Released: 2025
The song “CN Tower” by PARTYNEXTDOOR featuring Drake delves into themes of heartbreak, emotional turmoil, and the struggle to reconcile with a past lover. The song uses the iconic CN Tower in Toronto as a symbol for shifting emotions, reflecting the various stages of the narrator’s feelings towards the end of a relationship.
The repetitive opening lines “Ride with me, Ride with me” set a tone of longing and desire for companionship, emphasizing the loneliness felt by the artist. These lines are almost like a plea, suggesting a yearning for the company of someone specific.
In the first verse, PARTYNEXTDOOR describes the city as “pretty when it’s dead, just like a flower.” This imagery sets up a stark contrast between life and desolation, highlighting the duality of beauty in solitude. He questions, “What color’s the CN Tower? It’s red tonight,” comparing it to a text he sent from bed. The color red, often associated with love and passion, indicates a message filled with emotion and possibly regret or apology. The line “Thought you caught me slippin’, had me dead to rights” implies he was accused of something, but he maintains his innocence by saying “Nothin’ ever happened, girl, they fed you lies.”
The hook revisits the idea of the CN Tower’s changing colors to symbolize fluctuating emotions. The lines “City is pretty when it’s dead, just like a flower” and “What color’s the CN Tower? It’s blue now” reflect a shift from passion to sadness. Blue signifies melancholy, capturing his sorrow and confusion about the relationship’s state.
As the verse continues, PARTYNEXTDOOR expresses feelings of envy and regret: “What color’s the CN Tower? It’s lit up green…Like the envy in people’s eyes, gettin’ in between.” Here, green signifies jealousy and perhaps the negative influence of others on their relationship. He acknowledges seeing the girl in his dreams and lamenting that he no longer has her contact, further underscoring his feelings of loss and desperation.
Drake enters in the second verse, providing his perspective on the situation. He recounts futile attempts to communicate with his ex, noting, “I don’t have your contact anymore, you blocked me.” The repetition of trying different methods to reach her emphasizes his frustration and lingering attachment. His desperation is palpable as he mentions putting his honesty on significant things: “Put it on my son, I put it on the Lord.” This line is an appeal to truth and sincerity, showcasing how earnest he is about clearing his name.
The narrative shifts again when Drake sings about asking around and discovering that the girl hasn’t found a true ‘ride-or-die’ companion and has gone through tough times. The lyrics, “Your friends can’t hold water, girl, they’d rather see you drown,” suggest that her friends may be spreading rumors or misguiding her. He feels a sense of vindication, believing she’s still struggling emotionally.
The final sections bring back the chorus lines with different emotions tied to the CN Tower’s colors. Drake’s part intensifies the emotional turbulence by expressing that despite their fame and money (“Hundred thousand dollars”), genuine connection and happiness elude him and possibly her too.
In a poignant close, the song returns to the recurring theme of the artist dreaming about his past lover. This underscores the continuous impact she has on him, suggesting unresolved feelings and a deep emotional void.
In summary, “CN Tower” by PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake is a powerful exploration of a failed relationship through the lens of shifting emotions, symbolized by the colors of Toronto’s iconic CN Tower. The song uses vivid imagery, emotional vulnerability, and introspective lyrics to delve into themes of love, loss, regret, and the ongoing impact of a broken relationship on both artists. The song’s narrative serves as a relatable reflection on how public perception and internal conflicts can deeply affect personal connections.
