What You Were

WHAT YOU WERE

[Verse 1]
I gave (gave, gave) you every benefit
Even when it didn’t fit
You crossed the line, I called it grey
Maybe I was naïve (naïve) that way

[Pre-Chorus]
You made me feel guilty(guilty)
For things you put me through
Somehow every conversation
Always came back to you(back to you, you)

[Chorus]
You were selfish, I was patient
You were manipulative(manipulative)
I kept calling it love(calling it love)
Now I finally see the truth
I was never too much for you

[Post-Chorus]
Naïve, selfish (naïve, selfish), manipulative
Three words, now I know
Exactly what you were(what you were)

[Verse 2]
You knew exactly what to say
To make me stay another day
You’d twist my words, I’d take the blame
Till I barely knew my name(my name)

[Pre-Chorus]
You made me doubt what I knew
Made me question what was real(real)
But you can’t rewrite (rewrite, rewrite) the past
Just because you hate how it feels

[Chorus]
You were selfish, I was patient
You were manipulative(manipulative)
I kept calling it love(calling it love)
Now I finally see the truth
I was never too much for you

[Post-Chorus]
Naïve, selfish (naïve, selfish), manipulative
Three words, now I know
Exactly what you were(what you were)

[Bridge]
Maybe I was naïve back then
But I won’t be that girl again(not again)
You can tell your pretty lies
I can see through your disguise

[Refrain]
Selfish(selfish)
Manipulative(manipulative)
Naïve(naïve)
But never stupid(never stupid)
I loved you
That doesn’t mean
You get to keep me

[Outro]
Three words set me free
They don’t belong to me
Naïve, selfish, manipulative(I know what you were)

Create a dark, sleek alternative pop/dance-pop/R&B track with subtle indie-pop influences. The mood is hurt, reflective, mysterious, and quietly empowering—focused on realizing the truth about someone rather than revenge. Use a mid-tempo 4/4 groove around 112–118 BPM and keep it close to 3:00. Start with soft, airy vocals, atmospheric synths, and minimal percussion. Build into a smooth emotional chorus with deeper bass and layered harmonies while keeping vocals controlled and expressive, not overly loud or belted. Add background vocals sung simultaneously with the lead melody, blending into key words and phrases for rich harmonies. Include small production details, like a subtle wink sound effect after “Even when it didn’t fit” to add a sarcastic edge. Keep verses intimate, the chorus impactful, the post-chorus haunting, and the bridge emotionally powerful. End confident and understated.