Frank Ocean

On “Ivy,” Frank reflects on his mistakes and explores a failed relationship. With Frank’s vocals laid over melancholic production, “Ivy” is a heart-breaker of a song that could be seen as a sequel to his April 2012 track, “Thinkin' Bout You.” Parts of the song show Frank drowning in tears and filled with anger. In a November 2016 interview with the New York Times, Frank admitted to altering his voice in order to make it sound younger to better encapsulate the emotions of young love. The song may be about Ocean’s first love, which he detailed in his 2012 open Tumblr letter. Ivy is somewhat of a parasitic plant. It strangles adjacent trees and isn’t good for their health. In the context of the song, it may be a reflection of their unhealthy relationship. Ivy explores a failed relationship of Frank’s as he reflects on their relationship and his mistakes. Frank and the person he’s singing about seems to have grown up and grew apart in the process. While he was overwhelmed when his partner told him that he/she loved him, he wasn’t prepared emotionally. In hindsight, the relationship was “the start of nothing” because they eventually separated. Like an armored truck, the emotional walls Frank put up when he was younger were hard to get past—he didn’t let this person fully in. While this made him safer, it may be the reason why their relationship ended. Frank does however affirm the idea that the relationship was worthwhile and a memory to keep. Frank performed a rough demo version of “Ivy” at the BMW Welt in Munich, the first stop of his European tour California Live, in June 2013. The lyric “it started from nothing” has been much debated on this page, as it sounds like “the start of nothing” is a better syllabic fit. The lyric is actually “it started from nothing,” as verified in the album accompanying magazine, Boy’s Don’t Cry. Rostam Batmanglij was credited for his contributions on this song. He recollected to Billboard magazine: "As soon as he played me ‘Ivy’ in its original form, I had a vision for what it could sound like." “Ivy” debuted at #80 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the chart week of September 10, 2016.