These Walls
Lamar Kendrick Bilal Wise Anna 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, featuring Bilal, Anna Wise, and Thundercat, is a song that explores a variety of complex personal and social issues. The song's opening lines reflect on the feeling of being conflicted and misusing one's power or influence. The walls, which seem to represent the various barriers that divide us, are a recurring theme throughout the song. Kendrick explores the idea that if these walls could talk, they would reveal the pain, resentment, and vulnerability that lies beneath the surface of our lives. The song is a reflection on the human condition and the ways in which we all struggle to find meaning and purpose in a world that often seems confusing and chaotic.


The lyrics of "These Walls" touch on themes like sexuality, power dynamics, race, and incarceration. Kendrick's verses detail his experiences with the walls in his life, which seem to be suffocating him and holding him back. He observes that the walls are full of pain and resentment, and that they need someone to live in them just to relieve the tension. Kendrick himself is just a tenant in these walls, which he sees as vulnerable and fragile. He observes that the walls cry tears and are happier when he is around, but that they can never hold up under the pressures of life. Ultimately, the song suggests that we are all in some sense trapped inside our own walls, struggling to break free and find a way forward.


Line by Line Meaning

I remember you was conflicted, misusing your influence
I recall that you were torn and confused, using your power in wrong ways


Sometimes, I did the same
Occasionally, I followed your lead and made the same mistakes


If these walls could talk (x6)
If only these walls could reveal the secrets they hold


Sex, she just want to close her eyes and sway
In a sexual context, all she wants to do is close her eyes and move sensually


If you, if you, if you exercise your right to work it out
If you take the effort to work things out, solve your problems and improve your situation


It's true, it's true, it's true, shout out to the birthday girls say hey
It's a fact, a fact, a fact. Greet the female celebrants with a cheer


Say hey, everyone deserves a night to play
Acknowledge that it's healthy and important for everyone to have a night of fun


And she's plays only when you tell her no
She only wants to engage in pleasure when you reject her


I can feel your reign when it cries gold lives inside of you
I sense your power and influence, and I see that you possess something valuable


If these walls could talk
If these walls could speak and communicate their experiences


These walls are vulnerable, exclamation
These walls are exposed, and it's a cause for concern


Interior pink, color coordinated
The inside of these walls are painted pink and arranged deliberately


My Lord said these walls vacant more than a minute
My God conveyed that these walls have been empty for a while


These walls want to cry tears
The walls are filled with so much emotion that they feel like they're about to cry


These walls happier when I'm here
These walls seem to be more content when I'm present


If these walls could talk they'd tell me to swim good
If these walls could communicate, they'd tell me to become a better swimmer


Walls feeling like they ready to close in
The walls are starting to feel like they're closing in and causing a sense of confinement


I've been on these streets too long looking at you from the outside in
I've been on the streets for too long, observing you and the situation from a distance


They sing the same old song about how they walls are always the cleanest
People often say that their walls are always the cleanest, but I disagree


If your walls could talk they'd tell you it's too late
If your walls could speak, they'd warn you that it's too late to change your fate


Take the recipe, the bible and god
Take with you the recipe, the Bible, and God


Killed my homeboy and God spared your life
You took the life of my friend, but God allowed you to keep your own


Walls could talk
If these walls could speak


Abusing my power full of resentment
I've been abusing my power and feeling bitter about my situation


Resentment that turned into a deep depression
This resentment has become so intense that it's causing me to feel extremely depressed


Found myself screaming in a hotel room
I was so overwhelmed that I ended up screaming in a hotel room




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC., 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

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@helmird

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



All comments from YouTube:

@evynsrefuge

Kendrick will be the greatest of all time, count on it and mark my words.

@kobron1559

100% agreed Idgaf lol

@TokurErdem

+Anish Anand nah lupe was here still

@PK14X

+O.G. R.C.E. yep!

@PK14X

He ain't beating Lupe famalam

@oc1295

Calm down lol

105 More Replies...

@baiyuli97

I’ve watched this video many times and I’m just finally understanding the metaphor of “these walls” representing both the walls of a woman and the walls that society has cast around Kendrick as a black artist. Every line essentially has two meanings with this in mind. And the scene with Terry Crews is particularly metaphorical. “The walls” here plays on the audience’s expectation of Crews planning to commit a potentially violent act for revenge, but ultimately ends up with Crews and Lamar entertaining an audience with a heavily commercialized song (marginalized black art). These are the walls, both the audience’s expectation of a violent act, and the urge to push other black performers aside to perform a commercialized and marginalized form of black art, which is also to the audience’s unconsciously biased expectations. Kendrick’s verses are ultimately centered around these walls that he has to navigate in his life. The line “Every time I come around, demolition might crush” encapsulates how he feels at his current stage in life, as both a man sexually, and as an artist in breaking the walls that society has cast around him. Man I’m obsessed with this…

@julesjones2442

Excellent assessment
Right on pimpin

@JoeSmith-ho9ie

I wish my brain could comprehend like that..makes perfect sense..thanks

@jeffpeyton8983

Corey Holcomb represents the opposite mentally and now physically

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