal delivery is dynamic; she often plays with phrasing, stretching out some lines and delivering others in a more rapid, syncopated manner, mirroring the natural cadence of speech and the ebb and flow of her anxious thoughts.

Musically, "Garden (Say It Like Dat)" employs a dreamy, atmospheric production characteristic of Alternative R&B, with elements of trap in its percussion. The soundscape is hazy and ethereal, complementing the song's themes of introspection and vulnerability. SZA's vocal delivery is a key stylistic element; it is intimate, conversational, and emotionally raw, often blurring the line between singing and speaking. This creates a sense of unfiltered honesty, as if listeners are hearing her private thoughts.

A significant literary and structural technique used on the album Ctrl, and prominently in this song, is the inclusion of spoken-word outros from her mother and grandmother. This technique, known as collage or intertextuality, frames her personal narratives within a broader context of generational wisdom. The contrast between SZA's vulnerable, questioning lyrics and her grandmother's firm, advisory tone in the outro creates a powerful dialogue between insecurity and strength.

The music video, directed by Karena Evans, utilizes distinct cinematic techniques to enhance the song's narrative. Evans used different aspect ratios—a boxier 4:3 for the intimate "Adam and Eve" scenes to create a locked-in, dreamlike feeling, and a wider anamorphic crop for SZA's solo journey to give it a cinematic, epic quality. Filters, such as putting stockings over the lens, were used to create a soft, hazy glow, visually translating the song's ethereal sound.

"Garden (Say It Like Dat)" was released as the fifth and final single from SZA's debut album, Ctrl, a landmark project in contemporary R&B that was both commercially successful and critically lauded, earning multiple Grammy nominations. While not one of the album's biggest chart hits, the song became a fan favorite, celebrated for its raw honesty and dreamy production.

The song's music video, directed by Karena Evans and co-starring Donald Glover, significantly boosted its cultural profile. Released shortly after Glover's own provocative "This Is America" video (in which SZA had a cameo), the collaboration generated considerable media attention. The video's stunning visuals and symbolic storytelling were widely praised and helped solidify the song's status as a key track from the album. The song remains a staple in SZA's live performances, including her major tours like the 'SOS Tour', demonstrating its enduring popularity within her discography.

Thematically, the song resonated deeply with listeners who saw their own insecurities and relationship anxieties reflected in the lyrics. It has been discussed in online forums as an anthem for anyone who has felt the fear of not being good enough for their partner.

The most significant metaphor in the song is the "garden" itself, which, while not explicitly detailed in the lyrics, is fully realized in the music video. The garden symbolizes a paradise, a state of natural beauty and vulnerability, directly alluding to the biblical Garden of Eden. This setting becomes the backdrop for the song's themes of love, intimacy, and the fear of a 'fall' from grace—in this case, the end of the relationship if the narrator's true self is revealed.

The music video further develops this symbolism by casting SZA and Donald Glover in the roles of Eve and Adam. This framing portrays their relationship as something foundational and pure, yet fragile and susceptible to temptation or ruin—the 'ruin' being the potential discovery of SZA's perceived flaws. Her character in the video is seen journeying through this lush landscape to meet her mother, who can be interpreted as a 'God' or Mother Nature figure, representing wisdom, origin, and a source of unconditional love that contrasts with the conditional love SZA fears from her partner. This journey can be seen as a quest for self-acceptance and connection to her roots, away from the anxieties of her romantic relationship.

The most prominent recurring phrase and the song's subtitle is "Say it like dat." This hook is the emotional anchor of the chorus. Its repetition emphasizes the narrator's deep need not just for words of affirmation, but for a specific, convincing delivery that can break through her wall of insecurity. It signifies a plea for authenticity and passion that she can truly believe.

Another crucial recurring motif is the couplet: "Hope you never find out who I really am / 'Cause you'll never love me." This line is repeated in the chorus and encapsulates the song's central theme of vulnerability and fear of rejection. Its recurrence drills down into the core of the narrator's anxiety, making it a powerful and memorable expression of self-doubt.

The motif of needing her partner to "ground me" appears at the beginning of the song and sets the stage for her dependency. It establishes the dynamic of their relationship, where she relies on him for stability. Finally, the use of spoken audio from her family members is a recurring motif throughout the entire Ctrl album, symbolizing the grounding influence of her lineage in contrast to the chaos of her romantic life.