Garden (Say It Like Dat)

## Garden (Say It Like Dat)Song by SZA

"**Garden (Say It Like Dat)**" is the eighth track and the fifth final single from SZA's debut album, *Ctrl*. It was released through Top Dawg and RCA on June 9, 2017.

The song was serviced to Urban radios on June 19, 2018, by Top Dawg and RCA. It was written by SZA, Craig Balmoris, Daniel Tannenbaum, Sergiu Adrian Gherman, Tyler Reese Melenbacher and produced by Bēkon and Hector Castro.

## Background

On “Garden”, SZA expresses her need for emotional vulnerability and support in a relationship while questioning whether she is worth it and deserving of it.

Despite this, at Vevo Halloween, SZA explained:

> "**I wrote this as one of the older versions of me, but not that old, from the new me to the old me to someone that I needed for the old me.**"
>
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## Music video

The music video was released on May 20, 2018, and was directed by Karen Evans.

It showcases SZA singing in front of various landscapes with a "dreamy" atmosphere. It features scenes in a jungle where links with her lover portrayed by Childish Gambino following her cameo appearance in Childish Gambino's *This Is America* video. The video also features a cameo appearance by SZA's mother, Audrey Rowe who can also be heard throughout Ctrl in various discussions.

## Lyrics

**[Verse 1]**

Need you for the old me, need you for my sanity

Need you to remind me where I come from

Can you remind me of my gravity?

Ground me when I'm tumblin', spiralin', plummetin' down to Earth

You keep me down to Earth

Call me on my bullshit

Lie to me and say my booty gettin' bigger even if it ain't

Love me even if it rain

Love me even if it pain you

I know I be difficult

You know I be difficult

You know it get difficult too

**[Chorus]**

Open your heart up

Hoping I'll never find out that you're anyone else

'Cause I love you just how you are

And hope you never find out who I really am

'Cause you'll never love me, you'll never love me

You'll never love me but, I believe you when you say it like that

Oh, do you mean it when you say it like that?

Oh, I believe you when you say it like that

You must really love me

**[Verse 2]**

For real, I'm not playing no games

Boy, we back and forth

I need your support now (now, now, now, now, now)

In case you call my phone one more 'gain

Got no panties on

I need your support now (now, now, now, now, now)

I know you'd rather be laid up with a big booty

Prolly hella positive 'cause she got a big booty (wow)

I know I'd rather be paid up

You know I'm sensitive about havin' no booty

Havin' nobody, only you, buddy

Can you hold me when nobody's around us?

**[Chorus]**

Open your heart up

Hoping I'll never find out that you're anyone else

'Cause I love you just how you are

And hope you never find out who I really am

'Cause you'll never love me, you'll never love me

You'll never love me but, I believe you when you say it like that

Oh, do you mean it when you say it like that?

Oh, I believe you when you say it like that

You must really love me

**[Skit: Granny]**

You don't have shit to say to me

I ain't got shit to say to you

Granny, and that's the truth

And step, and step on

Also you black heffa, yeah you, you stand your ground

'Cause I feel the same way

If you don't like me, you don't have to fool with me

You don't have to talk about me or treat me mean

I don't have to treat you mean

I just stay out of your way

That's the way you work that one