This song is about a deep attraction for another person that makes you feel like you’re going crazy.
The Selena Remix
“Calm Down” is a fairly standard love song that takes its time with a moderate tempo. It was released with “Rave & Roses” as the second single on the album.
Over a year after the song originally came out, it finally garnered attention in the United States once Selena Gomez was added to the picture. The song was remixed with the American pop star and the popularity of “Calm Down” suddenly exploded as new listeners caught on to the track’s infectious beat and lyrics.
“I’ve done a lot of remixes that has never come out. But this one, when I heard it, I was like, yeah, this is it. I feel like it’s going to touch the world differently.”
Rema was clearly correct if his account of some fans’ reactions is any testament to this:
“I’ve been in shows where people have it tattooed on their body, just as a reminder when life gets pressure, and they just look at the tattoo, and it just reminds them to calm down, not take things too deep.”
Nigerian Lyrics Translated
Divine Ikubor, better known by his stage name of Rema, stays true to his roots in Nigeria by dropping several Nigerian words in his lyrics. For quick reference, “dey” means “to be,” “naim” means “it is,” and “sabi” means “to know.”
“Baby, calm down, calm down / Girl, this your body e put in my heart for lockdown, for lockdown, oh lockdown”
Being on lockdown has become a highly relatable experience for virtually everyone in the post-COVID world. It’s easy to imagine what it means to have one’s heart on lockdown, and that’s what his physical attraction to this girl does to his emotions. It’s almost hard to tell if he’s urging this woman or himself to calm down.
There can be no question about where he got the inspiration for the titular lyric, though, since Rema explained it himself in this video:
“So the inspiration behind the song ‘Calm Down’ is literally about my interaction with a girl. So at the party, I met her and I was trying to get her number, get to know her, and it was quite difficult. That’s why I told her to calm down. Calm down and listen to me. Give me your listening ears and let me tell you how I feel.”
“Girl, you sweet like Fanta ooh, Fanta ooh / If I tell you, say, ‘I love you,’ no dey form yanga oh, oh yanga oh”
From a reference to the popular fruit-flavored soda as a simile for sweetness, Rema goes straight into a reference to the Nigerian word, “yanga,” which means to strut your stuff and dance or walk around in a provocative manner.
The first verse describes a scenario in which the narrator spots an attractive young woman at a party. Compared to other girls in his life, she’s more laid back and doesn’t try too hard. The character in the song is then determined to find an opportunity to break the ice with this intriguing individual.
Throughout the song, Rema tries to express his feelings for a particular person. His love for her has made him feel like he’s going crazy. The singer details how different this woman is from all the rest. She, however, isn’t convinced that the character in the song has truly overcome his trust issues.
True to Life
The message behind “Calm Down” isn’t just a front that Rema’s putting on. The artist has stated himself that the theme at the heart of this song is something he genuinely feels and lives out in his personal life.
In an interview with NPR, Rema said, “It’s beyond the sound. It’s a movement as well, and it’s a movement of the youths.”
Lyrics
[Intro]
(Vibez)
Another banger
[Chorus]
Baby, calm down, calm down
Girl, this your body e put in my heart for lockdown, for lockdown, oh lockdown
Girl, you sweet like Fanta ooh, Fanta ooh
If I tell you, say, “I love you,” no dey form yanga oh, oh yanga oh
No tell me no, no, no, no, woah, woah, woah, woah
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Baby, come gimme your lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah
You got me like, “woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah”
Shawty come gimme your lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah, mhmm
[Verse 1]
I see this fine girl for my party, she wear yellow
Every other girl they dey do too much but this girl mellow
Naim I dey find situation I go use take tell am hello
Finally I find way to talk to the girl but she no wan follow
Who you come dey form for? (Mhmm)
Why you no wan’ conform? (Mhmm)
Then I start to feel her bum-bum, warm (Mhmm)
But she dey gimme small, small woah
I know say she sabi pass that one, one (Mhmm)
But she feeling insecure woah
‘Cause her friends go dey gum her like chewing gum (Mhmm)
Go dey gum her like chewing gum, woah, woah, ooh
[Chorus]
Baby, calm down, calm down
Girl, this your body e put in my heart for lockdown, for lockdown, oh lockdown
Girl, you sweet like Fanta ooh, Fanta ooh
If I tell you, say, “I love you,” no dey form yanga oh, oh yanga oh
No tell me no, no, no, no, woah, woah, woah, woah
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Baby, come gimme your lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah
You got me like, “woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah”
Shawty come gimme your lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah, mhmm
[Verse 2]
As I reach my house I say make I rest small (Make a rest small)
As me I wake up na she dey my mind, oh-woah (Na she dey my mind, oh-woah)
Day one, day two-wo, I no fit focus (I no fit focus)
Na so me I call am, say make we link up (I say make we link up)
As I start to dey tell her how I feel, now my heart dey race
Baby girl if you leave me I no go love again
Because e get many girls wey put my heart for pain
Shebi you feel my pain? Yeah, yeah
[Chorus]
Baby, calm down, calm down
Girl, this your body e put in my heart for lockdown, for lockdown, oh lockdown
Girl, you sweet like Fanta ooh, Fanta ooh
If I tell you, say, “I love you,” no dey form yanga oh, oh yanga oh
No tell me no, no, no, no, woah, woah, woah, woah
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Baby, come gimme your lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah
You got me like, “woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah”
Shawty come gimme your lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah, mhmm
