Country artist Kane Brown has teamed up with Swae Lee and Khalid to give fans a taste of summer vibes in “Be Like That.”
Mixing guitar, hip-hop and pop elements, “Be Like That” gets into the messy reality of relationships. Sometimes they’re really hard, and you just need some space, the song suggests. But in the end, you still want to be with that person even when they drive you crazy.
Relationships are like emotional rollercoasters. One second the person you love is driving you crazy (“I might be better on my own/I hate you blowin’ up my phone/I wish I never met your a–/Sometimes it be like that”) and then the next moment you’re missing your beloved (“But I’m not myself the nights you’re gone/There ain’t no way I’m movin’ on”) and realizing how much you need them (“I’m not afraid to need you bad”).
The fact of the matter is that people are difficult, and trying to merge two personalities can be a struggle (“We both want love/We both wanna slide/We both wanna argue until we’re both right/And you want a hug/I kiss you goodnight”).
And no matter how much pride and selfishness you have to work through to get to a good place (“And you throw tantrums while I’m twistin’ up/No medicine is fixin’ us”) getting to a good place is worth the hard work (“Got too, much goin’ to be upset/I swear I’d rather be your friend”). Because the people we love are worth the fight (“I cross the seas wit’ you/ … If I was to give you the world/ … That’s anything you could think of.”)
The song’s sweeter moments are tarnished a bit by the use of the word “a–,” and by a suggestive allusion to what happens between the sheets, behind closed doors. That said, the heart of this song is about far more than those stumbling moments. It’s about pushing through relational difficulties for the sake of those we cherish the most.
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
