Set to a slow and sultry tempo, "The Hills" starts with what listeners can assume is the start of the affair. "Your man on the road, he doin' promo / You said, 'Keep our business on the low-low' / I'm just tryna get you out the friend zone / 'Cause you look even better than the photos," The Weeknd sings. As we can tell from lines uttered later in the first verse, it appears as though he's driving through a wealthy gated community to find this woman.
As The Weeknd croons into the chorus, he admits he doesn't reveal as much of himself to this woman, as he knows their relationship is only physical, since she has a husband or boyfriend that she'll likely never leave to be with him. "I only call you when it's half-past five / The only time that I'll be by your side / I only love it when you touch me, not feel me," he sings.
As his story comes to an end, The Weeknd criticizes the judgment of the woman and others on indiscretions such as these, perhaps intimating that everyone is doing something secretive behind closed doors. Then, as a nod to his Ethiopian roots, the last few lines are sung in his native language, Amharic (via Pitchfork). Abel Tesfaye admits there are 67 versions of this song, meaning the lyrics may actually vary depending on which variation you're currently enjoying (per Variety).
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