The song describes a breakup and the singer's conflicting feelings about his ex-girlfriend. In the first verse, he blames the breakup on her reckless lifestyle, though he still loves her. Subsequent verses describe his anger, resentment, and moving on, touring between "states" of girls. He discusses how people now want things from his fame. Though the relationship started casually, he caught feelings for her and writes about her constantly. He knows she's bad for his health but can't help it. The song suggests she may come back when he's settled down, and that talking cannot fix their relationship.

1. "The Motion"
(feat. Sampha)
It's not me and you
It's not me. It's you
You're reckless and you know it
They don't love you like I do
Say you're moving on, well, I guess that's just the motion
He begins by showing that it's the girls fault and not his fault that they
broke up and it was all due to her wild and reckless lifestyle, but even
though, he still loves her more than the way others do, the fact that he
says 'they' gives me the impression that it's possible she has had other
partners or even cheated during the relationship.
This shows that at the end of the day people come and go, showing that
it’s a constant and normal cycle perhaps giving us insight on his love life,
its possibly not the first time he's gone through heartbreak such as this.
I guess that's just the motion (oooh) [x4]
I don't have a fuck to give
I been moving state to state
In my leather and my Tims
Like it's 1998
And my dog Chubby Chubb
That's my nigga from the way
On the East side of the city
That's where everybody stay
Seem like everybody calling
'Cause they want me on their song
It's like every time I touch it
I can never do no wrong
When they need a favor from ya man they don't leave you alone
But, I guess that's just the motion
And their phone doesn't ring when they got everything
That's the motion (ooh)
I guess that's just the motion (oooh) [x2]

2. This shows us a different side to him, in the first verse we see him as
hopeless and heart broken stating that he's still in love with the girl, but
now, he is clearly angry, and no longer cares which shows resentment
and perhaps heartbreak - the fact that he says hes been moving from
state to state shows us he's moving on with his life in terms of music
with tours and concerts, although due to the previous verse I have
reason to believe 'state' could also mean girls.
He begins to talk about his musical talents, saying he can't do no wrong
to anything he touches which advertises his skills and talents in terms of
music, but at the same time it could be possible he's saying he never did
any wrong to the girl, again, similarly to the first lines of the song,
blaming the breakup on the girl rather than himself.
He begins to talk about his life now with his new found fame, he talks
about how everybody seems to want something from him now and once
they get it he wont hear from them anymore - again, he states that its
just the motion showing he's used to it and it's a repetitive cycle.
Yeah,
Looking back on it at least my pride is in tact
'Cause we said no strings attached
And I still got tied up in that
Every thing that I write is either for her or about her
So I'm with her even when I'm here without her
And she know it
The girl that I want to save is like a danger to my health
Try being with somebody that want to be somebody else
I always thought she was perfect when she was being herself
Don't even know how to help
He looks back at his relationship, to perhaps see any good but can't see it
- but on the brighter side he still has his pride as a man as he didn't allow
himself to get caught up in her wild and reckless lifestyle.
This shows that originally the relationship was based on a mutual
agreement of just sexual relations but as time went by he began to catch
feelings for the girl and it became more than just sex.
Shows that despite everything, she's still in his thoughts and his music is
based around her so that he feels closer to her, which shows that he's
not over her and she knows this meaning she knows she can get him
back whenever she wants.

3. He knows that she's no good for him, it causes stress to him to the extent
that it jeopardizes his health but he cant help it.
Again, he blames the breakup on the girl but explains why they can't be
together in saying she wanted to change and be someone else, which can
possibly link back to the second verse in which he spoke about the way
his life has changed since becoming famous (the people around him
began changing and using him for what he could offer) He then goes on
to basically giving up on her as he no longer knows what he can do to
help her.
But, I guess that's just the motion
Yeah, she'll probably come around soon as I settle down
That's the motion (ooh)
I guess that's just the motion (ooh) [x3]
[Sampha]
Nothing less and nothing more
I hear your heart hit the floor
(I guess that's just the motion)
Talking to you's not enough (no ohh)
He feels as though she will eventually come back when he no longer
wants her and has moved on which contradicts what he was saying at
the beginning in saying she didn't want to be with him anymore, he goes
on to say he can hear her heart hit the floor which shows his
acknoweldgment of her heartbreak when she realises he has no intention
of getting back together with her.
In saying that talking is not enough, it shows that talking cannot fix what
happened between them, it's pointless or it could also mean he wants
more than just talking, perhaps he wants the physical side of their
relatonship back.
I guess that's just the motion (ohh)
I guess that's just the motion [x5]