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Cover Art

Before Lyrics by NIKI

Nicole

2022

[Verse 1]
You hid me in your dorm room
It was Halloweekend, I just flew across the globe
Twenty-two hours just to see you
Just to barely fit on your twin-sized bed
And talk about your cool new friend
Who I never met, who you dated as soon as I left

[Verse 2]
Carolina autumn
It had been a year since I saw you
Since we ended it
Had a year to grow into the girl you always wanted
Now we're holding hands as not quite friends
But not quite lovers
Well, we'll just pretend
You say, "It's complicated to make amends"
Well, is that the way that we're hеaded then?

[Pre-Chorus]
And you couldn't answer mе
Though you could pull me in while I brushed my teeth
And let your hands both freely speak
Like I wasn't ever gonna leave, leave

[Chorus]
You were all I'd ever known
And now I'm supposed to love you from a distance
Like it's nothing, like it's instant
And you say, "Let's just see where this goes"
And I don't know how or why you seem just fine
'Cause I'm having to grasp that you're somehow not mine anymore
It's so cruel how things are only almost like they were before

[Post-Chorus]
Like they were before
Like they were before
Like they were before

[Verse 3]
We walk downtown and it's charming
You're alarmingly disarming
Yeah, we've got forty-eight hours left
Before I fly back to my death
While you stay just fine and feel alive
South of the Mason-Dixon line
Where everyone closes shop at nine
Where you could somehow finally find

[Pre-Chorus]
What you were desperately looking for
Funny how you thought that was gonna be New York
With our chalkboard walls and slanted floors
Oh, we could've had that and so much more
Ask your new lover what it's like to be given
A real fighting chance before you wish her, "Good riddance"
Did anything ever really count
Or was I just a two-year practice round?

[Chorus]
You were all I'd ever known
And now I'm feeling stupid, you're forbidden
They say, yeah, we were something, too bad we were children
Ooh, I don't know where to go
And I don't know how or why you seem just fine
'Cause I'm looking at you and God knows you're not mine anymore
It's so cruel how things will never be the way they were before

[Outro]
Like they were before
It's almost just like how it was before
But it's not anymore
Credits
NIKI

NIKI

About “Before” by NIKI

Read the complete lyrics to "Before" by NIKI from the album "Nicole" in 2022. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Alternative Pop, Indonesia, Pop.

"Before" is performed by NIKI. from the album "Nicole" in 2022 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Before", explore more songs by NIKI using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for NIKI · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Before" is credited to NIKI. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Before" appears on "Nicole" in 2022.

Visit the NIKI artist page at /artist/niki for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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