The Meaning Of Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit” Lyrics

One of 2022’s biggest hits is also one of the oddest in recent memory. After years of making genre-defying, web-savvy soul music as a member of The Internet, Steve Lacy broke out as a solo artist with “Bad Habit,” which landed him major Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The lead single from his solo sophomore album Gemini Rights is an adventurous R&B anthem containing so many quotable lines wrapped in numerous hypnotic melodies that TikTok users immediately latched onto the song, helping it reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

While “Bad Habit” sounds smooth and self-assured sonically, the lyrics are almost the ultimate embodiment of the expression “would’ve, could’ve, should’ve” (only Taylor Swift has him beat, given her 2022 track with that same title). Lacy expresses his feelings of regret right at the outset. “Made a move, could’ve made a move,” he sings, before asking, “Is it too late to pursue?” In the chorus, Lacy mourns that he was romantically interested in someone but couldn’t build up the guts to make a move, explaining that it’s always been a pattern that he can’t break. “I bite my tongue, it’s a bad habit,” he sings. “Kinda mad that I didn’t take a stab at it / Thought you were too good for me, my dear / Never gave me time of day, my dear.” The catchy post-chorus makes his intentions loud and clear, pleading, “I wish I knew, I wish I knew you wanted me.”

Lacy perhaps gets the most pensive and reflective as the music completely drops out and the object of his eye returns and suddenly becomes available, leaving nothing but his own disbelief. “You can't surprise a Gemini,” he sings. “I’m everywhere, I’m cross-eyed, and now that you’re back, I can’t decide.” Maybe there’s room for a happy ending after all.

During a recent interview on CBS Sunday Morning, Lacy played a snippet of an early version of “Bad Habit,” which sounded much more stripped back and acoustic-based than the final production, putting the lyrics of conflict and regret in the foreground. As he told Billboard in July 2022, “Bad Habit” evolved over the course of a year, and the drums and chorus were very different at first. Even his friend Tyler, the Creator got involved, encouraging him to change the post-chorus. “At first it was, ‘I wish I knew you / I wish I knew you wanted me.’ And then he was like, ‘It’d actually be more memorable if you cut that word [‘you’] out,’ so shout out to Tyler,” he said.

Although Lacy may not have the most public experience with being too hesitant to pursue a crush, he doesn’t have much advice for those in the same boat, as he told Grammy.com. “When it comes to shooting your shot, that’s a good question, but I’d say just do whatever feels good to you,” he said. Read the full lyrics of “Bad Habit” below if you need some inspiration.

I wish I knew, I wish I knew you wanted me

I wish I knew, I wish I knew you wanted me

What you, ooh, uh, what you do?

Made a move, coulda made a move

If I knew I'd be with you

Is it too late to pursue?

I bite my tongue, it's a bad habit

Kinda mad that I didn't take a stab at it

Thought you were too good for me, my dear

Never gave me time of day, my dear

It's okay, things happen for reasons that I think are sure, yeah

I wish I knew, I wish I knew you wanted me

I wish I knew (oh), I wish I knew you wanted me

I wish I knew (yeah), I wish I knew you wanted me (oh)

I wish I knew, I wish I knew you wanted me

Say to me (please just say to me)

If you still want it

I wish you wouldn't play with me, I wanna know (oh no)

Uh, can I bite your tongue like my bad habit?

Would you mind if I tried to make a pass at it?

Were you not too good for me, my dear?

Funny you come back to me, my dear

It's okay, things happen for reasons that I can't ignore, yeah

I wish I knew, I wish I knew you wanted me

I wish I knew (wish I knew), I wish I knew you wanted me (oh)

You can't surprise a Gemini, I'm everywhere, I'm cross-eyed, and

Now that you're back, I can't decide, if I decide if you're invited

You always knew the way to wow me

Fuck around, get tongue-tied, and I turn it on, I make it rowdy

Then carry on, but I'm not hidin'

You grabbin' me hard 'cause you know what you found is biscuits, is gravy, babe, ah-ah

You can't surprise a Gemini, but you know it's biscuits, is gravy, babe

I knew you'd come back around 'cause you know it's biscuits, it's gravy, babe

Let's f*ck in the back of the mall, lose control, go stupid, go crazy, babe

I know I'll be in your heart 'til the end

You'll miss me, don't beg me, babe