Realizing that there are realtionships like personified in this song made me cringe. She (the narrator) knows that her boyfriend's a great guy, but she cheats on him anyway, and he stays with her despite knowing that she's "happy with some other guy" "as he reluctantly asks if [she's] gonna be out late."
Maybe this song by Rihanna is supposed to point out how stupidly self-destructive that type of relationship is. "Our love… his trust—I might as well take a gun and put it to his head; get it over with."
The narrator does, at least, realize how much she's hurting him and decides she wants to stop—not necessarily for love for him, but to keep from killing him. (Excuse me while I roll my eyes.) She doesn't "wanna hurt him anymore" or "take away his life"—"be a murderer." It doesn't even say that she's going to stop—it only says that she wants to stop. It's like she's addicted to cheating, or perhaps a prostitute by trade.
Rihanna's voice isn't very good. It slides uncontrollably and carelessly slurs words together in a way that only hurts the song. Now someone with that as an accent, I can understand and forgive. I can even forgive it to some degree as part of a song's "style." In fact, I know I'm very forgiving of what I perceive of potential style issues. But I have my limits. And this is one.
The song's music similarly makes me wince—not because it's terrible, but because it holds so much unrealized promise. The overquiet piano, with just a little more work, could have been made an incredibly attractive element to the song.
I'd review other songs by her if readers want it, but, after this example, I can say I don't want to.
Music: 3/5
Vocal(s): 2/5
Overall: 4/10
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