‘PSYCHO’ by HARDY - Lyrics & Meaning

Since wading into the artistic waters in 2018, HARDY has slowly but surely been paving his own path down a lane that marries country songwriting and sensibilities with a high-octane, rock tinged production and demeanor.

It's a subgenre that HARDY has effortlessly helped build and lead, coming to a head in January 2023 with the release of his dichotomous, genre-bending the mockingbird & THE CROW record.

Where that project was neatly split in half between country and rock, his 2024 effort, Quit!!, takes a full nosedive into the realms of rock and metal, with early offerings like the title track, 'ROCKSTAR' and 'JIM BOB' providing a taste of what to expect from the fortified country-rocker.

Among the strongest and most enduring songs from the new project is 'PSYCHO,' a cheeky jammer that found its way into the ether in mid-May and has since found its way onto the Billboard Rock charts with ease after first being teased at Stagecoach 2024.

Produced by the powerhouse troi of Joey Moi, Zach Abend and HARDY, himself, 'PSYCHO' opens with an electric guitar strumming along as other instrumentals build around it and HARDY's vocals cut through. Swelling a bit as the verses progresses, everything but the guitar licks fall away as we arrive at the beginning of the first chorus.

Right at the chorus' halfway mark, HARDY's now-signature growl slices into the sonic landscape, pumping high-octane energy into the song right when you need it most. From there it's a romping rocker that also throws in some country instrumentals that give 'PSYCHO' a bit of twang throughout.

One of modern country music's most revered tunesmiths, HARDY is listed as a co-writer on the up-tempo track, alongside his producer Abend, Jax and fellow hitmaker and former FGL member, Tyler Hubbard.

It's an odd cut to have credited to Hubbard, who has mostly been known for his long list of bro-country diddys and recent ultra-mainstream hits, but it would seem everyone knows how to rock out a little at the end of the day.

"I met your friends at the bar last night
I think the round of limoncello won 'em over
I said we're perfect, hell we hardly ever fight
I told 'em you're a queen, I'm just a lucky joker
Things are goin' great, yeah, we communicate
Lovin' you is easier than ever
I pray you never go, there's something you should know
I hope you stay forever 'cause"

We open the song with HARDY seemingly meeting his partner's friends for the first time, a crucial step in a couple's relationship. Hoping to gain their approval, he notes that he thinks that the round of limoncello shows he bought for everyone is what really sealed the deal.

Throughout the night, he told the gaggle of friends that the two of them were basically perfect for each other – no fights, good communication, not a chore to do the little things – and that he likely doesn't deserve someone so wonderful to call his own.

As we near the chorus, though, things take on a bit of a different tone as HARDY more or less pleas to his partner to never leave him, because if she does...

"If you ever leave me, girl, I'll get a face tattoo
Steal a truck, end up on the six o'clock news
If you say goodbye, hell, I'll dye my hair
Crash your birthday party in my underwear
Hey, I hope you never have to see the day
But if you ever walk away, well
Everybody you know, everybody I know's
Gonna know you fell in love with a psycho'"

Almost reading like a threat, HARDY explains that if he were to ever lose her, he would basically go off the deep end.

Listing off all of the bat shit things he would do, a few of the top mentions are getting a face tattoo, stealing a truck and dying his hair, as that unmistakable scream breaks through to say that he'll show up to her birthday party in only his underwear (whatever does it for you, buddy).

Going on to say that he hopes, for her sake, that she never leaves him, HARDY adds the cherry on top that if she walks away everyone will officially know that he's out of his mind and that she somehow fell for a crazy guy.

"I met your mom, your dad, I met your older brother
Even your bestie says we're perfect for each other
They say they love me, and they think that I'm the best
They think they know me, but they don't know me as your ex 'cause"

Graduating from meeting the friends to meeting the family, we can tell that their relationship is definitely progressing and things are getting pretty serious.

Reiterating the feelings that those near to his love interest have towards him, HARDY makes sure to lay it on thick that everyone thinks they're perfect for each other, that they love him and how much he cares for her.

He flips the script by quickly throwing in that they may love him not, but again, if she ever breaks it off, it's going to be a completely different story.

"If you ever leave me, if you ever say goodbye
I'll make the world say, 'Why'd you ever fuck with that guy?
Why'd you ever fuck with that guy?'"

As we near the end of this whirlwind of a song, the bridge – of sorts – just hammers down on the point that if she leaves him and he goes off the deep end, it'll just be a reflection on her that she falls for crazy dudes.

That's one way to stay in a relationship, we suppose!

"If you ever leave me, girl, I'll get a face tattoo
Steal a truck, end up on the six o'clock news
If you say goodbye, hell, I'll dye my hair
Crash your birthday party in my underwear
Hey, I hope you never have to see the day
But if you ever walk away, well
Everybody you know, everybody I know's
Gonna know you fell in love with a psycho"

Though not much has been shared from the hitmaker about the forthcoming project or this song in particular, HARDY did take to socials upon the release of 'PSYCHO,' which also coincided with the official announcement of the Quit!! album.

Sharing details about what we can expect from the highly-anticipated record, he noted: "Well, 'PSYCHO' is out and I'm also extremely, finally, excited to say that my album, Quit!!, is coming out on July 12th. I know that you guys are dying to hear new music and I will tell you that we're gonna drop a lot of songs between now and then. You're gonna get to hear a lot of new songs and we're going to play a lot of new songs live, so don't worry."

HARDY added: "[This album] is awesome and I'm so excited for y'all to hear it!"

I met your friends at the bar last night
I think the round of limoncello won 'em over
I said we're perfect, hell we hardly ever fight
I told 'em you're a queen, I'm just a lucky joker
Things are goin' great, yeah, we communicate
Lovin' you is easier than ever
I pray you never go, there's something you should know
I hope you stay forever 'cause

If you ever leave me, girl, I'll get a face tattoo
Steal a truck, end up on the six o'clock news
If you say goodbye, hell, I'll dye my hair
Crash your birthday party in my underwear
Hey, I hope you never have to see the day
But if you ever walk away, well
Everybody you know, everybody I know's
Gonna know you fell in love with a psycho

I met your mom, your dad, I met your older brother
Even your bestie says we're perfect for each other
They say they love me, and they think that I'm the best
They think they know me, but they don't know me as your ex 'cause

If you ever leave me, girl, I'll get a face tattoo
Steal a truck, end up on the six o'clock news
If you say goodbye, hell, I'll dye my hair
Crash your birthday party in my underwear
Hey, I hope you never have to see the day
But if you ever walk away, well
Everybody you know, everybody I know's
Gonna know you fell in love with a psycho

If you ever leave me, if you ever say goodbye
I'll make the world say, "Why'd you ever fuck with that guy?
Why'd you ever fuck with that guy?"

If you ever leave me, girl, I'll get a face tattoo
Steal a truck, end up on the six o'clock news
If you say goodbye, hell, I'll dye my hair
Crash your birthday party in my underwear
Hey, I hope you never have to see the day
But if you ever walk away, well
Everybody you know, everybody I know's
Gonna know you fell in love with a psycho

––

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