Take Care by drake
The year was 2011, and a lot happened during this time. The release of a game called Minecraft, the movie Hunger Games, and a newly developed app called Snapchat. None of these were as notable as Take Care, but the problem is I was 4 when this album was released to the public, so I couldn’t give you my initial thoughts on it. Now my 18-year-old self will be revisiting this album to see why it is regarded as one of Drake's best albums ever.
Drake opens up the album with “Over My Dead Body,” and honestly, it is one of my favorite opening songs from any album. He begins by talking about his early career, “I think I killed e’rybody in the game last year man, fuck it I was on though,” acknowledging his early success as an artist. Throughout the rest of the song, he talks about his former habits and behaviors, and this leads to people questioning his future success. They asked whether he would go platinum again, if any of his music would be able to live up to its expectations, and this song is meant to tell the listeners that the only way these things would be able to consume him, or stop him from getting where he needs to be, would have to be over his dead body. “I know, I know you don't love me baby/ They’re trying to take you away from me/ only over my dead body,” Drake sings in the chorus over the keys of the electric piano, the bass of the 808s, and the beat of the drums every once in a while.
“Headlines” is the third song on Take Care, and it is another of my personal favs. “I might be too strung out on compliments,” Drake admits, and once I hear that bar, the world starts to slow down. “Overdosed on confidence/ Started not to give a fuck and stopped fearin’ the consequence,” he raps, over the hypnotic instrumental that gives the songs a dark and upbeat feeling. Drake talks about his current successes in life, the woman, the money, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down. But there's always an expectation for him to do better, the “Headlines” constantly criticizing Drake and his music, “that new shit that you got was overdue/ You better do what you supposed to do.” He acknowledges these critiques and accepts that he needs to be better, but not the old Drake that people want. He wants to be newer and better than what he once was, and he admits the direction he is going is making him lonely, but he wants to succeed and will continue until he does.
I get a feeling of euphoria throughout the whole album: the beat selection and Drake's flow throughout the entire album are things that not many people could emulate. Nostalgia is another strong feeling I get whenever I listen to this album because, let's face it, it's an old album. The nostalgia takes me back to 8th, sitting in class half of the time because the other half of the week I would be home because of the Covid-era hybrid school. I remember wishing for school to just go back to normal, but playing Call Of Duty instead.
Drake has released over sixteen albums throughout his career, his most recent album being $ome $exy $ongs 4 U (2025), and Take Care teleports you into the year it was made. It feels so 2011 (not that I remember what it feels like), and its connection to its time keeps listeners coming back to it. The fifth song, “Take Care,” features Drake's ex-girlfriend Rihanna, and this song is also very upbeat. The piano plays over an upbeat tune that plays through the song, while Drake and Rihanna sing to their partners (i.e., to each other) about their past, and how different their lives would be if they chose to be together. “If you let me, here’s what I'll do/ I’ll take care of you,” sings Rihanna in a hopeful and concerned tone, voicing the trials and tribulations her partner went through. They both have issues, but together they could be something more. Drake gives a different perspective, and there's more realism in his lyrics: “Pushin’ me away, so I give space ah/ Dealing with a heart that I didn’t break.” He reveals the hardships of dealing with broken people, while being a broken person himself: you cannot save them, especially if they don’t want to be saved. The relatability of this song is why I come back to it. I’ve dealt with broken people, I have been a broken person myself, and this song allows the listener to be on both sides and really feel.
The next song is “Marvin's Room,” and this isn’t an ordinary Drake song. It's slow, minimal drums and emotionally heavy instrumentals make this song stand out from the rest. When the song begins, you feel confused, upset, and again, there is a huge sense of nostalgia. It begins with a phone call. A woman is talking, explaining that she has been going out drinking, and she hasn’t been home. Drake comes in not long after, talking about his current experience at the club and how he wants to leave to be with this woman, but “The woman that I would try/ Is Happy with a good guy.” Drake talks about heartbreak, pleading with the woman who left him for another man to come back, and in listening to it, you might as well be heartbroken yourself. Drake's emotion can be felt throughout the song, whether it's through his voice or through the music: the listener will have constant feelings. When I hear this song, it always takes me back to my freshman year of high school, and how I wanted to be with someone who no longer chose me. Once the song finishes, you get a sense of relief, the instrumentals, the soothing piano, and then nothing.
Take Care was one of the first albums I listened to fully, and I can say it didn’t disappoint me one bit. Songs like “Headlines,” “Take Care,” “Cameras / Good Ones Go Interlude,” “Doing It Wrong,” and “The Real Her” make the album what it is. Drake's purpose wasn’t just to make music in this project; it’s a reflection of his past and being ready to let go of it. Whether you can relate to the music or not, Drake's ability to express himself and be one with the music is admirable. He shows how important it is to not only Take Care of yourself, but understanding when it is right to leave, and wish for others to Take Care.
