‘Where The Wild Things Are’ caused a huge impact on the country radio on October 16, 2023. More than just being a song, Luke Combs was telling his audience a story.
Comb is a renowned singer, entertainer, and songwriter, but ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ also proved how great his storytelling ways were. So, what was Luke exactly trying to point out in his song? Let’s have a look!
How did Luke Combs get his hands on ‘Where The Wild Things Are’?
Where The Wild Things Are was written a few years back by co-writers Randy Montana and Dave Turnbull. Combs knew that this song would be a hit but even Eric Church was interested in this masterpiece.
“He almost cut it…I couldn’t believe that song couldn’t land somewhere,” Isbell shared, noting the fact that it had been circling the industry for a while before finally being recorded by Combs.”
“At the time, nobody was cutting story songs at all, really. I mean, outside of Eric Church, probably,” Combs added.
Luke Combs and Eric Churchs’s bond
Both of these talented singers share the same music taste. But music’s not the only thing, they share multiple things in common.
Both of them have attended Appalachian State University and are from North Carolina. Cpmb has even stated that Church has been one of his great inspirations for Country Music.
He admitted that he had lost interest in country music and focused more on music tones that were popular in the teen group.
In a episode of Stone Cold Steve Austin’s USA Network Television series, Straight Up Steve Austin, he said; “I think the reason that myself and my parents stopped listening to country music is it wasn’t, at that moment in time, as relatable. A lot of guys got heavy into The Beach, it was getting more poppy sounding at that time,”
He adds “And not to say I’m Merle Haggard, because I’m not, I’m not claiming to be that either, but that was the big shift.”
Combs then explained that Church was the one who ignited his love for Country Music. He loved the music so much that he decided to start pursuing the path of Country Music as his career,
“When I got to Appalachian State, a guy that lived on my floor brought in an Eric Church CD and said, ‘Hey this guy went to college here, you should check him out,’”
He continued. “Once I heard Eric, I was like, ‘This is something I can relate to, and if he can
do that and he’s from here, and I’m from here, I can do that.’ And that’s kind of where the fire caught spark for lack of a better term.”
Looking at this interview, we can picture that Church is one of Combs’ heroes. Both of them remain still good friends. They even worked on “Does To Me,” together which is one of Combs’ record-breaking albums.
Read Also: Who is Luke Combs’ wife?
The tragic story behind “Where The Wild Things Are”
Combs reveals that the song is sung from the perspective of a young man and his brother’s adventures.
His brother had embarked on a journey to his hometown, to the West “out where the wild things are,”. His brother is portrayed as a free-spirit person.
Unfortunately during his adventure, he passed away in an accident and got buried in a place that brought him happiness and held memories of his adventure.
“They said he hit that guardrail 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,” Combs sings on the final verse of the song
Where The Wild Things Was a vocal challenge for Combs
Combs almost passed this beautiful song because he considered it a really tough song to sing. He stated that he even struggled to sing it in the studio.
“I would argue that it’s a really tough song to sing and figure out how you would do you live,” he said honestly. “I mean, we struggle with it even in the studio. But I mean that’s one of those ones that I haven’t even run with the band yet. And I’m like…what does that look like live?”
However, Combs knew that he needed something special on his album, and ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ was the perfect way to upgrade it.
“I remember somebody telling me, I think it was when me and [Sean] Moffitt were still doing stuff, and I was telling him, ‘Well, we can’t do this, because I’m not going to be able to sing this thing live like this.’
“And he was like, ‘Dude, we can’t dumb down the record. You’ll figure it out, like, we got to make it as good as we can, and you’re gonna figure it out. I promise.’ So I always remembered that” Combs explained.
“I don’t know how that song never gets cut, because it’s an awesome, awesome song,” he continued.
Luke Combs’ “Where the Wild Things Are” Lyrics:
My big brother rode an Indian Scout / It was black like his jacket / American Spirit hangin’ outta his mouth / Just like our daddy / He kicked started that bike one night and broke mama’s heart / He pointed that headlight west / Out where the wild things are.
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, it’s hearts on fire and crazy dreams / 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.
I called my brother from the back of that plane / The second I made it / We started drinkin’ on the strip in LA / 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 / 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/
Oh, it’s hearts on fire and crazy dreams / Oh, where the nights ignite like gasoline / And oh, them Indian Scouts, man they’re built for speed / And oh, they said he hit that guardrail 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 / Out where the wild things are.