Holding the #28 position on the year-end Billboard Hot 100 is a track called ‘Bad Habit’ by R&B artist Steve Lacy. This song is not to be confused with Ed Sheeran’s ‘Bad Habits,’ which appeared at #13 on the same list.
Like many hits these days, ‘Bad Habit’ owes much of its success to TikTok, where the song’s opening lines scored many a video clip. Footage of a concert where attendees could recite only those first few lines went viral on Twitter. Imagine playing to fans who are familiar with only one of your songs, and only a handful of lines from that song to boot.
But don’t feel bad for Lacy. ‘Bad Habits’ became the first song to top both the R&B/Hip Hop and Rock/Alternative charts and it surely brought him more attention and money than he’d enjoyed in his five-year career to date.
I wish I knew you wanted me
I wish I knew
I wish I knew you wanted me
I wish I knew
I wish I knew you wanted me
[Verse 1: Steve Lacy]
What you, ooh, uh, what you do?
Made a move, could’ve made a move
If I knew I’d be with you
Is it too late to pursue?
[Chorus: Steve Lacy]
I bite my tongue, it’s a bad habit
Kinda mad that I didn’t take a stab at it
Thought you were too good for me, my dear
Never gave me time of day, my dear
It’s okay, things happen for
Reasons that I think are sure, yeah
[Post-Chorus: Steve Lacy & Fousheé]
I wish I knew
I wish I knew you wanted me (I wish I knew)
I wish I knew (Oh)
I wish I knew you wanted me
I wish I knew (Yeah)
I wish I knew you wanted me (Oh)
I wish I knew
I wish I knew you wanted me
[Verse 2: Steve Lacy]
Please say to me (Please, just say to me)
If you still want it
I wish you wouldn’t play with me
I wanna know (I wanna know)
[Chorus: Steve Lacy]
Can I bite your tongue like my bad habit?
Would you mind if I tried to make a pass at it?
No, you’re not too good for me, my dear
Funny you come back to me, my dear
It’s okay, things happen for
Reasons that I can’t ignore, yeah
[Post-Chorus: Steve Lacy & Fousheé]
I wish I knew
I wish I knew you wanted me
I wish I knew (Wish I knew)
I wish I knew you wanted me (Oh)
[Bridge: Steve Lacy]
You can’t surprise a Gemini (I wish I knew)
I’m everywhere, I’m cross-eyed, and (I wish I knew you wanted me)
Now that you’re back, I can’t decide (I wish I knew)
If I decide if you’re invited (I wish I knew you wanted me)
You always knew the way to wow me
Fuck around, get tongue-tied, and
I turn it on, I make it rowdy
Then carry on, but I’m not hidin’
You grabbin’ me hard ’cause you know what you found
It’s biscuits, it’s gravy, babe
[Instrumental Break]
[Outro: Steve Lacy, Steve Lacy & Fousheé]
You can’t surprise a Gemini
But you know it’s biscuits, it’s gravy, babe
I knew you’d come back around
‘Cause you know it’s biscuits, it’s gravy, babe
Let’s fuck in the back of the mall, lose control
Go stupid, go crazy, babe
I know I’ll be in your heart ’til the end
You’ll miss me, don’t beg me, babe
Meet Me In Montauk 
Did you ever listen to Bad Habit by Your Smith? I can’t get enough of it.
Here is the song you mentioned:
I’m curious how this song got on your radar. I like it!
The song sounds decidedly DYI… very cool (if also a bit disheartening) that an artist could become that successful for just a handful of words on a Tik Tok trend.
Ugh… my comment didn’t post. Just remarking that the song has a lo-fi quality, almost as if it were recorded at home. Meanwhile it’s fascinating if a bit disheartening that an artist could become so “famous” for so little without ever really having their art known at all.
I like the song Andie shared (thanks to Dana 🙂
Another totally different Bad Habit by Your Smith has captured me☺️