I left you here
Heard you keep the extra closet empty
In case this year
I come back and stay throughout my twenties
What if I won't?
How am I supposed to put that gently?
And down the road
You will love me until you resent me, mmm
[Verse 2]
I've had the thought
Tried to work it out through anxious pacin'
What if I'm not
Worth the time and breath I know you're savin'?
But it's a lot
All the shine of half a decade fadin'
The whole facade
Seemed to fall apart, it's complicated, mmm
[Chorus]
And part of me wants to walk away 'til you really listen
I hate to look at your face and know that we're feelin' different
'Cause part of me wants you back, but
I know it won't work like that, huh?
Why won't you try movin' on for once? That might make it easy
I know we cut all the ties, but you're never really leavin'
And part of me wants you back, but
I know it won't work like that, huh?
I know it won't work like that
I'll open up
I'm thinkin' everythin' you wish I wasn't
The call was tough
But you're better off, I'm bein' honest
So, won't you stop
Holdin' out for me when I don't want it?
Just brush me off
'Cause I'm your ghost right now, your house is haunted
[Chorus]
And part of me wants to walk away 'til you really listen
I hate to look at your face and know that we're feelin' different
'Cause part of me wants you back, but
I know it won't work like that, huh?
Why won't you try movin' on for once? That might make it easy
I know we cut all the ties, but you're never really leavin'
And part of me wants you back, but
I know it won't work like that, huh?
[Bridge]
Oh-oh, oh-oh
I know it won't work like that, huh?
Oh-oh, oh-oh
I know it won't work like that, huh?
And part of me wants to walk away 'til you really listen
I hate to look at your face and know that we're feelin' different
'Cause part of me wants you back, but
I know it won't work like that, huh?
Why won't you try movin' on for once? That might make it easy
I know we cut all the ties, but you're never really leavin'
And part of me wants you back, but
I know it won't work like that, huh?
About
“I know it won’t work” details Abrams wanting to be with someone again, after already going through bad experiences with them, and knowing it won’t work, but still wanting to do it. Abrams even talks about moving back into a room that she left, but she feels nervous to tell her ex that she might not, because they will end up resenting her. The song was accompanied by a music video released 9 hours after the album release.
The track’s title was teased on Gracie’s website, where the link was to pre-save/pre-add the album.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
“I Know It Won’t Work” hurt to write. “Best” hurt to write. And “Fault Line.”
The thing with all these songs is that they all were written so quickly. The ease at which a lot of the words came out was the painful part, because a lot of what was said in the songs wasn’t said directly to the person [they’re about].
I have no idea how anyone will receive the songs, I also do worry about some people thinking a song is about them when it isn’t. I don’t know how to navigate my personal life and – lucky-enough – job being intertwined so seriously yet. How do you do that?
– via Billboard
- 1.Best
- 2.I know it won’t work
- 3.Full machine
- 7.Amelie
- 8.Difficult
- 10.Fault line
- 11.The blue
- 12.Right now
