These Walls
Kendrick Lamar Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I remember you was conflicted
Misusing your influence
Sometimes, I did the same

(If these walls could talk)
(If these walls could talk)
(If these walls could talk)
(If these walls could talk)
(If these walls could talk)
(If these walls could talk)
Sex

She just wanna close her eyes and sway
With you, with you, with you
Exercise her right to work it out
It's true, it's true, it's true
Shout out to the birthday girls, say hey (hey)
Say hey (hey), (ah, girl)
Everyone deserves a night to play (play)
She plays, only when you tell her no

If these walls could talk
I can feel your reign when it cries
Gold lives inside of you
If these walls could talk
I love it when I'm in it
I love it when I'm in it, oh

If these walls could talk, they'd tell me to swim good
No boat, I float better than he would
No life jacket, I'm not the God of Nazareth
But your flood can be misunderstood
Walls telling me they full of pain, resentment
Need someone to live in them just to relieve tension
Me, I'm just a tenant
Landlord said these walls vacant more than a minute
These walls are vulnerable, exclamation
Interior pink, color coordinated
I interrogated every nook and cranny
I mean, it's still amazing, before they couldn't stand me
These walls want to cry tears
These walls happier when I'm here
These walls never could hold up
Every time I come around, demolition might crush

If these walls could talk
I can feel your reign when it cries
Gold lives inside of you
If these walls could talk
I love it when I'm in it
I love it when I'm in it, oh

If these walls could talk, they'd tell me to go deep
Yelling at me continuously, I can see
Your defense mechanism is my decision
Knock these walls down, that's my religion
Walls feeling like they ready to close in
I suffocate, then catch my second wind
I resonate in these walls
I don't know how long I can wait in these walls
I've been on the streets too long
Looking at you from the outside in
They sing the same old song
About how they walls always the cleanest
I beg to differ, I must've missed them
I'm not involved, I'd rather diss 'em
I'd rather call on you, put your wall up
'Cause when I come around, demolition gon' crush

If these walls could talk
I can feel your reign when it cries
Gold lives inside of you
If these walls could talk
I love it when I'm in it
I love it when I'm in it, oh

If your walls could talk, they'd tell you it's too late
Your destiny, accept it, your fate
Burn accessories and stash them on the yard
Take the recipe, the Bible and God
Wall telling you that commissary is low
Race wars happening, no calling CO
No calling your mother to save you
Homies to say you're irrepetible, not acceptable
Your behavior is Sammy the Bull like
A killer that turned snitch
Walls is telling me you a bitch
You pray for appeals hoping the warden would afford them
That sentence so important
Walls telling you to listen to Sing About Me
Retaliation is strong, you even dream 'bout me
Killed my homeboy and God spared your life
Dumb criminal got indicted same night
So when you play this song, rewind the first verse
About me abusing my power so you can hurt
About me and her in the shower whenever she horny
About me and her in the after hours of the morning
About her baby daddy currently serving life
And how she think about you until we meet up at night
About the only girl that cared about you when you asked her
And how she fuckin' on a famous rapper
Walls can talk (talk)

I remember you was conflicted
Misusin' your influence
Sometimes I did the same
Abusin' my power, full of resentment




Resentment that turned into a deep depression
Found myself screamin' in a hotel room

Overall Meaning

"These Walls" by Kendrick Lamar is a powerful expression of personal and societal themes. The repeated motif of the walls that "if they could talk" is a powerful symbol for the ways in which we hold secrets or stories within us that we are not yet ready to share. The first verse focuses on the idea of conflict and influence, which relates to the internal struggle that many of us face in terms of our inner power and control, and how we use it. Lamar also suggests that the female protagonist in the song is using her own power to explore her sexuality, and that this exploration is a form of liberation. The walls themselves are presented as a kind of witness or participant in the sexual experience.


In the second verse, the walls take on a darker tone, as Lamar reflects on the pain and resentment that can be contained within them. He suggests that someone else's presence in a space can alleviate this tension, but that the walls themselves are vulnerable and can't protect against emotional upheaval. Lamar also suggests that his own experiences have been cathartic, allowing him to "go deep" in exploring his own wounds and pain. The walls become a kind of sanctuary or container for that pain, until he is ready to confront it fully.


The third verse takes on a more overtly political tone, as Lamar reflects on the experience of prison walls. He describes the ways in which the walls themselves constrain and oppress, and how they are telling stories of systemic racism and violence. Lamar urges the listener to pay attention to the messages that the walls are sending, in terms of the criminal justice system and the broader social structures that perpetuate oppression. The final lines of the song, "Walls can talk," are a powerful reminder that we all have stories to tell, and that sometimes the only way to break down the walls that divide us is to share those stories.


Line by Line Meaning

I remember you was conflicted
I recall that you were uncertain


Misusing your influence
Abusing your power to control others


Sometimes, I did the same
At times, I also acted in such ways


(If these walls could talk)
If only these walls could speak up


(If these walls could talk)
If these walls could share their secrets


(If these walls could talk)
If we could hear their whispers


(If these walls could talk)
If these walls could communicate


(If these walls could talk)
If these walls could express themselves


Sex
Intimacy between two people


She just wanna close her eyes and sway
She desires to let go and dance


With you, with you, with you
She wants to be with you


Exercise her right to work it out
She wants to move her body freely


It's true, it's true, it's true
It's real, authentic, and sincere


Shout out to the birthday girls, say hey (hey)
Greetings to the women celebrating their birthday


Say hey (hey), (ah, girl)
Responding to their shouts


Everyone deserves a night to play (play)
Everyone deserves to have fun and enjoy life


She plays, only when you tell her no
She engages in sexual activities only when you refuse her


If these walls could talk
If only these walls could speak up


I can feel your reign when it cries
I sense your dominance and rule over others when you're emotional


Gold lives inside of you
You possess a precious and valuable quality


I love it when I'm in it
I enjoy being in this space


If these walls could talk, they'd tell me to swim good
If only these walls could provide advice on how to navigate through life


No boat, I float better than he would
I don't need external help because I'm skilled


No life jacket, I'm not the God of Nazareth
I don't claim to be invincible or divine


But your flood can be misunderstood
But your emotional outburst can be misinterpreted


Walls telling me they full of pain, resentment
These walls are communicating their feelings of hurt and bitterness


Need someone to live in them just to relieve tension
These walls require someone to live inside them to ease their stress


Me, I'm just a tenant
I'm just a temporary occupant of this space


Landlord said these walls vacant more than a minute
The landlord mentioned that these walls have been empty for a long time


These walls are vulnerable, exclamation
These walls are susceptible to harm and damage


Interior pink, color coordinated
The inside of this space is pink and arranged in a harmonious way


I interrogated every nook and cranny
I examined every corner and crevice of this space thoroughly


I mean, it's still amazing, before they couldn't stand me
It's remarkable that I'm appreciating this space now when it used to repel me


These walls want to cry tears
These walls want to express their emotions


These walls happier when I'm here
These walls are glad to have me around


These walls never could hold up
These walls were never strong enough to endure the pain and pressure


Every time I come around, demolition might crush
The presence of my emotions and actions may destroy this space


If these walls could talk
If only these walls could speak up


I can feel your reign when it cries
I sense your dominance and rule over others when you're emotional


Gold lives inside of you
You possess a precious and valuable quality


I love it when I'm in it
I enjoy being in this space


If these walls could talk, they'd tell me to go deep
If only these walls could advise me to delve deeper into my emotions and feelings


Yelling at me continuously, I can see
They're shouting at me with a constant, intense message that I can understand


Your defense mechanism is my decision
You are reacting to your surroundings which will affect my choices


Knock these walls down, that's my religion
I want to break down the barriers and constraints around us as my belief system


Walls feeling like they ready to close in
I feel like I'm suffocating by the overwhelming pressure


I suffocate, then catch my second wind
I feel like I can't breathe, but I regain my strength and power


I resonate in these walls
I'm connected and in harmony with this space


I don't know how long I can wait in these walls
I'm unsure how long I can remain in this space


I've been on the streets too long
I've been outside for too long


Looking at you from the outside in
Observing you from an outsider's perspective


They sing the same old song
People keep repeating the same thing


About how they walls always the cleanest
About how their walls are spotless


I beg to differ, I must've missed them
I have a different opinion, and I didn't notice their claim


I'm not involved, I'd rather diss 'em
I'm not associated with them, and I'd rather criticize them


I'd rather call on you, put your wall up
I prefer to turn to you and build a barrier around us


'Cause when I come around, demolition gon' crush
Because my presence may cause everything to crumble


If these walls could talk
If only these walls could speak up


I can feel your reign when it cries
I sense your dominance and rule over others when you're emotional


Gold lives inside of you
You possess a precious and valuable quality


I love it when I'm in it
I enjoy being in this space


If your walls could talk, they'd tell you it's too late
If only your walls could warn you that it's too late to make a change


Your destiny, accept it, your fate
Accept your future and what is destined for you


Burn accessories and stash them on the yard
Get rid of all unnecessary things and discard them


Take the recipe, the Bible and God
Hold onto the essentials: the recipe, the Bible, and God


Wall telling you that commissary is low
Your surroundings are warning you that things aren't looking well


Race wars happening, no calling CO
There are conflicts between races, and there's no one to call for help


No calling your mother to save you
There's no one you can rely on to rescue you


Homies to say you're irrepetible, not acceptable
Your friends are saying that you're not redeemable and not good enough


Your behavior is Sammy the Bull like
Your actions resemble that of a traitor, a snitch


A killer that turned snitch
Someone who was once a murderer that became a snitch


Walls is telling me you a bitch
The walls are informing me that you're weak and spineless


You pray for appeals hoping the warden would afford them
You're praying for mercy and hoping the authorities will grant your appeals


That sentence so important
That punishment and sentencing is significant


Walls telling you to listen to Sing About Me
Your surroundings are urging you to listen to the song 'Sing About Me'


Retaliation is strong, you even dream 'bout me
The retaliation against you is intense, and even in your dreams, you're haunted by it


Killed my homeboy and God spared your life
You caused the death of my friend, and God spared your life


Dumb criminal got indicted same night
A foolish criminal got arrested on the same night


So when you play this song, rewind the first verse
When you listen to this song, replay and pay attention to the first verse


About me abusing my power so you can hurt
The first verse is about how I abused my power, so you can learn from it


About me and her in the shower whenever she horny
The first verse mentions my intimate moments with a woman in the shower when she wants it


About me and her in the after hours of the morning
The first verse references my intimate moments with a woman in the early hours of the morning


About her baby daddy currently serving life
The first verse talks about the woman's ex-partner currently serving a life sentence


And how she thinks about you until we meet up at night
And how she thinks of you until we reunite at night


About the only girl that cared about you when you asked her
The first verse is about the woman who was the only one to care about you when you approached her


And how she fuckin' on a famous rapper
And how she's having sex with a famous rapper


Walls can talk (talk)
The walls can talk and communicate their stories




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Anna Christine Wise, James Edward II Fauntleroy, Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, Larrance Levar Dopson, Rose Ann McKinney, Terrace Jahmal Martin, JAMES FAUNTLEROY, KENDRICK DUCKWORTH, LARRANCE DOPSON, TERRACE MARTIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@reggiecombs4753

I'm beyond sick of comments stating hotline bling has more views than Kendrick's video. I'm pretty sure more people think soda tastes better than water, but that doesn't make it good for you.

@wendymorales5695

Pretty deep

@spainbarcarealmadrid

+Reginold Combs most people only watch hotline bling for his ridiculous dance moves lmao

@1957346

+Nicholas Lim ZJ lmaoo

@shot.it.correctly

This is the realist thing I've ever read

@k-dawgnasseri5458

That's so true holy shit.

292 More Replies...

@Brock73

this woman just twerked Kendrick through a wall.

@eilon367

It really do be like that.

@anibalhyrulesantihero7021

She butt slapped Kendrick causing him to bust the wall.

@johnroberts2690

@@anibalhyrulesantihero7021 love it hahaha

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