Mason's popularity rose after musician Conor Oberst discovered his music backstage at a Bright Eyes show. Oberst would soon sign Mason to his new record label, Team Love and release his debut LP. Since then, he has toured with the likes of Radiohead, Death Cab For Cutie, Ben Kweller, and Unbusted, and played such venues as the Glastonbury Festival, South By Southwest, and the Offshore Ale House.
Mason's debut album Where The Humans Eat, and singles (Oxygen and So Long), charted in the UK Singles Chart and Albums Chart in 2005. Mason went on to release The Ocean Gets Rough in 2007.
Willy’s new album, 'Carry On', was recorded over the course of 2011 in south London with producer Dan Carey (MIA, Hot Chip, Franz Ferdinand) and is released in December 2012.
“The album itself is about growing up and trying to find one’s place” Mason says. “I think of this record as the third and final chapter to a particular narrative that started with ‘Where the Humans Eat’”.
The World That I Wanted
Willy Mason Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when the walls closed around
He would always respond with aggression
But he woke up today with a pain in his head
Remembered a dream oh what was it they said
Oh, this was the world that I wanted
Hey oh, this was the world that I wanted
Many years ago he was hungry for fathers attention
So the boy grew tall with these things around his head
And when he asked moms advice she silently said
Oh, your father got all that he wanted
Hey oh, your father got all that he wanted
He steps onto the porch with a cigarette and a briefcase
And remembering dad he prepares to argue his case
Old woman he says you should have left long ago
Your friends are all dead its not worth it you know
And she smiles, you know this was the life that I wanted
And she smiles, you know this was the life that I wanted
He never thought that he'd cry
When his father was finally laid down
Never thought that he'd cry
When his friends were all gathered around
But he watched as the old man lay down in the earth
And he looked all around for a sign of his worth
Then he cried, whoa daddy what was it you wanted
Then he cried, whoa daddy what was it you wanted
The song “The World That I Wanted” by Willy Mason speaks about the different desires and aspirations that people have in their lives. The song begins by telling the story of a person who has always struggled with expressing emotions and dealing with difficult situations in a healthy manner. Despite his struggles, he wakes up one day remembering a dream where he was living in the world that he wanted. This phrase acts as a metaphor for a time in his past where he had aspirations and desires that were unfulfilled. The lyrics suggest that sometimes reflecting on past desires can be cathartic and healing.
The second verse of the song tells the story of a boy who grew up without the affection and attention of his father. The boy suffered in silence and as he grew up, he had to cope with the weight of these experiences. He turns to his mother seeking guidance, but she is unable or unwilling to provide it. The chorus of the song describes how the father got everything that he wanted, perhaps suggesting that the father's absence was intentional or that he had achieved all of his own ambitions at the expense of his family.
The third verse of the song tells the story of an old woman who has survived the loss of her friends and the difficult circumstances of her life. Despite these challenges, she affirms that her life is the one that she wanted. The final verse tells the story of the same person who was afraid of emotions and who struggled to connect with his loved ones. When his father passes away, he realizes the fragility of life and the importance of human connection. He seeks to understand his father's desires and motivations, culminating in the repeated refrain of “whoa daddy what was it you wanted.”
Overall, the song explores themes of regret, longing, and the desire for connection. The lyrics suggest that reflecting on past desires and experiences can help to provide catharsis and understanding, even in difficult or painful circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
He's the kind of guy that was always afraid of affection
He is a person who has always feared of showing love or care towards others.
And when the walls closed around
And when he felt trapped or isolated,
He would always respond with aggression
he used to react aggressively.
But he woke up today with a pain in his head
One day he woke up with a headache.
Remembered a dream oh what was it they said
And he remembered a dream he had and wondered what it meant.
Oh, this was the world that I wanted
The dream made him realize that this is the kind of world he desired.
Hey oh, this was the world that I wanted
Many years ago he was hungry for fathers attention
Years ago, he wanted his father's attention badly.
But dad was alone his disease unspoken unmentioned
But his father was ill and never talked about it.
So the boy grew tall with these things around his head
So he grew up with these thoughts always lingering in his head.
And when he asked moms advice she silently said
When he asked for his mother's suggestions, she remained silent.
Oh, your father got all that he wanted
She replied that his father got everything he desired.
Hey oh, your father got all that he wanted
He steps onto the porch with a cigarette and a briefcase
He goes onto the porch carrying a briefcase and smoking a cigarette.
And remembering dad he prepares to argue his case
Thinking about his father, he gets ready to express his point of view.
Old woman he says you should have left long ago
He tells an old woman that she should have left a long time ago.
Your friends are all dead its not worth it you know
He tells her that since all her friends are gone, there's nothing to hold on to.
And she smiles, you know this was the life that I wanted
But the woman smiles and says that this is the life she always wanted.
And she smiles, you know this was the life that I wanted
He never thought that he'd cry
He never expected that he would weep.
When his father was finally laid down
When his father passed away.
Never thought that he'd cry
When his friends were all gathered around
Or when all of his friends gathered around him.
But he watched as the old man lay down in the earth
He watched as the old man was buried in the ground.
And he looked all around for a sign of his worth
He searched for a sign of what worth his father was.
Then he cried, whoa daddy what was it you wanted
He cried and asked his father what it was he wanted in life.
Then he cried, whoa daddy what was it you wanted
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WILLY MASON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind