American indie group Wild Cub came together in early 2012 when songwriter/c… Read Full Bio ↴American indie group Wild Cub came together in early 2012 when songwriter/composer Keegan DeWitt joined forces with multi-instrumentalist Jeremy Bullock and began creating their infectious brand of electropop. DeWitt had become disillusioned with life in New York, and after being offered a promotion at his day job, he chose to quit. He moved to Nashville and focused his energy on forming Wild Cub alongside writing film and documentary scores. Once he met Bullock, the wheels were set in motion and the arrivals of drummer Dabney Morris, bassist Harry West, and synth/keys player Eric Wilson cemented the lineup.

From there they wrote and recorded their debut album, Youth, which was recorded in Bullock's house after they'd taken it over to complete the songs. The record arrived in 2012 and was well received on both sides of the Atlantic. Alongside a number of high-profile tour dates and festivals in America, they won favorable reviews for their jubilant, '80s-inspired synth pop and infectious guitar hooks. In the summer of 2013, their single "Thunder Clatter" was used in a worldwide advertisement for Bose, and it subsequently reached the U.K. charts. In early 2014, their self-released album was reissued to greater distribution and with bonus tracks on the Mom & Pop Music label.

After a long two years of cycling through "hundreds" of demos while DeWitt turned out a steady stream of film and television scores (HBO's Divorce, The Hero with Sam Elliott), the lineup of DeWitt, Bullock, and West returned in 2017 with their sophomore album, Closer. Included on the album was the buoyant lead single "Somewhere."

drive
Wild Cub Lyrics

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We turn the radio on
We roll the windows down
There's a smell in the air like a fire's burning somewhere outside of town
You said "drive"…
We don't look into the mirror
When we don't look at one another
And we brave our way through darkness like two cowardly lovers
And you said "drive"…

You put your pretty dress on
I put my suit on tight
And we dance like a couple in a bad, bad movie
But we can't make out the lines
And you said "drive"….
We drive back through the ether
And we felt so alone tonight

All the little words were easy
But the thunder broke inside

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Wild Cub's song "Drive" seem to describe a feeling of restlessness and the need to escape with someone else. The song starts off with turning the radio on and rolling the windows down, setting the scene for a road trip. The smell of fire outside of town adds to the setting while the urge to "drive" continues to grow. There's a sense of disconnection between the two people in the car as they don't look at each other or into the mirror - as though there's a desire to live in the moment and not focus on anything else. They push through the darkness together as "cowardly lovers" without a care in the world.

The tempo of the song reflects the need for speed and the desire for exploration. The lyrics paint a picture of two people who are trying to escape from something - perhaps responsibilities or inner turmoil - and are seeking solace in each other. The fire burning somewhere outside of town could be symbolic of the passion and intensity that they share in their relationship. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that they don't need to talk to one another, their connection is strong enough to exist in silence. The lines "all the little words were easy, but the thunder broke inside" could be interpreted as the underlying issues they are trying to escape from, which finally break through to the surface and interrupt their escapism.

Overall, the song gives off a sense of longing for simplicity and freedom, and the idea of going on a drive with someone close to escape from the chaos of everyday life.

Line by Line Meaning

We turn the radio on
We start the vehicle's audio player

We roll the windows down
We lower the windows

There's a smell in the air like a fire's burning somewhere outside of town
We sense an aroma resembling outside-town fire smoke

You said "drive"…
You requested me to drive

We don't look into the mirror
We avoid looking at the rearview mirror

When we don't look at one another
We refrain from making eye contact

And we brave our way through darkness like two cowardly lovers
We journey through darkness like two timidly affectionate people

And you said "drive"…
You instructed me to keep driving

You put your pretty dress on
You wore your pretty dress

I put my suit on tight
I dressed tightly wearing my suit

And we dance like a couple in a bad, bad movie
We rhythmically move together like characters in a bad film

But we can't make out the lines
We cannot hear the lyrics distinctly

And you said "drive"….
You urged me to continue driving

We drive back through the ether
We move back through lively surroundings

And we felt so alone tonight
We sensed complete loneliness tonight

All the little words were easy
Simple vocabulary was sufficient

But the thunder broke inside
But a sudden boom of noise occurred within us

Writer(s): Shumichi Oshima Copyright: Columbia Music Publishing Co. Ltd., Fujipacific Music Inc.

Contributed by Eva R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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