[Verse 1]
Tell me you've been distracted
Just say you hate what’s happened
But tell me you can't be what I need
L.A. is so dramatic
But I'm learning to like the traffic
It’s given me time to hum new melodies

[Pre-Chorus]
Like how you're so ice cold to me
I can feel you in my bloodstream, killing things
You're so ice cold to me
I can feel you in my heartbeat, my heartbeat

[Chorus]
So if you're gonna mess me up, don't do it slowly
And if you're gonna lead me on, then act like you know me
And if you're gonna get me addicted, you have my permission
I think I know how these things go
If you're gonna mess me up, don’t do it slow

[Verse 2]
And tell me you’re busy working
Or tell me a fire is burning
And tell me you can't be what I need
(You can’t be what I need)
The city's so dramatic
But I'm getting much better at acting
I've got no time to think of memories
[Pre-Chorus]
Like how you’re so ice cold to me
I can feel you in my bloodstream, killing things
You're so ice cold to me
I can feel you in my heartbeat, my heartbeat
Between the empty sex and cigarettes
I think of you between the breaths
I wanna know what's happening
I wanna know why the phone won't ring

[Chorus]
So if you're gonna mess me up, don't do it slowly
If you're gonna lead me on then act like you know me
And if you're gonna get me addicted, you have my permission
I think I know how these things go
If you're gonna mess me up, don't do it slow

[Bridge]
Keep on messing me, messing me up, oh-oh
You keep on messing me, messing me up, oh-oh
Keep on messing me, messing me up
Between the empty sex and cigarettes
Keep on messing me, messing me up
I think of you between the breaths

[Outro]
If you're gonna get me addicted, you've had my permission
I think I know how these things go
If you're gonna mess me up, don't do it slow
Yeah, if you're gonna mess me up, don't do it slow