In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Mama there's wolves in the house
Mama they won't let me out
Mama they're mating at night
Mama they wont make nice
They're pacing and glowing bright
Their faces all snowy and white
Bury their paws in the stone
Make for my heart as their home
They tumble and fight
And they're beautiful
On the hilltops at night
They are beautiful
Blazing with light
Is the whitest and the tallest and the biggest one
She's muscled and fine
When she runs
They're tearing up holes in the house
They're tearing their claws in the ground
They're staring with blood in their mouths
Mama they won't let me out
They tumble and fight
And they're beautiful
On the hilltops at night
They are beautiful
Blazing with light
Is the whitest and the tallest and the biggest one
All muscled and fine
When she runs
Mama there's wolves in the house
Mama I tried to put them out
And mama I know you're too wise
To wait till those wolves make nice
Mama they won't let me out
Mama they're mating at night
Mama they wont make nice
They're pacing and glowing bright
Their faces all snowy and white
Bury their paws in the stone
Make for my heart as their home
They tumble and fight
And they're beautiful
On the hilltops at night
They are beautiful
Blazing with light
Is the whitest and the tallest and the biggest one
She's muscled and fine
When she runs
They're tearing up holes in the house
They're tearing their claws in the ground
They're staring with blood in their mouths
Mama they won't let me out
They tumble and fight
And they're beautiful
On the hilltops at night
They are beautiful
Blazing with light
Is the whitest and the tallest and the biggest one
All muscled and fine
When she runs
Mama there's wolves in the house
Mama I tried to put them out
And mama I know you're too wise
To wait till those wolves make nice
Lyrics submitted by pantybrigade, edited by thecoolschatz
Wolves Lyrics as written by Matthew Houck
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Personally I think the song is about addiction. Wolves in the house equalling addiction, mating at night meaning it's getting worse. The wolves are beautiful when on substance and destroying the house when the withdrawal kicks in. The last lines, "Mama I tried to put them out" = I tried to stop "Mama I know you're too wise, to wait till those wolves make nice" = you know I need help and I can't do it myself, you're the only one that knows me well enough to help, etc.
Of course it can be interpreted many different ways, it could be about being mentally unstable, it could be a bad dream as others have said, it could be about a relationship going south and the beauty of the past (wolves beautiful on the hilltop, far away, but in the house they're tearing it apart).
It's a beautiful, sad song though, whatever the meaning.