Lose Control

"Lose Control" is a deeply personal and raw exploration of a toxic, codependent relationship that mirrors the throes of addiction. Teddy Swims uses the song to articulate the overwhelming feeling of losing one's sense of self to an all-consuming love. The lyrics portray a love so intense that it becomes a dependency, where the absence of the partner leads to a complete emotional and psychological breakdown. Swims himself has explained that the song is about this very state, where being in love feels like an addiction, constantly chasing the highs to escape the lows. The relationship itself becomes the substance, and the connection is defined by a cycle of intense highs and devastating lows.

The song delves into themes of vulnerability, emotional instability, and obsession. The narrator confesses his inability to be alone and the visceral pain he experiences in solitude, with lyrics like "tryin' my best to keep / From tearin' the skin off my bones". This isn't just a simple love song; it's a depiction of a deeply problematic dynamic. Swims has shared that the song was written during a difficult breakup, where he and his partner realized they were better off apart, despite the intense connection. He touches upon themes of substance abuse and alcohol being intertwined with the relationship, making it a journey of recovery from how he treated himself and his feelings of being unlovable. The song serves as a form of therapy for Swims, a cathartic release of the pain and a necessary step in his healing process.

The song opens with the narrator admitting a profound sense of losing his identity, as if something has recently taken a powerful hold over him. He feels trapped and overwhelmed, with walls closing in and a metaphorical devil at his door, signifying impending trouble or temptation. He confesses his inability to handle solitude, a vulnerability that has taken a significant toll on him, to the point where it feels like he's physically trying to keep himself from falling apart.

This emotional turmoil climaxes in the chorus, a desperate cry of losing control whenever his partner is not present. He is completely unraveling in front of them, yet questions if they can even see the extent of his breakdown. Their absence causes his heart to break and his life to descend into chaos. The dependency is absolute and destructive.

He then delves deeper into the nature of this toxic relationship, labeling his desire for his partner's body as a 'bad habit,' an addiction. He acknowledges the difficulty of breaking this habit, especially when they are together. While he knows he could theoretically be on his own, he is drawn to the intense, almost magical connection they share, describing it as "real full moon black magic." He explicitly calls himself an addict when he is with this person, desperately seeking relief from his turmoil. This craving is so intense it's as if he needs to feel their teeth in his skin, a visceral image of wanting a connection so deep it's painful. This obsession blinds him, making him unable to see the bigger picture—the 'forest for the trees'—and leaves him in a state of desperate pleading.

The recurring chorus reinforces his central struggle: the complete loss of self and composure when he is separated from his lover. The song is a raw confession of a codependent and addictive love, where the line between passion and self-destruction has been irrevocably blurred. The narrator is caught in a cycle of needing the very person who is the source of his profound distress, highlighting the agonizing paradox of his situation.

"Lose Control" was released on June 23, 2023, as the second single from Teddy Swims' debut studio album, I've Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1). The song was co-written by Teddy Swims (Jaten Dimsdale), Joshua "Ammo" Coleman, Julian Bunetta, Mikky Ekko, and Marco "Infamous" Rodriguez-Diaz Jr. Production was handled by Ammo and Julian Bunetta.

The song's creation was deeply rooted in Swims' personal experiences. He has stated that he knew the song would change his life the moment they wrote and recorded it. The song was born from a vulnerable conversation during a writing camp in Palm Springs in February 2023. Swims opened up to his collaborator Julian Bunetta about a turbulent, codependent relationship he was going through. This raw dialogue, which even brought Swims to tears, became the foundation for the lyrics, particularly the first verse. Swims described the process as a form of escape and a "saving grace" during a difficult period.

The timing of the song's release was poignant, as it coincided with the actual breakup that inspired it, making the lyrics feel even more real and immediate to Swims. He reflects that the pain he endured was necessary because it led to the creation of the song and his subsequent success, viewing success as a form of revenge.

"Lose Control" utilizes a fairly standard verse-chorus structure that effectively builds emotional weight. The song's rhythm contributes significantly to its power. While some analyses suggest a time signature of 3/4 or 6/8, giving it a waltz-like feel, it is generally perceived in a straight 4/4 time, anchored by a steady, soulful drum beat. The tempo is in the mid-to-fast range, around 80 or 160 BPM, depending on the interpretation, which provides a driving force behind the emotional outpouring.

The rhyme scheme is straightforward, often using couplets (AABB) within the verses, such as "lately" with "anymore" (a slant rhyme) and "in" with "door" (another slant rhyme) in the opening lines, which gives the lyrics a natural, conversational flow. For example: "Something's got a hold of me lately (A) / No, I don't know myself anymore (B) / Feels like the walls are all closin' in (C) / And the devil's knockin' at my door (B)". The chorus relies on repetition more than intricate rhyme, emphasizing the central theme. The lyrical rhythm often plays against the musical rhythm, with Swims' vocal phrasing stretching and pulling at the beat, a common technique in soul and R&B that adds to the song's expressive, emotive quality.

"Lose Control" is a masterclass in blending genres and showcasing raw vocal power. Musically, the song fuses elements of Soul, R&B, Pop, Rock, and Motown, creating a sound that is both contemporary and timeless. The track is built on a piano-driven arrangement that starts sparsely, immediately focusing the listener on Swims' voice. The arrangement builds in intensity, adding dramatic strings and a powerful drum pattern, particularly in the chorus and bridge, to mirror the song's emotional crescendo.

Teddy Swims' vocal delivery is the centerpiece of the song's style. His voice is described as gritty, raspy, impassioned, and soaring, conveying a sense of raw, unfiltered emotion. He employs a wide dynamic range, moving from tender, vulnerable moments in the verses to explosive, powerful belts in the chorus. His use of runs and riffs, influenced by soul and gospel traditions, adds intricate emotional texture to the melody.

Lyrically, the song uses a direct, confessional narrative voice. The use of first-person pronouns ("I," "me") creates an intimate and personal connection with the listener. The lyrics employ strong, visceral imagery ("tearin' the skin off my bones," "my skin in your teeth") to convey the depth of the emotional and psychological turmoil.

"Lose Control" has had a monumental cultural impact, catapulting Teddy Swims from a well-regarded YouTube cover artist to a global music superstar. The song became a massive commercial success and Swims' first to enter the Billboard Hot 100, debuting at number 99 in August 2023. It embarked on a record-breaking journey up the chart, achieving the longest consecutive climb to number one (32 weeks), finally peaking at the top spot in March 2024. It also set a new record for the most weeks spent on the Hot 100 chart, surpassing 92 weeks, and the most weeks in the top 10. The song was ranked as the number one single on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 for 2024.

The song's success was global, topping charts in several other countries and earning platinum certifications worldwide. Critics praised the song for its emotional vulnerability, raw honesty, and Swims' powerful vocals. Its genre-blending appeal, mixing soul, R&B, rock, and pop, resonated with a broad audience. The track's success was amplified by its use in various media and its popularity on platforms like TikTok. The song has been covered by other artists, including "America's Got Talent" alum Kodi Lee, and has solidified Teddy Swims' place as a significant voice in contemporary music.

The central metaphor in "Lose Control" is the comparison of a toxic relationship to drug addiction. This is made explicit in lyrics like, "Problem is, I want your body like a fiend, like a bad habit" and "when I'm with you I'm an addict". This metaphor frames the intense desire and dependency not as romantic passion, but as a destructive craving he can't overcome.

• The Devil and Closing Walls: The imagery of "the walls are all closin' in / And the devil's knockin' at my door" symbolizes a feeling of being trapped, intense anxiety, and impending doom. The "devil" can be interpreted as internal demons, temptation, or the destructive nature of the relationship itself.
• Tearing the Skin Off My Bones: This visceral image conveys extreme emotional and physical restlessness and pain caused by his lover's absence, similar to the physical symptoms of withdrawal.
• Full Moon Black Magic: This phrase portrays the connection as something powerful, mystical, and perhaps dangerously enchanting. It suggests a force beyond his rational control, an irresistible pull that "takes two," highlighting the codependency.
• Forest for the Trees: The line "Can't see the forest through the trees" is a classic idiom used here to signify that his obsession with the immediate moments and feelings within the relationship prevents him from seeing the larger, destructive reality of the situation.

The most prominent recurring motif is the lyrical phrase "I lose control", which serves as the song's title and the core of the chorus. Its repetition emphasizes the central theme of complete emotional surrender and helplessness. This phrase becomes a cathartic, anthemic cry, capturing the essence of being overwhelmed by an intoxicating love.

The line "when you're not next to me" is intrinsically linked to the main motif, specifying the trigger for his breakdown and highlighting the codependent nature of the relationship. The phrase "You make a mess of me" also recurs in the chorus, directly attributing his state of chaos to his partner, reinforcing the theme of a toxic dynamic.

The concept of being an "addict" is a recurring thematic motif, appearing as a direct statement in the bridge ("problem is when I'm with you I'm an addict") and informing the metaphorical language throughout the song (describing his desire as a "fiend" and a "bad habit"). This addiction metaphor is the primary lens through which the listener is meant to understand the narrator's destructive and inescapable desire.