Over low-key guitar and a light drum beat, Fike tells the story of his days of being a nameless rapper (before he switched to the Alternative genre) and living in a house on the west coast with a large group of people, hoping for a breakthrough.
Westcoast Collective
Dominic Fike Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to, yeah
We used to live out west in a collective
Everybody got arrested 'cause nobody wanted sleep
I used to dish out verses on purpose
And if you wanted to purchase one you weren't as good as me
I don't know if that time is comin' to an end
Don't you go runnin' for the hills
You can't outrun it by yourself
By yourself
And when I call you up, you barely answer
You think you got it all figured out
You act like you don't even remember
Oh, you're all by yourself
Don't you go runnin' for the hills
You can't outrun it by yourself
By yourself
The song "Westcoast Collective" by Dominic Fike is a nostalgic reflection on a past experience of living in a collective in the West Coast. The opening lines repeat the statement "I used to live out west in a collective", suggesting that the singer is reminiscing about a time long gone. The second line reveals that everyone in the collective got arrested because nobody wanted sleep. This line is a possible reference to the parties and the lifestyle that the collective embraced, and that they were partying too hard that they drew too much attention from the authorities. The singer brags about how he used to dish out verses on the purpose, and if anyone wanted to purchase one, they weren't as good as him. This line may be an indication of the singer's confidence in his ability to rhyme and create good music.
The chorus comes in with a warning not to run for the hills or try to escape from something that can't be outrun alone. It is unclear what the singer is referring to, but it could be a metaphor for life's challenges. In the last verse, the singer calls someone up, but they barely answer, implying that the person is too busy enjoying their life and thinks they have it all figured out. The singer suggests that the person is all by themselves, which can be interpreted as a warning that life can be isolating if one doesn't have any true connections.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to live out west in a collective
We used to live out west in a community gathering
I used to, yeah
I did that in the past, indeed
Everybody got arrested 'cause nobody wanted sleep
Each and every one of us was apprehended because we didn't want to sleep
I used to dish out verses on purpose
I used to intentionally deliver rap lyrics
And if you wanted to purchase one you weren't as good as me
If somebody wanted to buy one of my verses, that meant they couldn't create their own as good as mine
I don't know if that time is comin' to an end
I'm uncertain if that period is concluding
I hope the band gets back together when it's over
I wish the group will reunite once everything is done
Don't you go runnin' for the hills
Please, don't run away scared
You can't outrun it by yourself
You cannot avoid the problem alone
And when I call you up, you barely answer
Whenever I phone you, you hardly pick up
You think you got it all figured out
You believe you know everything already
You act like you don't even remember
You behave as if you don't recall anything
Oh, you're all by yourself
Oh, you're alone
By yourself
All alone with nobody else
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dominic David Fike
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jaide8047
LYRICS
I used to live out west in the collective
I used tuh...
We used to live out west in the collective
Everybody got arrested cause nobody wanted sleep
I used to dish out verses on purpose
And if you wanted to purchase when you weren't as good as me
I don't know if that time is comin' to an end
I hope the band gets back together when it's over
Don't you go runnin' for the hills
You can't outrun it by yourself
By yourself
And when I call you up you barely answer
You think you got it all figured out
You act like you don't even remember
Oh you're all by yourself
Don't you go runnin' for the hills
You can't outrun it by yourself
By yourself
@lukehipkin3914
This makes me nostalgic for shit that hasn’t even happened
@franc1s4
same.
@sarchesto3451
Ive seen this comment 1,000 times with minor variations.
@lukehipkin3914
Sarchesto then boy oh boy must a lot of people be thinking it
@nyancollins1663
I think that’s why it’s such a good song. People who have been through this can relate. And for people who haven’t, it still makes them feel the emotion.
@petra_the_trap
Luke Hipkin I also seen this backup pure like the one you sayin
@nails2395
This is the kind of vibe that i miss from the music industry
@prodbygeordy1611
Hi, if you see this comment i need you to do me a big favour and go tag dominic in my most recent artwork of him @_complextra_ on instagram
@RunOverHomeless
@@prodbygeordy1611 post your art on reddit. They'll love it.
@jihyun2434
i want more song like this, any recommendations??