Released: 2022
At its core, “Snooze” by SZA is a deeply vulnerable exploration of a tumultuous, obsessive love. Here, SZA engages us in her emotional struggle, reflecting the highs of infatuation and the deep-seated fear of losing her lover. The central theme revolves around the idea of not wanting to ‘snooze’ and miss the moment, indicative of her desire to hold on to every fragment of their relationship.
Starting off with “I’ll touch that fire for you… I do what all of them around you scared to do, I’m not” suggests she’s willing to go beyond the typical boundaries anyone else around her partner might be scared to cross. This echoes the rapturous, all-consuming love she feels. The term ‘juggin’ is a slang for hustling or making money, suggesting she supports her lover’s grind.
The repetition of “I can’t lose when I’m with you…You’re just too important, nobody do body like you do” encapsulates an almost feverish infatuation. ‘Do body’ here perhaps suggests a strong physical connection and attraction towards her significant other.
“In the droptop ride with you, I feel like Scarface… I’m your day one” links again to the heady heights of idealism in their love. Scarface is a reference to the movie, potentially implying a ‘ride-or-die’ mentality. “How you fronting on me and I’m the main one trying?…Just trying to be your everything” underlines a sense of frustration and hurt, a discordance in the relationship where efforts don’t seem equal.
Finally, with “Ah, ah, ah, ah… I think I know, ooh-woah, ooh-woah, oh, oh”, seemingly marked by a series of uncertain vocalizations that pull us into her internal world of emotional turbulence. ‘I think I know’ can be taken as her coming to a realization about her relationship, though left purposefully vague for listeners to interpret in their own unique way.
In conclusion, SZA in “Snooze” finds herself oscillating between passionate love and painful disillusionment. She explores the fear of losing her lover, the intoxication of their physical connection, and the heartache of feeling undervalued. It’s a raw, sincere portrait of love’s complexities, poetically conveyed through SZA’s evocative lyricism and infused with emotional authenticity.
