You're driving through the East Bay at 2:00 AM. The streetlights are doing that rhythmic flickering thing against the windshield. Suddenly, the beat drops out and you hear it—that silky, almost nostalgic vocal from Lloyd. It’s a moment. Honestly, iii. Telegraph Ave. ("Oakland" by Lloyd) lyrics aren't just words on a page; they are the literal soul of Childish Gambino’s 2013 sophomore masterpiece, Because the Internet.
Most people forget how weird the rollout for this was. Donald Glover wasn't just dropping an album; he was building a world. There was a screenplay. There were short films. And right in the middle of it was this track, a bridge between the frantic energy of Los Angeles and the grounded, almost heavy atmosphere of Oakland. It feels like a long-distance relationship sounds. Frustrating. Beautiful. Mostly just confusing.
The Story Behind the Oakland Lyrics
To understand why people keep searching for these lyrics a decade later, you have to look at the structure. It’s a song within a song. The title itself is a meta-reference. It’s technically a Childish Gambino track, but the subtitle "Oakland by Lloyd" is a nod to the fact that the hook is essentially a Lloyd song that the protagonist (The Boy) is listening to in his car.
It’s meta. It’s very 2013.
The song kicks off with the sound of a car door closing and a radio turning on. That's where the Lloyd magic happens. The lyrics "Foot on the gas / I'm just passing those houses you lived in" set the stage immediately. It’s about movement. It’s about the physical act of traveling toward someone while your mind is already ten miles ahead of your tires. When Lloyd sings about being "everything you need," he isn't just flexing. He’s playing the role of the inner monologue for anyone who has ever driven across a bridge to try and fix a relationship that’s already cracked.
Breaking Down the Verse: More Than Just "In My Feelings"
Gambino’s verses are where the actual narrative weight sits. He mentions specific spots, like the Claremont Hotel. He talks about the "pre-game" and the "re-up." But the core of the iii. Telegraph Ave. ("Oakland" by Lloyd) lyrics lies in the insecurity of the modern age.
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"Everything is happening / So I'm just here for the weekend."
That line is a gut punch. It captures that temporary, fleeting nature of connection in a digital world. We’re all "just here for the weekend," aren't we? Glover uses the lyrics to explore the idea that even when we are physically present—literally standing on Telegraph Avenue—we are still filtered through our phones and our expectations.
He mentions "wedding rings" and "socialites," contrasting the high-stakes pressure of a real commitment with the low-stakes reality of a casual hookup. It’s messy. It’s human. The lyrics describe a person who is trying to find a reason to stay in a city that they don't belong in, for a person who might not even want them there.
The Lloyd Factor
Why Lloyd?
Think about the R&B landscape in the early 2010s. Lloyd was the king of the "smooth but vulnerable" lane. By putting Lloyd on the hook, Gambino tapped into a specific type of nostalgia. It makes the song feel like a classic "drive-time" radio hit, which contrasts sharply with the experimental, glitchy production that defines the rest of the album.
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The repetition of "Oakland / Oakland" in the chorus isn't just a shoutout to the city. It’s an incantation. It’s the protagonist trying to convince himself that he’s found a home, or at least a destination. It’s effective because it’s simple. Sometimes, the most complex emotions need the simplest lyrics to land.
Why These Lyrics Still Rank Today
Music nerds love this track because it’s one of the few times Gambino let himself be purely melodic and "vibey" without losing his intellectual edge. The iii. Telegraph Ave. ("Oakland" by Lloyd) lyrics work because they are cinematic. You can see the BART train. You can feel the NorCal fog.
There’s also the "secret" nature of the song. For a long time, fans debated if this was a cover, a sample, or an original composition. It’s actually an original piece where Lloyd was brought in specifically to create a song that sounded like it could have been a 2000s R&B hit. That layer of artifice is exactly what Because the Internet was all about—the line between what’s real and what’s manufactured.
Key Lyric Highlights
- "And I'm not really sure of what to do / But I'm pretty sure that I'm in love with you." This is the thesis statement. It’s the uncertainty of the 20s. You don't have a job, you don't have a plan, but you have this one crushing feeling that overrides everything else.
- "The 510, I’m in the area." A direct nod to the Oakland area code. It grounds the song in a specific geography, which is a hallmark of great songwriting.
- "But you’re with him, and I’m with her." The classic complication. It’s not a love song; it’s a "it’s complicated" song.
Technical Details and Composition
The song was produced by Ludwig Göransson alongside Glover. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s the Oscar-winning composer behind Oppenheimer and The Mandalorian. You can hear that cinematic DNA in the way the track swells. The lyrics are mixed slightly lower than the bass in certain sections, mimicking the sound of music playing inside a car while you're focused on the road.
This wasn't just a "track." It was an experience.
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When you look at the iii. Telegraph Ave. ("Oakland" by Lloyd) lyrics, you’re looking at a script. Glover has admitted in interviews (like his 2013 Breakfast Club appearance) that he wanted people to feel the "loneliness of the internet." The lyrics reflect that by showing two people who are "connected" but completely unable to communicate.
How to Fully Experience the Song Today
If you really want to understand the lyrics, don't just read them on a screen. You need to engage with the context.
- Read the Script: The Because the Internet screenplay is still floating around the archives of the web. Find the section for Telegraph Ave. It adds a whole new layer of meaning to the "don't leave me" ad-libs at the end.
- Watch the Music Video: It features Jhené Aiko and has a "twist" ending that re-contextualizes the entire song. Suddenly, the lyrics about "being everything you need" take on a much darker, almost sci-fi tone.
- Listen to the Transitions: Play the album from start to finish. The way "The Party" leads into "Telegraph Ave." changes the vibe. It goes from the chaos of a house party to the isolation of a solo drive.
The iii. Telegraph Ave. ("Oakland" by Lloyd) lyrics remain a staple of the "sad boy" R&B canon because they are honest. They don't pretend that love is easy or that driving to a new city solves your problems. They just admit that sometimes, you just want to put on a good song, hit the gas, and hope for the best.
To get the most out of this track, listen to it while actually driving through a city at night. Pay attention to the way the vocal layers shift between Lloyd's polished R&B style and Gambino's more conversational, raw delivery. It highlights the gap between the person we want to be (the smooth R&B star) and the person we actually are (the guy stuck in traffic, overthinking a text message).