Salty leave, salty leave

Tell me the one about the friend you knew
And the last good night that we toasted too

Salty leave
Stay for me, stay for me

We drank wine in the matinee
And the spotlight showed what it chased away

Stay for me

She saw my comb over, her hourglass body
She has problems with drinking milk
And being school tardy
She'll loan you her toothbrush
She'll bar tend your party

Kill me, kill me

I called and called, but I can't get through
Said he's on his own, but his own is you

Kill me

She saw my comb over, her hourglass body
She has problems with drinking milk
And being school tardy
She'll loan you her toothbrush
She'll bar tend your party

She saw my comb over, her hourglass body
She has problems with drinking milk
And being school tardy
She'll loan you her toothbrush
She'll bar tend your party

(hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm)

Overall Meaning

The song "Milk" by Kings of Leon is about a relationship that is struggling due to one person's addiction and the other person's inability to handle it. The lyrics begin with "Salty leave, salty leave" which is a reference to someone crying and leaving salty tears behind. The singer then asks the other person to tell a story about a friend they knew who had a great last night together before they parted ways. This is possibly a reference to their own relationship and the singer wanting to relive a good moment from it.

The next line "Stay for me, stay for me" is a plea to the other person to not leave or give up on the relationship. The two of them drank wine together in a matinee but the spotlight revealed what it chased away. This could be a reference to their own problems being brought to light or the spotlight being a metaphor for their issues being exposed in public.

The next part of the song describes the woman as having an hourglass body and having problems with drinking milk and being tardy for school. This could be a description of someone who is struggling with growing up and taking responsibility for their actions. She is willing to loan out her toothbrush and bartend a party, suggesting that she tries to be helpful to others but may neglect herself. The final line "Kill me" is a dramatic expression of frustration and perhaps a desire to forget their problems.

Line by Line Meaning

Salty leave, salty leave
The salty ocean water is leaving, a metaphor for the ending of something.

Tell me the one about the friend you knew And the last good night that we toasted too
Share a story about a past friendship and a memorable night of celebration.

Stay for me, stay for me
The singer is pleading for someone to stay with them.

We drank wine in the matinee And the spotlight showed what it chased away
They drank wine during a daytime show, and the stage lights temporarily removed everything else from their minds.

She saw my comb over, her hourglass body She has problems with drinking milk And being school tardy She'll loan you her toothbrush She'll bar tend your party
Describing a woman the artist has met, who has physical qualities that attract him, but also character flaws like lateness and lactose intolerance, and is nevertheless friendly and accomodating.

Kill me, kill me
An expression of intense emotion, perhaps wanting to be put out of one's misery.

I called and called, but I can't get through Said he's on his own, but his own is you
The singer tries to contact someone, but they can't get a response because that person is preoccupied with someone else who they spend all their time with.

She saw my comb over, her hourglass body She has problems with drinking milk And being school tardy She'll loan you her toothbrush She'll bar tend your party
Same as before, seems like an important refrain.

(hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm)
Interlude with no lyrics.

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