Wallow
Monkey Swallows the Universe Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's so cold in your arms
I fall asleep on your bones
Time's come and gone, it's early
The blinds are down on me

Lay still, lay deep, lay long now
Welcome all your weaknesses home now
I want to answer and you're making me come
I do not weep, you stay young
I do not weep, you stay young

For someone might take you away
For reason for which I can't complain
So you can wallow in what I made for myself
You can wallow

Your darkest days you'll spend here
Your brightest dreams you'll leave here
My love, my one, be happy
It's only time, it's only time
Forget that – I'm nothing you want
Pretend that – I'm something you could love
I'm tired of sleep, talk to me
I do not weep, you kill me
I do not weep, you kill me

For someone might take you away
For reasons for which I can't complain




So you can wallow in what I made for myself
You can wallow

Overall Meaning

The song "Wallow" by Monkey Swallows the Universe is a melancholic ballad about the beauty and pain of a deep, intimate relationship. The lyrics depict a sense of coldness and isolation, as the singer falls asleep on the bones of their lover. The passage of time is apparent as the blinds are down, symbolizing that the outside world no longer holds any importance or relevance. The first verse ends with the plea to "lay still, lay deep, lay long now," as the singer welcomes their weaknesses and vulnerability, eventually leading into the chorus.


The chorus, "For someone might take you away, for reasons for which I can't complain. So you can wallow in what I made for myself, you can wallow," suggests a sense of hopelessness and dread at the thought of losing the one they love. The singer allows their lover to wallow in what they have made for themselves, as the outside world doesn't matter as long as they are together. The second verse continues exploring the themes of darkness and light, love and pain, with the demand to "pretend that – I'm something you could love."


The final verse is a plea, a desire for communication, "I'm tired of sleep, talk to me. I do not weep, you kill me." The song is a bittersweet ode to the beauty and sorrow of deep intimacy, the fear of loss, and the desire to hold on tight.


Line by Line Meaning

It's so cold in your arms
Being in your presence makes me feel cold and distant


I fall asleep on your bones
I feel comforted and safe in your arms


Time's come and gone, it's early
It feels like time has passed quickly but it is actually still early in the day


The blinds are down on me
I feel trapped and constrained by my circumstances


Lay still, lay deep, lay long now
Stay still and in the moment, go deep within yourself and allow yourself to feel this way for a while


Welcome all your weaknesses home now
Accept your flaws and vulnerabilities as part of who you are


I want to answer and you're making me come
I want to respond to you but you are making it difficult for me


I do not weep, you stay young
I will not cry over you and let you have power over me, I will remain strong and youthful


For someone might take you away
I am afraid of losing you to someone else


For reason for which I can't complain
I cannot complain about why someone might take you away


So you can wallow in what I made for myself
You can stay in my shadow and suffer the consequences of my decisions


Your darkest days you'll spend here
You will experience your worst days while in my company


Your brightest dreams you'll leave here
Your greatest aspirations will not be realized while you are with me


My love, my one, be happy
I want you to be happy, despite the negative effect I may have on you


It's only time, it's only time
Things will change and get better with time


Forget that – I'm nothing you want
Realize that I am not what you truly desire


Pretend that – I'm something you could love
Pretend that you could love me, even if it's not true


I'm tired of sleep, talk to me
I don't want to keep running away from our problems, let's talk about them


I do not weep, you kill me
I will not allow you to hurt me and make me cry, it feels like you are killing me


So you can wallow in what I made for myself
Again, you can suffer and take the blame for my actions and decisions


You can wallow
You can stay in this unhappy state and wallow in misery




Contributed by Abigail B. 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

More Versions