"Photo ID" is the fourth track and second single on I'm Allergic To Dogs!, the sophomore five-track extended play by American singer Remi Wolf.
The song's bridge exploded virtually, specifically on TikTok. Because of this popularity burst, on March 3rd, 2021, a remix of the song featuring Dominic Fike was released along with its music video. Photo ID to modern day is Remi's most popular song.
Song Leakage
- October 7th, 2021 - Most of the instrumental is leaked via YouTube.[1]
Background and Composition
I wrote ‘"Photo ID” during a week that all I was listening to was Hall & Oates and Talking Heads. I was really inspired by Daryl Hall’s big melodies and the funky strangeness of David Byrne. Also, that week I had lost my keys, gone to the DMV to get a new driver's license, and was in a strange mental state about some of my personal relationships so the lyrics are all just a culmination of those chaotic thoughts. Full vibe. I think you can hear it in the energy of the vocal that I’m pretty annoyed and confused and weird but also wanna have fun!!! This video is all about letting go, escaping reality a bit, and getting your booty wiggling![2]
Remi Wolf via The Line of Best Fit
Whilst the song was popular on TikTok, a commentary channel, @SongPsych, hosted an episode on the suspected modification of the bridge of the song.[3] Remi later created a video reply to this, explaining how the vocals were developed in such an interesting fashion,[4]
- [HOST] Have you seen this TikTok?
- [WOLF] Yes.
- [PHOTO ID // REMI WOLF] ♪ Ooh, baby, turn off the light, ♪
♪ You're gonna make my body fry ♪
- [HOST] Although some people think the effects on Remi's voice are Vocaloid,
- [WOLF] Yeah, okay, so it's not Vocaloid;
we put my vocals through something called "AlterBoy",
and what AlterBoy does is messes with the harmonics and the formant of the vocals.
So, it shifts it from being the normal voice to—
It just messes with the timbre of the vocals.
So, it makes the vocals sound like higher-pitched or lower-pitched but it's actually not.
So, we did that, and then we also sped up the track by like 5 BPM
to make it sound a little squeakier, uhm
But, yes, I am using my real voice in it; it's affected with AlterBoy.
Theme
In this song, Remi describes the dependence she feels on a partner. Despite this dependence, the song expresses a feeling of dissatisfaction with the relationship; throughout the song, the line "Shit gets weird when you talk about it" is repeated to indicate that they feel uncomfortable confronting the more difficult parts of their relationship. The line "Ooh, baby, don't you cry" may be referring to a fear of vulnerability. The upbeat and groovy nature of the song also supports the theme of escaping the more vulnerable, difficult parts of a relationship.
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
New week, no sleep, no key
I lost ‘em in the street
And no I can’t see without you
Billy and Badu, I’ll follow you into any room
‘Cause I can’t hear without you
(Shit gets weird when you talk about it)
[Chorus]
Lit in line, smile for the photo ID
Inside, that’s where we can be free
Your highness, caught you sippin’ on lean
Reminds me that’s how it’s supposed to be
[Verse 2]
Bitch you fell asleep too fast
I want my money back
But I can’t deal without you
Stuck behind your beat
I kick my feet up
You’re so mean
But I can’t dream without you
(Shit gets weird when you talk about it)
[Chorus]
Lit in line, smile for the photo ID
Inside, that’s where we can be free
Your highness, caught you sippin’ on lean
Reminds me that’s how it’s supposed to be
[Bridge]
Ooh baby turn off the light
You’re gonna make my body fry
Ooh baby don’t you cry
Shit gets weird when you talk about it
Ooh baby turn off the light
You’re gonna make my body fry
Ooh baby don’t you cry
Shit gets weird when you talk about
[Chorus]
Lit in line, smile for the photo ID
Inside, that’s where we can be free
Your highness, caught you sippin’ on lean
Reminds me that’s how it’s supposed to be
[Outro]
Tellin’ me things that I, that I, that I, that I
You been tellin’ me things that I didn’t wanna know
You been tellin’ me things that I didn’t wanna, didn’t wanna
Tellin’ me things that I didn’t wanna know
You been tellin’ me things that I didn’t wanna know
And if I see that girl around you I’ll be stepping on her toes
Cause you been tellin’ me things that I didn’t wanna know
And if I see that girl around you I’ll be stepping on her toes
See that girl around you I’ll be stepping on her toes
You been tellin’ me things that I didn’t wanna know
And if I see that girl around you I’ll be steppin on her toes
You been tellin’ me things that I didn’t wanna know
And if I see that girl around you I’ll be steppin on her toes
You bene tellin’ me things that I didn’t wanna know
And if I see that girl around you I’ll be steppin on her toes
Woo!
[Intro: Dominic Fike]
Ahaha, hohoho, shit, no
Oh, fuck
Aw, man, tell the label
Tell the label
[Verse 1: Remi Wolf]
New week, no sleep, no key, I lost 'em in the street
And no, I can't see without you
Billy and Badu, I'll follow you into any room
'Cause I can't hear without you
(Shit gets weird when you talk about it)
[Chorus: Remi Wolf]
Lit in line, smile for the photo ID
Inside, that's where we can be free
Your highness, caught you sippin' on lean
Reminds me that's how it's 'posed to be
[Verse 2: Remi Wolf]
Bitch, you fell asleep too fast
I want my money back
But I can't deal without you
Stuck behind your beat, I kick my feet up
You're so mean
But I can't dream without you
(Shit gets weird when you talk about it)
[Chorus: Remi Wolf & Dominic Fike]
Lit in line, smile for the photo ID
Inside, that's where we can be free
Your highness (Yeah, ahaha), caught you sippin' on lean (Aight, pictures of my)
Reminds me that's how it's 'posed to be (Yeah-yeah-yeah, okay, okay)
[Verse 3: Dominic Fike]
Aight, pictures of my friends on my Instagram
And photos of my toes on my OnlyFans
And visuals in these frames look better
Than the ones that she posted on Facebook
I'm ready when you wanna point that, shoot that, pop that
Polaroid that, screw that, chop that lean
The shit that only happened in my wildest dreams
The shit we talk about and listen to behind the screens
And I be tryna stream consciousness (Ayy)
Baby, you be tryna stream songs like this
I told you I just want to remember it
I told you I be tryna create memories
But everybody 'round me want a check
Only thing that keep me out of that bag full of that white
Or that bottle full of that red is photos on my desk
Only thing that keep me out of my head when I'm in bed
Is the photos on the wall back when we had it all
So I be tryna keep track of it (Ayy)
Catch it and it vanish like a magic trick (Ayy)
'Specially when we was on Xans and shit (Ayy)
Truthfully, I don't even understand that shit, another stanza
My bitch an actor, my homie managin', makin' sure that they payin' us
I'm just a natural when it come to pickin' the brands up
And I'm only twenty-five, G
Tell that bitch to take a picture for the photo ID (Fuck)
[Chorus: Remi Wolf and Dominic Fike]
Lit in line, smile for the photo ID
Inside, that's where we can be free
Your highness, caught you sippin' on lean
Reminds me that's how it's 'posed to be
[Bridge: Remi Wolf]
Ooh, baby, turn off the light
You're gonna make my body fry
Ooh, baby, don't you cry
Shit gets weird when you talk about it
Ooh, baby, turn off the light
You're gonna make my body fry
Ooh, baby, don't you cry
Shit gets weird when you talk about it
[Chorus: Remi Wolf and Dominic Fike]
Lit in line, smile for the photo ID
Inside, that's where we can be free
Your highness, caught you sippin' on lean
Reminds me that's how it's 'posed to be
Gallery
Trivia
- This is Remi's only song to have a music video that isn't animated.
- During the song, snippets of the studio session can be heard.
- The remix of the song is about a minute shorter than the original.
| v • e I'M ALLERGIC TO DOGS!
| |
|---|---|
| Featured Tracks | Down The Line • Woo! • Hello Hello Hello • Photo ID • Disco Man |
| Producers | John Carroll Kirby • M-Phazes • Remi Wolf • Solomonophonic |
| Writers | John Carroll Kirby • Livvi Franc • Mary Weitz • M-Phazes • Remi Wolf • Solomonophonic |
Full Credits
Song Credits
| Job | Operator |
|---|---|
| Producer | John Carroll Kirby, Remi Wolf, Jared Solomon |
| Composer | John Carroll Kirby, Remi Wolf, Jared Solomon |
| Lyricist | John Carroll Kirby, Remi Wolf, Jared Solomon |
| Associated Performer | John Carroll Kirby, Remi Wolf, Jared Solomon |
| Backing Vocalist | Remi Wolf |
| Bass Guitar | John Carroll Kirby |
| Drums | John Carroll Kirby, Jared Solomon |
| Guitar | Jared Solomon |
| Keys | John Carroll Kirby |
| Mixer | Jared Solomon |
| Percussion | John Carroll Kirby, Remi Wolf, Jared Solomon |
| Programmer | John Carroll Kirby, Jared Solomon |
| Recording Engineer | John Carroll Kirby |
| Studio Personnel | John Carroll Kirby, Jared Solomon |
Remix Video Credits
| Job | Operator |
|---|---|
| Production Company | Psycho Films |
| Executive Producer | Sam Canter |
| Producer | Emma Stehli |
| Director of Photography | David Bolen |
| Art Director | Green House Creative |
| First Assistant Camera | Jacob Perry |
| Gaffer | Sebastien Nuta, Chris Ginnaven |
| Make Up | Julie Dinh |
| Production Assistant | Destiny Hunt |
| Editor | Neal Farmer, Jack Begert |
| Color | Jacob McKee |