The association of the color blue with sadness originates from "blue devils." The phrase was first used in 17th century Britain regarding the visual hallucinations that can accompany withdrawal from alcohol after excessive, prolonged use. By the 19th century, the term "the blue devils" referred to a despondency or spiritual depression. In the 1870s, African-American men and women started singing the blues, a form of folk song that expressed their unhappiness in the Deep South.
Mac Miller had well-documented struggles with depression. Here, the rapper talks about trying not to give in to the blue devils. The devil on my doorstep bein' so shady Mmm, don't trip We don't gotta let him in, don't trip Though this world is making Miller "crazy," he trying to resist the temptation to go under.
During the second verse, Miller reminisces on a happy time when he and his girlfriend were driving in a car listening to their songs. It is likely Miller is referring to his relationship with Ariana Grande, as she is the only girl in the music industry that he's known to have dated.
See your Spotify stats (with number of plays and minutes listened) and discover new music.
Music data, artist images, album covers, and song previews are provided by Spotify. Spotify is a trademark of Spotify AB.