“Heart on Ice” is the first song by rapper and singer Rod Wave. It came out on May 31, 2019, as part of his fifth mixtape called PTSD. Later, he made a remix of the song with rapper Lil Durk, which was released on September 27, 2019, and featured in Wave’s first studio album called Ghetto Gospel.
Pitchfork, a music website, describes the song as Rod Wave smoothly switching between different singing styles. He combines his melody with a growing talent for writing about heartbreak and pain.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the meaning behind the song’s lyrics.
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“Heart on Ice” Lyrics Meaning
[Chorus]
Heart been broke so many times I don’t know what to believe
Mama say it’s my fault, it’s my fault, I wear my heart on my sleeve
Think it’s best I put my heart on ice, heart on ice ’cause I can’t breathe
I’ma put my heart on ice, heart on ice, it’s gettin’ the best of me
In the chorus, Rod Wave is expressing the pain and heartbreak he has experienced multiple times in his life.
He talks about feeling like it’s his fault and that he’s vulnerable because he openly shows his emotions (“wearing his heart on his sleeve”).
To cope with this pain and emotional turmoil, he’s considering the idea of “freezing” his heart or guarding it to protect himself because it’s becoming overwhelming and difficult to handle.
[Verse]
While in the cell with Lil’ Hakeem, after I slapped him I had told him
“I don’t know how you get down with them clowns but I’m a soldier”
No one could understand, I had way too much aggression
That built over the years from my abandoned adolescence
See I done been lied to, backstabbed, and heartbroken
I wanted to cry but I was too afraid to open
Prayin’ one day I’d find a peace of mind by the ocean
I spent all my time committing crimes to get closer
While at my nana house I play the couch, starin’ at the ceiling
Tryin’ not to get in my feelings
Thinkin’ of a way I could make these millions
Maybe that’ll take this pain away and clear up all these rainy days, yeah
In the verse of the song, Rod Wave talks about a time when he was in jail with someone named Lil’ Hakeem.
He mentions that he had to defend himself by slapping Lil’ Hakeem and asserts that he’s a tough person (“I’m a soldier”).
Rod reflects on his troubled past, feeling misunderstood and carrying a lot of built-up anger from his difficult upbringing.
He shares how he’s been hurt and let down in the past and how he’s been involved in criminal activities to get ahead in life.
He describes moments of sadness and frustration, but also a desire to find peace and success, possibly through making money to escape the pain and hardship he’s endured.
Deeper Meaning Behind “Heart on Ice”
“Heart on Ice” is about Rod Wave’s struggle with emotional pain. The song’s title itself suggests that the singer has had to protect his heart by numbing his emotions, represented metaphorically as putting his heart “on ice.”
In the song, Rod Wave talks about the repeated pain he has endured, making him question his own vulnerability. His mother blames him for wearing his heart openly, implying that his emotional openness has made him an easy target for hurt.
Rod shares a moment from his past, where he’s incarcerated with Lil’ Hakeem, showing that he’s had to be tough and defend himself in a harsh environment. He reflects on his tumultuous upbringing, marked by abandonment and emotional scars.
In the final lines “Thinkin’ of a way I could make these millions, Maybe that’ll take this pain away and clear up all these rainy days, yeah.” Rod expresses his longing for a better life, a search for inner peace, and a desire to escape the pain through success, possibly financial success.
Overall, “Heart on Ice” portrays a poignant narrative of resilience and the struggle to find emotional healing in the face of adversity.
Jacob Carter is a lyricist. He created the lyrics writing course to teach people how to analyze and write lyrics. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature, so he’s skilled at playing with words.
He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.