Wild Side
Kevin Morby Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Won't you walk with me on the wild side
With my head in the air full of some child's pride
And I'm up too far, I'm up too high
I cannot come down, I cannot meet your eye

And oh my lover, if I come knocking at your door
Please turn away now if I come asking for more
Oh my lover, you never call my bluff
Gave what you have now, but it was never enough

Now your mind is reaching for that door
As you pick your rings up off the floor
You never even questioned what that door was for
You gave me what you had and you could give no more

And oh my lover, why you leaving so soon
This place is a prison, oh a lifetime or two
Oh my lover, when will you return
I'll be back, somebody in there in a fever, a pearl [?]

And why'd you let me walk on that wild side
With my head in the air full of some child's pride
Let the sun come up, let the sun rise
As it rips the curtain of your eye

And oh my lover, is it always the same
With your pointing your finger the way that I came
Oh my lover, you never call my bluff
Gave what you have now, but it was never enough
Never enough

And oh the places you'll go
And oh the things that you'll do
Oh just to have and to hold
But now you must move

And oh the places you'll go
And oh the things that you'll do




And oh the hand that you hold
Does not belong to you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kevin Morby's song Wild Side (Oh the Places You'll Go) express the feeling of being lost and trapped in a wild state of mind. The singer seems to be relying on the person they're speaking to for guidance, but they're so deep in their own world that they can't see what's really happening. The first verse describes this person urging the other to walk on the wild side with them, but they're too high to come down and connect with reality. The second verse suggests that the other person gave everything they had, but it wasn't enough for the singer.


The third verse seems to flip the situation, with the other person leaving because they can't handle it anymore, while the singer promises to return even though they feel trapped. The chorus then echoes the title of the song, with the singer suggesting that the other person will go on to do amazing things, but they won't be there to see it. The final verse emphasizes this distance, with the "hand that you hold" not belonging to the singer.


Overall, the lyrics suggest a sense of longing and isolation, as the singer seems unable to connect with the people around them or let go of their own inner wildness. It's a poignant exploration of the human psyche, and the tension between our desire for adventure and our need for stability.


Line by Line Meaning

Won't you walk with me on the wild side
Join me in exploring the unknown and unpredictable parts of life.


With my head in the air full of some child's pride
Feeling confident and optimistic about the future like a naive child.


And I'm up too far, I'm up too high
Feeling distant from reality and trapped in one's own thoughts and ideas.


I cannot come down, I cannot meet your eye
Unable to face the truth or confront the consequences of one's actions.


And oh my lover, if I come knocking at your door
If I seek you out for help or comfort.


Please turn away now if I come asking for more
Please don't enable my self-destructive behavior by giving me what I want.


Oh my lover, you never call my bluff
You never challenge my lies or call me out on my mistakes.


Gave what you have now, but it was never enough
You did what you could to help me, but it wasn't sufficient to solve my problems.


Now your mind is reaching for that door
You're considering leaving or moving on from this situation.


As you pick your rings up off the floor
As you gather your belongings and prepare to leave.


You never even questioned what that door was for
You didn't fully understand the implications of leaving or what lay beyond that door.


And oh my lover, why you leaving so soon
Why are you abandoning me when I need you most?


This place is a prison, oh a lifetime or two
Feeling trapped and suffocated by the circumstances, with seemingly no hope for escape or improvement.


Oh my lover, when will you return
When will you come back to me, if ever?


I'll be back, somebody in there in a fever, a pearl [?]
I'll come back, but I might be in a feverish or delusional state, possibly referring to drug use.


And why'd you let me walk on that wild side
Why didn't you stop me or warn me about the risks of my reckless behavior?


Let the sun come up, let the sun rise
Let the truth be revealed, let the consequences of actions be seen.


As it rips the curtain of your eye
As it exposes the reality or truth that was previously obscured or hidden.


And oh my lover, is it always the same
Is this cycle of destructive behavior and codependency always going to continue?


With your pointing your finger the way that I came
Blaming me for the situation instead of taking responsibility for your own actions.


Never enough
Nothing is ever enough to fill the void or solve the underlying issues.


And oh the places you'll go
The endless opportunities and experiences that await in life.


And oh the things that you'll do
The adventures, risks, and mistakes that will be made along the way.


Oh just to have and to hold
The desire for connection, love, and stability.


But now you must move
Despite the comfort of familiarity, it's time to move forward and embrace the unknown.


And oh the hand that you hold
The people and things that you hold onto for security and comfort.


Does not belong to you
Realizing that nothing and no one can truly belong to you, and that attachment can ultimately cause pain.




Writer(s): Rob Barbato, Kevin Robert Morby, Justin Gerard Sullivan

Contributed by Claire E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found