You think you're funny, right?
Callin' me drunk when it's too late at night
Telling me truths that you know all are lies
Yeah, you think you're funny, right? (What?)
You think you're super sly
Flirtin' with them but telling me you're mine
Buildin' me up, but buttercup, you lied
Now I'm gonna ruin your life
[Chorus]
'Cause I've gotten tired of the games that you play
When you tell me you love me then you throw me away
So cry me a river 'til you drown in the lake
'Cause you may think you're winning but checkmate
Yeah, you may think you're winning but checkmate
[Verse 2]
Now this is getting fun
I saw you kissing someone else's tongue
You said that I'm the only one you love
Baby, this is getting fun
I'll let you think you won
Date in the park, I'll play it super dumb
Holding your hand, but in the other one
I'm holding a loaded gun
Yeah, baby, you should really run
'Cause I've gotten tired of the games that you play
When you tell me you love me then you throw me away
So cry me a river 'til you drown in the lake
'Cause you may think you're winning but checkmate
Yeah, you may think you're winning but check—
[Bridge]
And I'ma get you gone
Can't play me like your pawn
Set fire to your lawn
Just like you did to my heart
And I'ma wreck your car (And I'ma wreck your car)
And max your credit cards (And max your credit cards)
A lover on the large (A lover on the large)
You're gonna wish you never harmed me
[Chorus]
'Cause I've gotten tired of the games that you play
When you tell me you love me then you throw me away
So cry me a river 'til you drown in the lake
'Cause you may think you're winning but checkmate
And you did some damage so I'm making you pay
And no one's ever gonna love you anyways
'Cause you're just a narcissist who's totally fake
Yeah, you may think you're winning this heartbreak
But you aren't gonna win it, 'cause checkmate
About
Conan released a teaser of “Checkmate” on his YouTube channel on June 23. The song was released on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 on various streaming platforms and with a lyric video on his Youtube Channel.
A Chess metaphor is put to use to describe the relationship between Conan and the one he was seeing. The “significant other” treated Conan as one of his pawns, but what they didn’t know is that he’s actually the King.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
The stage of grief where you’re just angry, like pure rage: That was when I wrote ‘Checkmate.’ I was just like, ‘Oh man, f**k you.’ It’s a song that I wrote in a moment of pure seething anger. ‘I want to rip your head off, you are the worst person I’ve ever met.’ It was this person who was always playing games with me all the time, always playing games with my heart, and I figured if you want to play games with me, if you’re going to play games with my heart and if you’re going to treat love like it’s some kind of game, then I’m going to win the game and I’m going to ruin your life.
Conan Gray has explained that this song is about an ex-lover who was just playing with him.
- 3.Maniac
- 5.Checkmate
- 8.Affluenza
- 10.Heather
- 11.Little League
- 12.The Story
