Chance the Rapper is credited with completing this song. When Kanye shared the tracklist’s first version of The Life Of Pablo (then called SWISH), “Waves” was originally part of it. The song was scrapped when Kanye revealed the final album title. After the Yeezy Season 3 presentation/album listening event in Madison Square Garden, the album release was delayed because Chance The Rapper insisted that “Waves" should be on the album. This led to Kanye making fun of the situation on Twitter while Chance shared that he was proud of his decision. Chance The Rapper also co-wrote Waves, there is a demo shared of the original version in Chance’s interview with Zane Lowe.
Waves
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Step up in this bitch like (turn it up)
I'm the one your bitch like
Yeah, I'm the one your bitch like (turn it up)
And I be talkin' shit like
I ain't scared to lose a fistfight (turn it up)
And she grabbin' on my, like
That's just the wave (yeah)
Waves don't die
Let me crash here for the moment, yeah
I don't need to own it
No lie
Waves don't die, baby
Let me crash here for a moment
Baby, I don't, I don't need to own
Sun don't shine in the shade (turn it up)
Bird can't fly in a cage (turn it up)
Even when somebody go away (turn it up)
The feelings don't really go away
That's just the wave
(Yeah) waves don't die
Let me crash here for the moment
I don't need to own it
No lie
Waves don't die, baby
Let me crash here for a moment
Baby, I don't, I don't need to own you
No lie
No lie
No lie
You set the night on fire
I'm still gon' be here in the morning
No lie
No lie
Ooh baby, ooh baby, oh yeah
You set the night on fire
I'm still gon' be here in the morning
No lie
In "Waves," Kanye West raps about his own confidence and success, singing, "I'm the one your bitch like" and "I ain't scared to lose a fistfight." He also talks about the fleeting nature of fame and fortune, acknowledging that "I don't need to own it." Waves here are used as a metaphor for the ups and downs of life, demonstrating a level of acceptance towards the cyclical nature of life. Moreover, Kanye suggests that even when people go away, the feelings don't really go away. In this sense, he is trying to highlight that the human psyche operates like the waves, which hit the shore and then recede, suggesting that people's emotions may disappear briefly, but they do re-emerge.
Even with its surface-level narcissism, "Waves" is about more than Kanye's own ego. The song has a transcendent quality that speaks to a broader human experience. The line "sun don't shine in the shade" is an example of how Kanye uses nature as a symbol to describe human emotions. As a listener, we can sense that Kanye is trying to express something universal about the human experience, which touches on the ins and outs of pursuing one's dreams in life, from temporary failures to extended periods of triumph.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn it up
Increase the volume of the music
Step up in this bitch like (turn it up)
Entering the place with authority and confidence
I'm the one your bitch like
I am popular among women
Yeah, I'm the one your bitch like (turn it up)
The person who is most coveted by women
And I be talkin' shit like
I say provocative or controversial words
I ain't scared to lose a fistfight (turn it up)
I am unafraid to engage in physical altercations and potentially lose
And she grabbin' on my, like
She is touching me intimately and suggestively
She wanna see if it'll fit right
She wants to see if we are sexually compatible
That's just the wave (yeah)
This is a trend or pattern that is currently popular
Waves don't die
Trends or patterns do not disappear quickly
Let me crash here for the moment, yeah
Allow me to stay here temporarily
I don't need to own it
I do not require possession or ownership
No lie
This is entirely truthful
Sun don't shine in the shade (turn it up)
Some things require exposure or vulnerability to flourish
Bird can't fly in a cage (turn it up)
Restrictions or limitations inhibit potential or growth
Even when somebody go away (turn it up)
The absence of someone does not necessarily mean the end of the relationship or connection
The feelings don't really go away
Emotions persist and endure
That's just the wave
This is simply a current trend or pattern
(Yeah) waves don't die
Patterns and trends are enduring and persistent
Let me crash here for the moment
Allow me to stay here temporarily
Baby, I don't, I don't need to own it
I am content with the temporary experience and do not need full ownership or control
No lie
This is completely true
No lie
This is absolutely true
No lie
This is entirely truthful
You set the night on fire
You make the night exciting and memorable
I'm still gon' be here in the morning
I will still be present and available in the morning
No lie
This is absolutely true
Ooh baby, ooh baby, oh yeah
Expressing pleasure or satisfaction
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, The Administration MP, Inc., I WROTE THIS MYSELF, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chancelor Bennett, Chris Brown, Cydel Charles Young, Derek Watkins, Elon Rutberg, Ernest Brown, Kanye Omari West, Leland Wayne, Michael G. Dean, Ross Matthew Birchard, Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, Tony Williams, Darryl Lamar Mason, Malik Yusef El Shabazz J
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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