There’s something satisfyingly messy about love, and Haim captures that chaos perfectly in their latest single, Relationships.
Released on March 12, 2025, Relationships marks Haim’s first single in three years, co-produced by Danielle Haim and indie favourite Rostam Batmanglij.
This fresh production choice, deviating from their usual collaboration with Ariel Rechtshaid, brings a new dynamic to their sound.
The track premiered earlier as BBC Radio 1’s Hottest Record and serves as a teaser—Haim have confirmed they’re gearing up for a brand-new album, their first since the acclaimed 2020 release, Women in Music Pt. III, and subsequent singles including Cherry Flavored Stomach Ache and Lost Track.
The track blends pop, funk, and R&B elements into an irresistibly groovy melody, driven by a vibrant bassline, inventive percussion, and airy vocal samples that float effortlessly throughout.
The band expressed their excitement on Instagram, sharing, “This one took us 7 damn years to crack but we’re so stoked it’s finally here!! Relationships is out now. Single girl summer let’s fucking go.”
They also showed appreciation to their collaborators, adding, “The HUGEST thank you to Rostam for working so hard on this song and making it come to life.”
As Alana put it succinctly, this was “the closest we’ve ever gotten to how we wanted to sound.”
Haim Relationships Lyrics Meaning Explained
With Relationships, Haim—comprising sisters Danielle, Este, and Alana—collaborated not just with Rostam but also with Ariel Rechtshaid, Tobias Jesso Jr., and Buddy Ross.
The eclectic team crafted a sound that’s alive, playful, and layered, mirroring the song’s theme of romantic confusion.
The lyrics open with a blend of frustration and vulnerability that’s as relatable as it gets: “I think I’m in love, but I can’t stand f*ckin’ relationships.”
The song navigates love’s pitfalls, capturing how minor misunderstandings escalate dramatically: “Baby, how can I explain when an innocent mistake turns into seventeen days?”
The lyrics suggest an ongoing, circular struggle—“Don’t they end up all the same when there’s no one left to blame?”—reflecting our repeated failures to break from familiar, dysfunctional patterns.
Moreover, the lyrics poignantly question the generational influence on romantic dynamics: “Or is it just the shit our parents did and had to live with it in their relationship?”
Here, Haim cleverly blends introspection with relatable cynicism, exploring whether these repeating patterns are simply inherited rather than chosen.
Alana candidly describes the emotional heart of the song as addressing the “torturous feeling of knowing you should break up but not wanting to,” amplifying the relatable internal conflict.
Drew Starkey’s Scene-Stealing Appearance
Directed by Camille Summers-Valli, the Relationships video stars Drew Starkey, whose performance opposite Danielle Haim adds depth and charisma to the track’s emotional narrative.
Told intriguingly in reverse—from breakup to blissful beginnings—the visual encapsulates the messy, cyclical nature of love, capturing those “steamy scenes” that fans (and the internet) couldn’t help but obsess over.
Cleverly Chaotic Cover Art
Even the cover art for Relationships adds to its playful narrative. Inspired by Nicole Kidman’s famously meme-worthy paparazzi shot during her divorce era, it’s a clever visual pun that matches the song’s quirky blend of cynicism and humour.
Fans React
Fans immediately connected with the single’s vibrant production and relatable theme. “Exactly what I was hoping for,” wrote one enthusiastic fan online, praising the track’s “breezy” and “funky” nature.
Another highlighted the “inventive percussion,” while others declared it an undeniable “summer jam,” echoing the playful spirit Haim clearly aimed for.
Our Verdict on Relationships by Haim
Relationships tackles the messy realities of romance without ever feeling trite or predictable.
The song is catchy and genuinely insightful, capturing the confusion and contradictions of love in a refreshingly candid way.
Haim has returned with a bold, brilliantly produced single that’s bound to resonate deeply—because honestly, who among us hasn’t questioned the point of “f*ckin’ relationships” at some point?
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HAIM’s Relationships Lyrics
Spoken Intro
Wasting time, driving through the Eastside
Doing my thing ’cause I can’t decide if we’re through
Well, are we?
And if we are, what we gonna do?
Verse 1
Relationships, oh
What’s all this talk about relationships?
It feels like everyone’s caught up in it
Oh, just you wait, you must be new to this
(Goes like, goes like, goes like)
Pre-Chorus
You got a look on your face
Like you’re caught in a lie, lie, lie (Goes, goes like, goes like)
I got you all to myself
But I keep asking why, why why in this relationship
Chorus
Baby, how can I explain
When an innocent mistake
Turns into seventeen days? Fuckin’ relationships
Don’t they end up all the same
When there’s no one left to blame?
I think I’m in love, but I can’t stand fuckin’ relationships
(Goes, goes like, goes like)
Verse 2
Why do I have a guilty conscience?
I’ve always been averse to conflict
But you really fucked with my confidence
(Goes like, goes like, goes like)
Pre-Chorus
You gotta tell me the truth
If you don’t want to try-y-y (Goes, goes like, goes like)
I hear a voice in my head
And it keeps asking, “Why am I in this relationship?”
Chorus
Baby, how can I explain
When an innocent mistake
Turns into seventeen days? Fuckin’ relationships
Don’t they end up all the same
When there’s no one left to blame?
I think I’m in love, but I can’t stand fuckin’ relationships
(Goes, goes like, goes like)
Bridge
Relationships
How did we get ourselves into this?
Relationships
Oh, this can’t just be the way it is
Relationships
Or is it just the shit our parents did
And had to live with it
In their relationship?
Relationships (‘Ships, ‘ships, ‘ships)
Relationships
Fuckin’ relationships
Chorus
Baby, how can I explain
When an innocent mistake
Turns into seventeen days? Fuckin’ relationships
Don’t they end up all the same
When there’s no one left to blame?
I think I’m in love, but I can’t stand communicating it
Let me tell you how it ends
When we can’t even pretend
Feels like we’re not even friends in this relationship
But I would do it all again
If you put down your defenses
I think I’m in love, so why am I trying to escape from it?
Maybe that’s just how it goes
When you’re not fully grown
But, baby, when you know, you know, fuckin’ relationships
So don’t let it bring you down
‘Cause it all comes back around
I think I’m in love, but I can’t stand fuckin’ relationships