Originally written for Rihanna’s album ANTi, “Reaper” was later scrapped. Sia talked about the process with Rolling Stone Magazine:
They’ll entice me into a session by saying, “Rihanna will definitely be there” or “Kanye will definitely be there,” but it’s hilarious because I turn up and, almost always, they never come. So I went into the studio to write for Rihanna with Kanye and neither of them showed up and stayed for less than an hour. They had two tracks. They told me what they had wanted. There were notes from Kanye, and I can’t even remember what they were. I remember I just raced in and raced out, and I thought there was something about the chorus that seemed fun about this song.
Lyrics of Reaper
Broke down, thought that I would drown
Hope that I've been found, 'fore I hit the ground
Sun rays out the corner of my eye, hey
Saw you weeping, saw you creeping
Saw you sneaking in the shadow's dawn
I feel so strong
Saw you out the corner of my eye
Don't come for me today
I'm feeling good
I'mma savor it
Don't come for me today
I'm feeling good
I remember when
(Reaper)
You came to take me away
So close I was to heaven's gates
But no baby, no baby, not today
Oh, you tried to track me down
You followed me like the darkest cloud
But no baby, no baby, not today
(Reaper) oh reaper
(Reaper) oh no baby, no baby, not today
(Reaper) oh reaper
(Reaper) oh no baby, no baby, not today
So come back when I'm good to go
I got drinks to drink, and men to hold
I got good things to do with my life, yeah
Oh, I wanna dance in the open breeze
Feel the wind in my hair, hear the ocean sing
I got good things to feel in my life, yeah
Don't come for me today
I'm feeling good
I'mma savor it
Don't come for me today
I'm feeling good
I remember when
(Reaper)
You came to take me away
So close I was to heaven's gates
But no baby, no baby, not today
Oh, you tried to track me down
You followed me like the darkest cloud
But no baby, no baby, not today
(Reaper) Oh reaper
Oh no baby, no baby, not today
(Reaper) Oh reaper
Oh no baby, no baby, not today
Reaper
Reaper
Reaper
Reaper