Borrowing from the wispy sounds of vintage Sarah Records and Flying Nun art… Read Full Bio ↴Borrowing from the wispy sounds of vintage Sarah Records and Flying Nun artists, Brooklyn, New York’s Ex Cops is the project of Brian Harding (ex-Hymns) and and Danish artist/model Amalie Bruun (ex-Minks).
Formed in 2011 the duo self-released a short-run, homespun CD-EP of hazy, lo-fi recordings featuring Harding’s opaque bedroom-pop songwriting juxtaposed with the duo’s sun-kissed harmonies. Their John Siket-produced (Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth) debut, True Hallucinations, was released on Other Music Recording Co.

In 2014, they returned with their sophomore studio album, Daggers. As of this writing, that was their last new music.

Wanna Be
Ex Cops Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Stardust and star sights have never been the pain
Long walks and sunshine dont make me wanna sing
And whenever hes on
Lead me to the dance floor
Only the lonely can understand the way of taking slowly so no one sees the pain
If you wouldve told me I could be so low
It's looking for the stone, it's the night to be alon e
Then you started loving me

Crashing through the haze and now I'm loving everyday more than I want to be
Want to be
You got a problem and no one needs ot know
Washed up on my island and it now it feels like home
Its kinda surprising I hardly know the end now
Oh ooh ohhh
It's looking for the stone it's the night to be alone
Then you started loving me
Crashing through the haze and now I'm loving everyday more than I want to be
Want to be
I love just looking at you
Is what you say to me
I like just looking at you just before you fall asleep
I like just looking at you sometimes I just can't believe
It's looking for the stone it's the night to be alone
Then you started loving me
Crashing through the haze and now I'm loving everyday more than I want to be
Want to be
It's looking for the stone it's the night to be alone
Then you started loving me
Crashing through the haze and now I'm loving everyday more than I want to be
Want to be
I love just looking at you
Is what you say to me

I like just looking at you just before you fall asleep
I like just looking at you sometimes I just can't believe

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ex Cops's song "Wanna Be" are about the unexpectedness of love and the way it can change a person's perspective on life. The first verse implies that the singer doesn't find joy in simple pleasures like stardust and sunshine, and that only the lonely can understand how to hide their pain. However, the second verse reveals that once the singer has found love, they are now "loving everyday more than I want to be" and "crashing through the haze". The bridge talks about the power of just looking at the person you love, and how it can be a source of comfort and disbelief.

Overall, the song is about the transformative power of love and how it can change a person's outlook on life. The singer starts off feeling empty and disconnected, but once love comes into their life, everything changes. The song also touches upon the idea of vulnerability and how it takes courage to open up and let someone in.

Line by Line Meaning

Stardust and star sights have never been the pain
The beauty of the night sky doesn't resonate with me as much as it does with others.

Long walks and sunshine dont make me wanna sing
I don't find joy in activities like taking a stroll or enjoying a sunny day as others might.

And whenever hes on
Whenever he's present

Lead me to the dance floor
He motivates me to let loose and dance.

Only the lonely can understand the way of taking slowly so no one sees the pain
Those who feel alone can empathize with the struggle of pretending not to be hurting in front of others.

If you wouldve told me I could be so low
If you had told me I could feel so down.

It's looking for the stone, it's the night to be alone
Searching for a sense of stability and solitude in the tranquility of night.

Then you started loving me
But then you started to care for me.

Crashing through the haze and now I'm loving everyday more than I want to be
Breaking free from a hazy state of mind and finally being able to appreciate love and life more than I initially thought possible.

Want to be
I want to feel this way.

You got a problem and no one needs ot know
You may have some issues, but there's no need for anyone else to know about them.

Washed up on my island and it now it feels like home
Feeling stranded and isolated initially, but eventually coming to embrace it as a sense of comfort and familiarity.

Its kinda surprising I hardly know the end now
I'm not entirely certain what the future holds for us.

Oh ooh ohhh
Melody interlude with no clear message.

I love just looking at you
I adore simply gazing at you.

Is what you say to me
That's what you tell me.

I like just looking at you just before you fall asleep
I find comfort in watching you drift off to sleep.

I like just looking at you sometimes I just can't believe
I'm sometimes in disbelief that I have someone like you in my life.

Contributed by Parker D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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