What Lovers Do
by Maroon 5 (featuring SZA)

Album: Red Pill Blues (2017)
Charted: 12 9
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Songfacts®:

  • This song finds Adam Levine and SZA both calling out to their lovers to stop playing around and be real. The Maroon 5 frontman starts the song off by asking his love interest what her true feelings for him are.

    Tell me if you love me or not
    I bet the house on you
    Am I lucky or not, lucky or not, lucky or not?


    SZA is also wondering if the love she has is an enduring one. During the TDE artist's brief, sultry second verse, she demands her lover fulfills her needs.

    Say say say, hey hey now baby
    You know what I need, out the gate now baby


    SZA rejoins later for another verse and some backup vocals as Levine tries "to do what lovers do."
  • This is Maroon 5's second collaboration with a TDE artist, following their 2016 hook up with Kendrick Lamar for "Don't Wanna Know."
  • Adam Levine penned the song with Starrah, who has helped write a wide range of hit songs including Rihanna's "Needed Me," Kevin Gates' "2 Phones," Drake's "Fake Love" and Big Sean's "No Favors."
  • The upbeat, dance-y track features spooky synths and digital handclaps, courtesy of Florida-based musician Ben Billions Yo Gotti's ("Down in The DM") and Los Angeles born producer Jason Evigan ("Demi Lovato's "Heart Attack").
  • The song contains an interpolation of Swedish producer NEIKED's 2016 UK Top 5 hit "Sexual," which features vocals by English singer Dyo. As a consequence, the two European artists are also credited as songwriters.

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