Olivia Dean Something Inbetween Meaning and Review

Olivia Dean’s Something Inbetween, the eighth track on her sophomore album The Art of Loving, is a tender exploration of the murky space between friendship and romance. From the very first notes, the song sets a delicate emotional tone with a slow, atmospheric intro that carries a subtle hint of hopefulness in its instrumentation. Dean’s vocals are, as always, flawless. Her voice effortlessly conveys vulnerability and quiet strength, drawing the listener into the conflicted emotional landscape she inhabits.

Lyrical Depth

Dean captures the ambiguity of modern relationships with remarkable precision. In the opening verse, lines like Don’t say a lot of things we might regret, don’t kiss anymore and I’m too young to believe until the end, too scared to cut it short reflect a deep awareness of emotional risk. She communicates the tension of wanting connection while maintaining personal boundaries, a feeling many listeners will find deeply relatable. This verse sets up the song’s central theme: navigating the uncertain territory of being something in between.

Chorus Impact

The chorus amplifies this sentiment with both lyrical and melodic brilliance. Lines such as I’m not his, I’m not hers / I’m not your all or nothing / I’m more, can we still be something in between encapsulate the heart of the song. Here, Dean’s voice becomes both a plea and a declaration, emphasizing the need for space and autonomy within intimate relationships. The combination of her vocal delivery and the understated instrumentation allows the emotional weight of each line to resonate fully, making the chorus both memorable and impactful.

Verses and Bridge

In the second verse and bridge, Dean further examines the tension between self-preservation and emotional investment. Phrases like It’s too much to belong to anyone, I’m too scared to be changed and They say the grass is greener where you water it / But I, I don’t know if I can grow here highlight the introspective nature of the track. These lines reveal the internal struggle of balancing personal growth with romantic connection, and Dean delivers them with an honesty that avoids melodrama while maintaining emotional intensity.

Olivia Dean Something Inbetween Review

Something Inbetween stands out as a poignant, introspective moment on The Art of Loving. Olivia Dean masterfully combines nuanced songwriting with her consistently stunning vocal performance, creating a song that feels both intimate and universal. It is a reflective meditation on love, identity, and boundaries, capturing the bittersweet uncertainty of relationships that exist somewhere in the gray area between friendship and romance. For anyone who has felt caught between desire and self-preservation, this track will resonate deeply and linger long after the final note.

Listen To Olivia Dean Something Inbetween

Olivia Dean Something Inbetween Lyrics Meaning Explained

The meaning of Something Inbetween by Olivia Dean is the exploration of emotional boundaries, independence, and the complexities of modern relationships. Rather than presenting love as an “all or nothing” commitment, Dean reflects on the possibility of a middle ground, where intimacy can coexist with personal freedom. Through vulnerable lyrics like “I'm not his, I'm not hers / I'm not your all or nothing”, she captures the struggle of maintaining identity while still desiring connection. The song’s gentle instrumentation and tender vocal delivery reinforce its contemplative tone, making it both deeply personal and universally relatable for anyone who has questioned how to balance love with self-preservation.

Verse 1: Caution and Tension

Olivia Dean’s Something Inbetween opens with a sense of caution and tension, immediately highlighting the fragility of the connection she is navigating. In the lines "Don't say a lot of things we might regret, don't kiss anymore", she expresses the desire to avoid mistakes that could damage the relationship. This is reinforced with the metaphor "We're both tryin' to keep it clean on the cuttin' room floor", suggesting that they are carefully editing their interactions, much like a film, to preserve composure while avoiding emotional fallout. Dean admits her own vulnerability in "I'm too young to believe until the end, too scared to cut it short", torn between giving in to her feelings and protecting herself from heartbreak. She resolves to speak authentically in "But this time, if I don't say it right, I don't care anymore", even at the risk of complicating the relationship, while "I'm still here, but you're not getting me" conveys a sense of presence coupled with emotional distance and misunderstanding.

Chorus: Balancing Intimacy and Autonomy

The chorus of the song captures the central theme of balancing intimacy with autonomy. In "I'm not leaving, just feel tightly squeezed in", Dean describes feeling confined within the relationship, emphasizing the need for emotional space. This idea is further reinforced in the direct statement "Love needs breathing". She asserts independence in "I'm not his, I'm not hers" and rejects extremes in "I'm not your all or nothing", refusing to be fully defined by another person. The line "I'm more, can we still be something in between?" encapsulates the song's core message. Dean seeks a meaningful connection that does not compromise her personal freedom.

Verse 2: Honesty and Self-Preservation

In the second verse, Dean continues to explore the tension between honesty, self-preservation, and emotional intimacy. She acknowledges the importance of transparency with "There's no point giving up on honesty, it's no use feeling bad", while questioning whether her desire to avoid sadness might be perceived as selfish in "Is it thinking too high of myself to not wanna be sad?". The lyric "It's too much to belong to anyone, I'm too scared to be changed" reflects her fear of losing herself or being altered by the relationship. The verse closes with "I know you call it selfish when I say", emphasizing the conflict between her need for personal boundaries and the other person's perception of her honesty.

Bridge: Uncertainty and Reflection

The bridge highlights Dean's uncertainty and introspection. The repeated admission "Oh, I don't know" conveys her struggle to navigate complex emotions, while referencing the saying "They say the grass is greener where you water it" shows her awareness of conventional wisdom about effort and commitment. Despite this, she questions her own capacity to thrive within the relationship with the lines "But I, I don't know / If I can grow here", underscoring the central tension between personal growth and relational connection.

Finding Balance

The repeated chorus reinforces this delicate balance, with Dean emphasizing that she seeks love that respects both closeness and individuality. By restating "I'm more, can we still be something in between?", she underlines the song's overarching theme of negotiating emotional boundaries while maintaining authenticity. Overall, Something Inbetween is a meditation on love, identity, and the gray areas of relationships. Dean's lyrics, paired with her emotive vocal performance and understated instrumentation, create a reflective, intimate portrait of someone striving to find connection without losing themselves, capturing the nuanced experience of navigating love that is neither all-consuming nor absent.

Olivia Dean Something Inbetween Lyrics 

[Verse 1]

Don't say a lot of things we might regret, don't kiss anymore

We're both tryin' to keep it clean on the cuttin' room floor

I'm too young to believe until the end, too scared to cut it short

But this time, if I don't say it right, I don't care anymore

I'm still here, but you're not getting me

[Chorus]

I'm not leaving, just feel tightly squeezed in

Love needs breathing

I'm not his, I'm not hers

I'm not your all or nothing

I'm more, can we still be something in between?

[Verse 2]

There's no point giving up on honesty, it's no use feeling bad

Is it thinking too high of myself to not wanna be sad?

It's too much to belong to anyone, I'm too scared to be changed

I know you call it selfish when I say

[Chorus]

I'm not leaving, just feel tightly squeezed in

Love needs breathing

I'm not his, I'm not hers

I'm not your all or nothing

I'm more, can we still be something in between?

[Bridge]

Oh, I don't know

They say the grass is greener where you water it

But I, I don't know

If I can grow here

[Chorus]

And I'm not leaving, just feel tightly squeezed in

Love needs breathing

I'm not his, I'm not hers

I'm not your all or nothing

I'm more, can we still be something in between?