The song explores a set against a backdrop of hedonism and the hollow nature of Hollywood success.

* 💣💥🔥🔥🔥 just like the music video, it's FUCKING LIT! The ultimate fuccboi anthem. * "When I'm fucked up, that's the real me", Reddit·r/TheWeeknd The Weeknd – The Hills Lyrics - Genius

Released in May 2015 as the second single from his second studio album, Beauty Behind the Madness , by The Weeknd is a dark, trap-infused R&B track that became one of the most defining hits of his career. Core Themes & Meaning

: The famous hook, "When I'm fucked up, that's the real me," is an admission that his truest self emerges during moments of drug-induced debauchery rather than in the "sanitized" version of pop stardom.

: Produced by Mano and Illangelo, the track features a dissonant synth haze and a heavy, "Inception-like" alarm intro.

: The song ends with a nod to Abel's Ethiopian heritage, featuring an outro sung in Amharic that translates to "I love you very much". Cultural Impact

: The production includes sounds painstakingly recreated from a leaked live performance, such as a fan screaming right before the chorus drop.

: The song's popularity led to high-profile remixes featuring Eminem and Nicki Minaj.