Meaning of "Kept Me Crying" by Haim

The lyrics of "Kept Me Crying" depict the emotional turmoil and longing experienced by the narrator in a one-sided relationship. The song explores the pain of being in love with someone who only wants them when it's convenient. The narrator's willingness to wait and be available at all hours reflects their deep attachment to the person, despite the knowledge that it's unhealthy. The repeated refrain of "I was your lover, I was your friend" emphasizes the narrator's longing for a deeper connection that has now been reduced to being called upon in moments of loneliness.

The lyrics also highlight the narrator's struggle to let go, as their tears have dried but are easily brought back by the sound of the other person's voice. They are caught in a cycle of hope and disappointment, knowing that they shouldn't hold on, but unable to give up on the possibility of a renewed love. The poignant line, "I can't pretend that I'm anything more to you now than someone that's hard to forget," reveals the narrator's realization that they are no longer valued as they once were and serves as a painful acknowledgment of their diminished role in the other person's life.

Furthermore, the lyrics explore the frustration of investing so much emotion into a relationship that the other person dismisses as insignificant. The narrator voices their weariness, having spent years trying to make the relationship work, only to be faced with the realization that the other person sees it as meaningless. The line, "That nothing meant anything," exposes their disappointment and the emotional toll that such indifference can take.

Overall, "Kept Me Crying" delves into the complexities of unrequited love, the struggle to let go, and the emotional exhaustion that comes from investing in a relationship that is no longer reciprocated.