Wither is a play on words – “wither” and “with her” are used as homophones, or different words that sound the same. Frank has done this once before – his song “Orion” doubles as “oh Ryan.”
He would go on to do it again on Blonde, with both “Solo” and “Solo (Reprise).” In these titles, “solo” and “so low” are deliberate homophones.
Wither
Frank Ocean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Place where the fields went down in flames
You could put a hole in the ground
Oh, seasons dance for rain
It takes a mind to wander
Conscience to feel ashamed
There's no place to hide out here
And both our hands are filthy
Pointing up at the moon
Girl tonight I hold you close, close enough to prove
Hope a garden grows where we dance this afternoon
Hope our children walk by spring and flowers bloom
Hope they'll get to see my color
Know that I've enjoyed sunshine
Pray they'll get to see me, me wither (flowers)
See me wither
Oh and I hope
Know that I've enjoyed the sunshine
(You know it happens all)
Know that I've enjoyed the sunshine
Know it happens all, all the time
Be, be, be
You know it happens all, all the time
You know it happens all
All the time
Be, be, be
I'm gone
Be, be, be, be
The lyrics of Frank Ocean's song, Wither, can be interpreted as a reflection on the cyclical nature of life and the inevitability of change. The first verse presents a scene of destruction, where trees and fields have burned down in flames, juxtaposed with the hope of seasons bringing rain to renew and rejuvenate. The second verse delves deeper into the human experience, highlighting the need for introspection and self-awareness to grapple with the emotions that come with life's struggles. The chorus brings together these themes of hope and acceptance, with the idea that life is transient but we can find moments of beauty and joy within it. The final lines, "I'm gone, be, be, be, be" may represent a final acceptance of mortality or the idea that the singer is leaving something behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh where the trees burn down
Describing a place where everything is destroyed and it is painful to see.
Place where the fields went down in flames
A place where crops or any other productive things are burned or destroyed completely.
You could put a hole in the ground
A place where hopelessness exists and everything seems impossible.
Oh, seasons dance for rain
Nothing is static, everything changes with time.
It takes a mind to wander
To explore life in-depth and understand it requires a curious and open-minded person.
Conscience to feel ashamed
You are aware of your actions and their implications, and you feel ashamed of the negative outcomes they cause.
There's no place to hide out here
In this world, there is no place to escape from the harsh realities of life.
These skies are filled with pain
The suffering and pain of human life are visible in everything and everywhere.
And both our hands are filthy
Both people involved have participated in something wrong or unethical.
Pointing up at the moon
Trying to divert attention from their own wrongdoings to something irrelevant.
Girl tonight I hold you close, close enough to prove
Trying to prove love by an act of physical proximity.
Hope a garden grows where we dance this afternoon
Hope that something positive and worthwhile will come out of that moment.
Hope our children walk by spring and flowers bloom
Hope for positivity and growth in the world, for the children and the future generations.
Hope they'll get to see my color
Hope that people will recognize and appreciate his uniqueness and individuality.
Know that I've enjoyed sunshine
Acknowledgment that he has experienced happiness and joy in his life.
Pray they'll get to see me, me wither (flowers)
Hope that people see him in his final days, withering away like flowers.
Oh and I hope
Expression of hope.
Know that I've enjoyed the sunshine
Acknowledgment that he has experienced happiness and joy in his life.
(You know it happens all)
Reminding the listener that all good things come to an end.
Know it happens all, all the time
Repeating the reminder that everything is temporary.
Be, be, be
An existential call to be in the present moment and appreciate it.
You know it happens all, all the time
Repeating the reminder that everything is temporary.
You know it happens all
Reminding the listener that all good things come to an end.
All the time
Stressing the point of everything being temporary.
Be, be, be
An existential call to be in the present moment and appreciate it.
I'm gone
The end. The singer is gone from this world.
Be, be, be, be
A final call to be present and appreciate life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Christopher Edwin Breaux
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@aegis3654
Verse 1: Frank Ocean]
Over where the trees burn down
The place where the fields went down in flames
We could put a hole in the ground
Throw seeds and dance for rain
It takes a mind to worry
A conscience to feel ashamed
But there's no place to hide out here
These skies are filled with planes
[Verse 2: Frank Ocean]
And both our hands are filthy
Pointing up at the moon
And tonight I'll hold you close, close enough to bruise
Hope a garden grows where we dance this afternoon
Hope our children walk by spring when flowers bloom
Hope they'll get to see my color
Know that I've enjoyed sunshine
Pray they'll get to see me, me wither (when I was young)
See me (too) wither
(when I was young)
[Bridge: Frank Ocean]
Know that (me) I've enjoyed the sunshine
When I was young, know it happens all— (me)
Know that I've enjoyed the sunshine— (me)
Know it happens all (me) —all the time (me)
Know it happens all (me) —all the time (me)
When I was young (me, me)
@phillip3881
Lyrics:
[Verse 1: Frank Ocean]
Over where the trees burn down The place where the fields went down in flames We could put a hole in the ground Throw seeds and dance for rain
It takes a mind to worry
A conscience to feel ashamed
But there's no place to hide out here
These skies are filled with planes
[Verse 2: Frank Ocean]
And both our hands are filthy Pointing up at the moon
And tonight I'll hold you close, close enough to bruise
Hope a garden grows where we dance this afternoon Hope our children walk by spring when flowers bloom
Hope they'll get to see my color Know that I've enjoyed sunshine Pray they'll get to see me, me wither (when I was young) See me (too) wither (when I was young)
[Bridge: Frank Ocean]
Know that (me) I've enjoyed the sunshine
When I was young, know it happens all— (me) Know that I've enjoyed the sunshine— (me)
Know it happens all (me) —all the time (me)
Know it happens all (me) —all the time (me)
When I was young (me, me)
[Outro Harmonizing: Jazmine Sullivan]
@solo-gi1pl
Oh where the trees burn down
Place where the fields went down in flames
You could put a hole in the ground
Oh, seasons dance for rain
It takes a mind to wander
Conscience to feel ashamed
There's no place to hide out here
These skies are filled with pain
And both our hands are filthy
Pointing up at the moon
Girl tonight I hold you close, close enough to prove
Hope a garden grows where we dance this afternoon
Hope our children walk by spring and flowers bloom
Hope they'll get to see my color
Know that I've enjoyed sunshine
Pray they'll get to see me, me wither (flowers)
See me wither
Oh and I hope
Know that I've enjoyed the sunshine
(You know it happens all)
Know that I've enjoyed the sunshine
Know it happens all, all the time
Be, be, be
You know it happens all, all the time
You know it happens all
All the time
Be, be, be
I'm gone
Be, be, be, be
@nobody.4635
Over where the trees burn down
The place where the fields went down in flames
We could put a hole in the ground
Throw seeds and dance for rain
It takes a mind to worry
A conscience to feel ashamed
But there’s no place to hide out here
These skies are filled with planes
[Verse 2: Frank Ocean]
And both our hands are filthy
Pointing up at the moon
All tonight, I’ll hold you close, close enough to bruise
Hope a garden grows where we dance this afternoon
Hope our children walk by spring, when flowers bloom
Hope they’ll get to see my color
Know that I’ve enjoyed sunshine
Pray they’ll get to see me, me wither (When I was young)
See me wither (When I was young)
[Outro: Frank Ocean & Jazmine Sullivan]
Know that— (Me)
Enjoyed sunshine (When I was young)
Know it happens all— (Me)
Know that I’ve enjoyed sunshine— (Me)
Know it happens all (Me) —all the time (Me)
Know it happens all (Me) —all the time (Me)
When I was young (Me, me)
@paulk6446
[Verse 1: Frank Ocean]
Over where the trees burn down
The place where the fields went down in flames
We could put a hole in the ground
Throw seeds and dance for rain
It takes a mind to worry
A conscience to feel ashamed
But there's no place to hide out here
These skies are filled with planes
[Verse 2: Frank Ocean]
And both our hands are filthy
Pointing up at the moon
And tonight I'll hold you close, close enough to bruise
Hope a garden grows where we dance this afternoon
Hope our children walk by spring when flowers bloom
Hope they'll get to see my color
Know that I've enjoyed sunshine
Pray they'll get to see me, me wither (when I was young)
See me (too) wither
(when I was young)
[Bridge: Frank Ocean]
Know that (me) I've enjoyed the sunshine
When I was young, know it happens all— (me)
Know that I've enjoyed the sunshine— (me)
Know it happens all (me) —all the time (me)
Know it happens all (me) —all the time (me)
When I was young (me, me)
Lyrics are so beautiful, I had to put them on here.
@shanebudnah2909
OverviewLyricsPeople also search for
Oh where the trees burn down
Place where the fields went down in flames
You could put a hole in the ground
Oh, seasons dance for rain
It takes a mind to wander
Conscience to feel ashamed
There's no place to hide out here
These skies are filled with pain
And both our hands are filthy
Pointing up at the moon
Girl tonight I hold you close, close enough to prove
Hope a garden grows where we dance this afternoon
Hope our children walk by spring and flowers bloom
Hope they'll get to see my color
Know that I've enjoyed sunshine
Pray they'll get to see me, me wither (flowers)
See me wither
Oh and I hope
Know that I've enjoyed the sunshine
(You know it happens all)
Know that I've enjoyed the sunshine
Know it happens all, all the time
Be, be, be
You know it happens all, all the time
You know it happens all
All the time
Be, be, be
I'm gone
Be, be, be, be
@dreadrea1523
I walked down the aisle to this. I needed Frank Ocean somewhere in my wedding. And this was what I needed. ❤️
@Mark-ir3wx
That’s actually amazing I hope your wedding was just as beautiful as this song
@user-qb9ig1yy9r
ah wow that's amazing, congratulations! i hope you're both very happy together <3
@intensenarwhal3688
I was gonna sing this at my wedding. She broke up tho.
@g1rlofyourdreams364
That’s amazing.
@nathandasgupta6165
@@intensenarwhal3688 sorry to hear that, hope you good now
@opulentserenity
People don’t understand he wrote this song from the perspective of a FLOWER. One of the best songs ever written….a metaphysical feeling
@jay128k9
Minnie riperton did a similar thing in her song les fluers I love both these songs
@yaboyjoe9891
to me this song is about...
...frank writing a letter to his current/future spouse. the letter talks of what will happen when they have children. frank hopes that their children live a great life. frank hopes that when he’s much older, his heath begins to dwindle, his skin isn’t as bright as it once was, wrinkly and tired, his children look at him and understand that he’s lived an amazing life and they shouldn’t feel bad for him. it’s honestly a concept that i think about often. i love u frank. i always will.
@la.fleurrrrr
his meaning behind his lyrics is always as beautiful, if not more, as the song