I conducted a thematic analysis of Hotline Bling.

Our Hypothesis: Hotline Bling contains similar

lyrics that overall state the feeling of missing another individual.
Column 1 Place lyrics (text) Column 2: (Analyze each line of text,
your unit of analysis) using a one-to-
Step 1 three word phrase. It answers the
question, “What is going on in this line
of text?

You used to call me on my, you used to, you used to Past calls
You used to call me on my cell phone Past Calls
Late night when you need my love Late night calls
Call me on my cell phone
Late night when you need my love
Calls
And I know when that hotline bling Missing you
That can only mean one thing Getting a call
I know when that hotline bling Deciphering the call
That can only mean one thing Defining call
Ever since I left the city you Changes after a move
Got a reputation for yourself now Image changed
Everybody knows and I feel left out
Girl you got me down, you got me stressed out
Changing hurts feelings
'Cause ever since I left the city, you Changes after a move
Started wearing less and goin' out more Showing out
Glasses of champagne out on the dance floor Drinking/ clubbing
Hangin' with some girls I've never seen before New friends
You used to call me on my cell phone Past calls
Late night when you need my love Late calls.
Call me on my cell phone
Late night when you need my love
Booty calls
I know when that hotline bling Calling my phone
That can only mean one thing want something
I know when that hotline bling Calling my phone
That can only mean one thing Wanting something
Ever since I left the city, you, you, you Moved away
You and me we just don't get along Arguing a lot
You make me feel like I did you wrong
Going places where you don't belong
Guilt
Ever since I left the city, you Going out more
You got exactly what you asked for karma
Running out of pages in your passport traveling single
Hanging with some girls I've never seen before new friends
You used to call me on my cell phone calling me
Late night when you need my love booty call?
Call me on my cell phone
Late night when you need my love
Calling me
And I know when that hotline bling Know your call
That can only mean one thing Wanting something
I know when that hotline bling Looking for call
That can only mean one thing Knowing what is needed
These days, all I do is Thinking about you
Wonder if you're bendin' over backwards for
someone else Thinking about your relationship
Wonder if you're rollin' up a Backwoods for someone
else
status
Doing things I taught you, gettin' nasty for someone
else New person, old stuff
You don't need no one else
You don't need nobody else, no I’m better
Why you never alone? I’m better
Why you always touching road? Never alone
Used to always stay at home, be a good girl
You was in the zone
Traveling
You should just be yourself You changed
Right now, you're someone else Be yourself
You used to call me on my cell phone Who I knew you to be?
Late night when you need my love Old calls
Call me on my cell phone Calling me
Late night when you need my love Booty calls?
And I know when that hotline bling
That can only mean one thing
Knowing what you want
I know when that hotline bling Know what you want
That can only mean one thing Phone ringing
Ever since I left the city Know what you want
I moved
 Step 2: Put like codes together in like boxes

Past calls Changes after a move Missing you

Past Calls Image changed want something
Late night calls Changing hurts feelings wanting something
Calls Changes after a move knowing your call
Getting a call Showing out wanting something
Deciphering the call Drinking/ clubbing looking for your call
Defining call New friends Thinking about you Thinking
Past calls Moved away about your relationship status
Late calls. Arguing a lot New person, old stuff
Booty calls Guilt Never alone
Calling my phone Going out more Traveling
Calling my phone Karma You changed
Calling me traveling single Be yourself
Booty call new friends Knowing what you want
Old calls new friends Know what you want
Calling me I’m better Phone ringing
Booty calls? I’m better Know what you want
I moved

Yearning Moving On. Craving

What did I do?

I studied the lyrics from Drake’s “Hotline Bling” using Thematic analysis, which is a qualitative

research technique. By using this technique, I am able to analyze the true meaning of this song.

Hotline Bling came out in 2016 and was the lead single from Drake’s fourth studio album Views.

My hypothesis, like many other listeners, is that the song is about missing someone who
occasionally calls you when they need something that only you can provide. Hotline bling went

platinum was Drake’s first top 10 in two years.

How was the study completed?

I analyzed every verse within the lyrics by using A-z Lyrics and the format given by Dr.Smith.

Results:

Hypothesis: Do the lyrics to “Hotline Bling” by Drake actually mean that he is missing someone

from his past, or does the writer only want them for a night?

The like codes I used for Theme number one, which I considered to be “Yearning”. This is

represented by lyrics like “I know when that hotline bling, that can only mean one thing” or

“You used to call me on my cell phone Late night when you need my love” Which shows the

author misses whomever they are singing about and are awaiting the potential opportunity to

contact them. This helped me come up with the coding for Theme number two, “Moving On”.

This is supported by lyrics like “Why you always touching road?

Used to always stay at home, be a good girl”. Here we see the artist is comparing what he sees

her doing now to the person he knew her to be. The artist seems to miss the woman he knew and

maybe the relationship they had as well. This is how I came up with my overall theme and third

theme “Craving”. This theme is supported by “Doing things I taught you, gettin' nasty for

someone else”. The artist wants the woman back and thinks about the intimate things they shared

and wonders if she has moved on and shared them with someone else.

Discussion:
I learned that although the beat to the song is fast paced, the meaning of the lyrics has a more

somber tone. The results did support my thematic analysis and overall hypothesis. Drake

believes he knows this woman more than she knows herself. The person she has become after the

breakup is unfamiliar to him and he misses who He believed she use to be. This mindset could be

seen as toxic.