Released: 2018
In “Session 32” by Summer Walker, the song dives deep into the heartache and frustration of trying to move on from a love that’s lost but not forgotten. The raw emotions are paired with Walker’s smooth vocals to paint a vivid picture of someone struggling to let go, yet desperately seeking closure and understanding from a partner who seems indifferent to their pain.
The opening lines, “Threw away your love letters / I thought it’d make me feel better” set the tone with an action that symbolizes moving on, but is quickly contradicted by the admission of lingering feelings, “But I still can’t get you out my head, ooh.” Here, Walker captures the common struggle of trying to physically remove reminders of a past relationship, only to realize that the emotional attachment isn’t as easy to discard. The use of love letters as a metaphor speaks to the deep, personal connection that once was, contrasting sharply with the digital form of communication mentioned later, “I’m sending you one text at a time.”
The hook “You don’t know what love is” is repeated throughout the song, serving as both an accusation and a lament. Summer argues that true love involves struggle, perseverance, and sometimes, a touch of obsession—”If you don’t put up a fight / If you don’t stay up all night.” These lines challenge the listener’s understanding of love, contrasting the often idealized version with a more raw, passionate, and sometimes painful reality. It’s a shout into the void for her ex-lover to recognize the depth of her love, one that includes extremes, in hopes that they realize the mistake of letting their connection dissolve so easily.
By the end of the song, the repeated lines “I swear you never seen it in your life, ooh / I swear you never seen it in your life” emphasize the disconnect between Walker’s view of love and her ex-partner’s. It’s a final declaration, asserting that despite any claims to the contrary, he has never truly experienced love in its fullest, most tumultuous form. It encapsulates the essence of the song—a mixture of sadness, frustration, and an unwavering conviction in her own understanding of love.
