Benson Boone – Pretty Slowly. Lyrics & Meaning
Benson Boone – Pretty Slowly : The Anatomy of a Slow Fade
Have you ever been in a relationship that didn’t end with a big, dramatic fight? There was no single moment of betrayal, no explosive argument that shattered everything. Instead, it was more like a slow, quiet leak. A gradual drifting apart that you only noticed when you were already miles away from each other, wondering how you got there.
It’s a confusing, almost invisible kind of heartbreak, isn’t it? One day you’re painting a perfect picture together, and the next, you realize the colors have all blurred into a dull, unrecognizable gray. Benson Boone absolutely nails this feeling in his song “Pretty Slowly.” If you’ve ever felt that slow-motion drift, get ready, because this track is about to feel like a page ripped straight from your own diary.
The Slow-Motion Car Crash in Benson Boone’s ‘Pretty Slowly’
- Benson Boone – Slow It Down : A Gentle Plea to Pause in a Rushed Romance
- Benson Boone – Pretty Slowly : The Anatomy of a Slow Fade
- Benson Boone – In The Stars : A Heartbreaking Ode to a Love That Lives Beyond
- Benson Boone – Beautiful Things : A Grateful Prayer Against the Fear of Loss
- Benson Boone – Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else : The Unspoken Words in a Crowded Diner
- Benson Boone – Mystical Magical : The Irresistible Charm of a Love Worth the Wait
- Benson Boone – Mr Electric Blue : A Celebration of Charismatic Coolness
Right from the get-go, Benson sets a scene we all know too well: nostalgia for what once was. He isn’t just missing a person; he’s mourning a version of the past that feels like a different lifetime. He sings:
Oh I remember how you were
You were every shade of perfect
And then the colors blurred
This isn’t just a breakup song; it’s a song about change. It captures that painful moment you realize the person you fell for, and the person you were when you fell for them, are both gone. The real gut-punch of the song is in the title itself—this wasn’t a sudden implosion. It happened “pretty slowly,” which is often the most agonizing way for things to end.
Who is ‘The Old Me’?
The chorus is where the real heart of the conflict lies. It’s not about what one person did to the other, but about how they’ve both transformed into people who no longer fit together. The relationship’s decay began with a simple, yet devastating, question.
And it started pretty slowly
Oh when you asked about the old me
Oh, is he gone?
Oh, is he gone?
Oh I don’t know
I think I left him somewhere I no longer go
Wow. That right there is the core of it. The “old me” is the version of himself that existed when the relationship was in its “every shade of perfect” phase. He’s admitting that he’s changed so much, he doesn’t even know where that person went. It’s a tragic confession that he and his partner are now essentially strangers, haunted by the memory of who they used to be. They’re running away from “all the lovely things” they now “hate,” because those things are reminders of a home that no longer exists.
Haunted by a Ghost in the Rockies
Even when you know something is over, the memories have a way of ambushing you, don’t they? Benson paints such a vivid picture of this. It’s not just a feeling; it’s a specific place, a specific moment.
And I see your ghost from time to time
When I’m driving through the Rockies
You can almost feel the crisp mountain air and see the sprawling landscape as he drives, only to be sucker-punched by a memory. That “little knife” is the perfect description for that sharp, sudden pang of loss that hits you when you least expect it. It’s a reminder that even when you move on physically, parts of your heart remain tethered to places and people from your past. This vulnerability continues into the late-night hours, where he’s alone and wrestling with regret, wondering, “Did I put you through hell?” It shows the blame isn’t one-sided; it’s a shared wreckage.
The Unspoken Question: ‘Who The Hell Are We?’
The song builds to its most powerful, raw, and desperate moment in the bridge. After all the pain, the change, and the distance, he looks at his partner and the foundation of their identity as a couple completely crumbles. It’s a moment of terrifying clarity.
When I look at you
And when you look at me
Oh there’s still two lovers
So who the hell are we?
This is so heartbreakingly real. They can still see the flicker of the lovers they once were, buried deep down. But on the surface, they are unrecognizable to each other. It’s the ultimate identity crisis for a couple. They’re standing in the same room, but they’re not the same people. The love might still be there, somewhere, but it’s not enough to bridge the massive gap that has grown between them. They are two ghosts occupying the same space.
The real takeaway from “Pretty Slowly” isn’t just about the sadness of a breakup. It’s a profound acknowledgment that sometimes, even the most beautiful things have an expiration date. The line, “I guess even the best things fall apart,” isn’t meant to be cynical. It’s a moment of mature, painful acceptance. It gives us permission to grieve what we’ve lost without needing to find someone to blame. Sometimes, things just… end. And that’s okay.
This song is a beautiful, melancholic anthem for anyone who has watched love fade instead of burn out. It validates the quiet, confusing grief that comes from a slow goodbye. But what do you think? Does this song bring up a different memory or feeling for you? I’d love to hear your interpretation of it.
