Luke Combs: A Dominant Force in Country Music
Luke Combs has become a force in country music, known for his powerful storytelling and heartfelt lyrics.
Released on 24 March 2023, Where the Wild Things Are offers a striking narrative about freedom, loss, and the haunting pull of adventure.
This song, part of Combs’ Gettin’ Old album, shows a new side of the artist’s music.
Unlike his recent chart-topping cover of Fast Car, which spent five weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and reached No. 2 on the Hot 100, Where the Wild Things Are follows a different path, inviting listeners into a reflective journey.
The Story Behind Where The Wild Things Are: A Song Meant for Eric Church
The backstory of Where the Wild Things Are adds to its intrigue. Written by seasoned Nashville songwriters Randy Montana and Dave Turnbull, the song almost ended up in Eric Church’s hands.
Church, a country music icon and one of Combs’ inspirations, passed on it, and Combs made it his own.
Co-writer Dan Isbell remarked, “He almost cut it. I couldn’t believe that song couldn’t land somewhere.”
The song’s journey to Combs shows his commitment to storytelling and the appeal of narrative-heavy songs, even as they grow less common in country music.
Where The Wild Things Are Lyrics: The Allure of Freedom and the Pull of the West
Combs introduces listeners to his “big brother” in the opening verse, a character with an Indian Scout motorcycle and an unbreakable spirit.
In lyrics like “My big brother rode an Indian Scout / It was black like his jacket,” Combs taps into classic Americana, painting the brother as a symbol of freedom and rebellion.
This motorcycle isn’t just a vehicle; it represents independence and a life lived on the edge.
The brother’s journey out west reflects the spirit of exploration, with Combs weaving in iconic American landscapes like the deserts of California and the Joshua Tree.
The lyrics, “He’d call me up every couple of weeks / From South California / Talk about the desert and the Joshua Tree,” evoke a sense of adventure and nostalgia.
This storyline resonates deeply with listeners as it explores Luke Combs’ brother story—a tale of a sibling who chases the wild freedom of the West, leaving behind family ties for the allure of adventure.
Where the Wild Things Are captures this tension between loyalty and the call of the unknown, speaking to anyone who has felt the pull of something bigger beyond the horizon.
Through lyrics that reflect on Where the Wild Things Are and its deeper meaning, Combs captures the bittersweet reality of pursuing unrestrained freedom, while also acknowledging the sacrifices that come with leaving loved ones behind.
The Indian Scout Motorcycle as a Symbol of Freedom
The brother’s Indian Scout motorcycle symbolises more than just a mode of transport; it represents freedom, rebellion, and a way of life that refuses to be tamed.
Combs’ lyrics capture the bittersweet nature of his brother’s quest, showing admiration for his free-spirited nature, while also hinting at the potential consequences of such a lifestyle.
Luke Combs’ deep, measured vocal delivery brings gravity to every word.
His voice is calm yet filled with emotion, perfectly matching the reflective mood of the track.
The simplicity of his delivery allows the listener to focus on the narrative, drawing them further into the story.
The Story’s Turning Point: Differences Between Brothers
As the song progresses, the narrator realises that despite their bond, he and his brother are not alike.
The narrator heads west for a while but soon understands that he is not cut out for the wild, freewheeling life his brother has embraced.
Their connection may be strong, but their paths are fundamentally different.
The brother has found a home in the chaotic freedom of the West, while the narrator longs for the stability of his old life in the East.
At the end of the summer, the narrator makes the decision to leave and return home.
He acknowledges that no matter what he says or does, his brother will never leave his new home.
This farewell marks the moment when the narrator realises that their journeys, though tied together by blood, are headed in opposite directions.
The Subtle James Dean Parallel: Living Fast, Risking Everything
The final stanza returns to lines introduced earlier in the song but changes them, signalling the tragic turn of events.
What was once a tale of rebellion and speed turns into one of loss.
The narrator delivers the heartbreaking news: his brother dies in a motorcycle crash, hitting a guardrail at 3:30 in the morning.
Interestingly, the mention of the time—3:30—offers a subtle nod to the legendary actor James Dean.
While Dean’s accident occurred at 5:45 p.m. in California, just two hours earlier he had been ticketed for speeding at 3:30 p.m.
Although there are clear differences between the two events, this small detail gives the song an added layer of tragic association.
However, none of the song’s writers have confirmed any direct inspiration from Dean’s life or death.
Where the Wild Things Are: The Aftermath, Burying a Free Spirit
The song closes with the narrator laying his brother to rest under the same West Coast stars that once promised adventure.
The younger brother may have returned to the East, but his sibling will remain in the West forever, resting beneath the sky that gave him solace and freedom.
Rather than providing a neat resolution, the song leaves listeners with the heavy reality that some people can never be fully tamed, even in death.
The brother found his sense of belonging in the wild, and that’s where his story ends.
Combs captures the complexity of love, freedom, and loss in a way that lingers long after the final note fades.
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Luke Combs Where the Wild Things Are Lyrics
Verse 1
My big brother rode an Indian Scout
It was black like his jacket
American Spirit hangin’ outta his mouth
Just like our daddy
He kick-started that bike one night and broke mama’s heart
He pointed that headlight West, out where the wild things are
Verse 2
He’d call me up every couple of weeks
From South California
Talk about the desert and the Joshua Tree
And his pretty girl stories
And how he bought an Airstream trailer and a J-45 guitar
Said, “Little brother, you’d love it out here, out where the wild things are”
Chorus
Oh, oh-oh, it’s hearts on fire and crazy dreams
Oh, oh-oh, the nights ignite like gasoline
And light up those streets that never sleep when the sky goes dark
Out where the wild things are
Verse 3
I called my brother from the back of that plane
The second I made it
We started drinkin’ on the strip in L.A
And then it got crazy
Ended up at a house in the hills with some Hollywood stars
Kissin’ on a blonde in a backyard pool, out where the wild things are
(Oh, yeah)
Bridge
Couple iron horse rebels
Wild as the devil
I knew I had to move back East
Said goodbye to my brother
At the end of that summer
But I knew he’d never leave
Chorus
Oh, oh-oh, it’s hearts on fire and crazy dreams
Oh, where the nights ignite like gasoline
And oh, oh-oh, them Indian Scouts, man, they’re built for speed
And oh, oh-oh, they said he hit that guard rail at half past three
Lit up those streets that never sleep when the sky goes dark
We buried him out in the wind ‘neath the West Coast stars
Out where the wild things are
Outro
Out where the wild things are