REIN ME IN LYRICS - SAM FENDER & OLIVIA DEAN | PEOPLE WATCHING (DELUXE)

Rein Me In by Sam Fender and Olivia Dean — the re-recorded duet from Fender's album People Watching (Deluxe) that became the longest-running number-one single in UK chart history, with Dean writing a new verse from a female perspective for the version that went viral after their June 2025 London Stadium performance.

Image: Sam Fender / Polydor Records (official music video still)

Rein Me In Song Credits

Song: Rein Me In
Singers: Sam Fender, Olivia Dean
Lyrics: Sam Fender, Olivia Dean, Max Wolfgang
Music: Sam Fender, Adam Granduciel, Markus Dravs, Joe Atkinson, Dean Thompson
Album: People Watching (Deluxe)
Music Label: Polydor Records
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Duration: 5:37

Rein Me In hit No.1 on the UK Singles Chart in February 2026 — Sam Fender's first UK No.1 and Olivia Dean's second — and went on to 23 non-consecutive weeks at No.1, the longest-running number-one single in UK chart history, breaking the British record Wet Wet Wet's "Love Is All Around" held for over 30 years. It won Song of the Year at the BRITs 2026, and also reached No.1 in Australia and Ireland, No.2 in New Zealand, and gave Fender his first Billboard Hot 100 entry.

Olivia Dean joined Fender on stage at London Stadium on 6 June 2025 for the first live duet, and fan videos of the performance went viral; the official video is built around footage from those stadium shows. On collaborating, Fender said he prefers collaborators to "write a new part and make it their own" — "Olivia added a female perspective to 'Rein Me In', and I think it's all the better for it."

Rein Me In Lyrics

[Verse 1]
And I let go of everything I ever had
'Cause I couldn't give the love you deserved
By The Gunner, you shouted, "Oh, my God!"
It seemed churlish, but it's what I was owed, I suppose
Every flagstone of this town bears our prints
And all the bars 'round here serve my ghosts and carcasses
I wish I knew these things when I was young
'Cause now I've just gone so numb
[Pre-Chorus]
We take whatever we can to get the reason back
So please don't rein me in
[Chorus]
Don't rein me in
Please don't rein me in
I'm working myself up to a nice warm bliss
All my memories of you ring like tinnitus
If I stop, it's just pain
Please don't rein me in
[Verse 2]
There's nothing brave in walking alone
Love in exile has nowhere to go, so come on home
Mmm, don't run away from my tenderness
You're so afraid of that heart inside of your chest
We were doing so well, but you were scared to be held
Took the easiest way out
I see the tears of a man too proud to reach for a hand
Oh, let my love keep you safe now
[Chorus]
Please don't, don't rein me in
Please don't rein me in
Now I'm working myself up to a nice warm bliss
All my memories of you ring like tinnitus
If I stop, it's just pain
Please don't rein me in
[Bridge]
And I'm, I'm stood here chewing everybody's lugs off
Telling everybody how much I fucked it up
Telling everybody how much I fucked it up
Telling everybody but you how much I fucked it up
Slow down
Don't rein me in
Slow down
Don't rein me in
[Chorus]
Now I'm working myself up to a nice warm bliss
All my memories of you ring like tinnitus
If I stop, it's just pain
Please don't rein me in
Now I'm working myself up to a nice warm bliss
Working myself
All my memories of you ring like tinnitus
My memories of you
If I stop, it's just pain
Please don't rein me in

Watch the official music video for "Rein Me In" below:

FAQs

Q: Who sang "Rein Me In"?
A: Sam Fender and Olivia Dean; it is a re-recorded duet of a track from Fender's third album People Watching, with Dean writing a new verse from a female perspective for the version released on 20 June 2025.

Q: Why is "Rein Me In" a record-breaker?
A: It spent 23 non-consecutive weeks at No.1 on the UK Singles Chart, the longest-running number-one single in UK chart history, overtaking the British record Wet Wet Wet's "Love Is All Around" held for over 30 years. It also won Song of the Year at the BRITs 2026.

Q: Which album is "Rein Me In" from?
A: Sam Fender's third studio album People Watching (2025); the duet version with Olivia Dean features on the Deluxe edition.

Q: What is "Rein Me In" about?
A: A conversation between two people at the end of a relationship: Fender's side is about self-sabotage and fearing being "reined in" by commitment, while Dean's verse answers from the other person's perspective.