Best Friend Lyrics Meaning | Rex Orange County
“I should’ve stayed at home
‘Cause right now I see all these people that love me
But I still feel alone
Can’t help but check my phone”
Alex O’Connor opens with a deeply relatable confession—being in a room full of love, yet still feeling disconnected. It’s that hollow kind of loneliness that creeps in even when you’re not physically alone. The urge to check his phone is like a silent hope that someone—maybe the someone—might reach out and make him feel a little less invisible.
“I could’ve made you mine
But no, it wasn’t meant to be, and see, I wasn’t made for you
And you weren’t made for me
Though it seemed so easy”
Here, Alex reflects on a connection that almost became something real. It felt natural and effortless at first, but he’s come to terms with the truth: some people just aren’t meant to be together. No matter how right it feels in the moment, compatibility runs deeper—and that mismatch hurts.
“And that’s because
I wanna be your favorite boy
I wanna be the one that makes your day
The one you think about as you lie awake
I can’t wait to be your number one
I’ll be your biggest fan and you’ll be mine
But I still wanna break your heart and make you cry”
Alex lets it all spill out—the desire to be everything for someone, to light up their world. But it’s not that simple. Love isn’t always clean-cut. There’s a darker edge to his feelings—a part of him that might hurt her, not out of cruelty, but because love can be messy and selfish and raw.
“But won’t you wait?
You know it’s too late
I’m on my own shit now
Let me tell you how it feels to be fucking great
I feel great
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh”
Now he’s stepping into his own. There’s power in moving on, in finding confidence even after heartbreak. He’s no longer waiting or chasing—he’s standing tall, doing his own thing, and trying to convince both her and himself that he’s better for it.
“You need to be yourself
Love someone for loving you instead of someone really cool
That makes your heart melt
Who knows what you truly felt”
Alex gives a dose of real talk. He’s saying, stop chasing the idealized version of love. Instead, choose someone who genuinely cares—who sees you. It’s advice that comes from pain and reflection, like he’s learned it the hard way.
“You’re still my favorite girl
You better trust me when I tell you there ain’t no one else more beautiful
In this damn world
In this damn world”
Even with everything that’s gone down, she still holds that special place in his heart. There’s no one like her, and he wants her to know that. It’s sincere, aching praise—the kind that lingers long after the relationship ends.
“You’re gonna wanna be my best friend, baby
You’re gonna wanna be my best friend” (Repeated)
He’s holding onto hope. Hope that if love isn’t in the cards, maybe friendship still is. Or maybe he’s convincing himself that she won’t forget him. The repetition makes it feel almost like a chant—comforting and desperate at the same time.
“I say that I’m happy
I say that I’m happy
But no, no, no, no
No, no, no, oh”
This is one of the rawest moments. He’s telling everyone he’s okay—but behind the words is pain. It’s the kind of sadness we try to bury with smiles, but it always leaks out eventually. Alex isn’t hiding it anymore.
“I still wanna be your favorite boy
I wanna be the one that makes your day
The one you think about as you lie awake
And I can’t wait to be your number, your number one
I’ll be your biggest fan and you’ll be mine
But I still wanna break your heart and make you cry”
He circles back to the dream—the yearning hasn’t faded. He still wants to be her everything. But again, that inner conflict is there. The love is intense, maybe even too intense, and it comes with the risk of heartbreak.
“I still wanna be your favorite boy
I wanna be the one
I might just be the one”
He closes on a soft but powerful note. There’s a glimmer of hope that maybe—just maybe—he could still be the one. Even after everything, he hasn’t let go of the idea completely. It’s vulnerable, it’s honest, and it’s deeply human.
