Kings of Leon – Use Somebody

I've been roaming around
Always looking down at all I see
Painted faces, fill the places I can't reach

You know that I could use somebody
You know that I could use somebody

Someone like you, and all you know, and how you speak
Countless lovers under cover of the street

You know that I could use somebody
You know that I could use somebody
Someone like you

(Oh, oh)
(Oh, oh)
(Oh, oh)
(Oh, oh)

Off in the night, while you live it up, I'm off to sleep
Waging wars to shape the poet and the beat
I hope it's gonna make you notice
I hope it's gonna make you notice

Someone like me
(Oh, oh)
Someone like me
(Oh, oh)
Someone like me (oh), somebody (oh)
(Oh, oh)

I'm ready now, I'm ready now, I'm ready now
I'm ready now, I'm ready now, I'm ready now, I'm ready now

(Oh, oh)
Someone like you (oh), somebody (oh)
Someone like you (oh), somebody (oh)
Someone like you (oh), somebody (oh)

I've been roaming around
Always looking down at all I see


Lyrics submitted by secondary spine, edited by kingofworld

"Use Somebody" as written by Ivan Nathan Followill Anthony Caleb Followill

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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  • +11
    My InterpretationHere's my take.

    I think the song is about him being jaded ("Looking down on all I see") artist somewhat stuck in a rut of being jaded and miserable. He wants to break free of his seriousness artistic shell so he can let go ("Waging war to shake the poet and the beat") and have fun with the "painted faces" that are out of reach. He sees or meets this girl who has the knowledge and the ability to speak her mind in a very liberating way, but also has the capacity to let go of the serious things and self-actualize her dreams and desires ("Countless lovers undercover of the street"). He figures that he could use somebody like this to liberate himself, but his self-esteem is so low and he so stuck in his shell of what he is, he doesn't think she would use him. So, he uses this as impetus to change himself and become more than just a poet and musician in hopes that she'll take notice and be able to use him to. At the end, he learns he cannot change who he is as a jaded artist, because that is just who he is and it is also probably a key factor in him making great art. He is still looking down at all he sees. Too bad he doesn't realize that this woman could probably use him just the way he is. He is just to jaded to think it a possibility. Truly a story of a tortured soul. At least, he realizes the fact that he could use somebody like this, many jaded, broken people don't even get that far. They are too desperate for anything.

    I personally think this is one of the greatest rock songs of our time. It is filled with the beautiful sadness mixed with the feeling a longing for the apparently out of reach that has made many rock songs great (The chorus with the background vocals is just amazing intense). Another reason it is perfect for our time is because many highly intelligent people in our society are in the same torturous boat as him. Trying to break free and live their dreams, while desperately looking for somebody, anybody to help them out of their hole usually with disastrous results. Just one step away from learning that with a little self-esteem and confidence they can remain true to who they are, pull themselves out of their rut and liberate their life from the tyranny of their mind.

    Enjoy the day!
    frai1tyon April 20, 2009   Link
    • 3 Replies
  • +6
    General Commentcaleb's voice literally brings tears to my eyes, not to be overdramatic or anything. but it really really does.
    cointreauversialon September 27, 2008   Link
    • 3 Replies
  • +4
    General Commentcould this be a fictional story about falling in love with a prostitute?

    - painted faced i can't reach
    - countless lovers under cover of the street
    - while you live it up, i'm off to sleep

    just trying to open your mind...
    andy-valeryon October 22, 2008   Link
  • +4
    General CommentI love how the title is so incredibly selfish, yet the song itself is anything but.
    vordaboison February 28, 2009   Link
  • +3
    General CommentI think a lot of the thought behind this song is the desire to become famous in order to essentially meet and/or impress some girl. For example:

    Waging war to shake/(shape?) the poet and the beat /
    I hope it's going to make you notice someone like me


    The line "someone like me" means that he's not really thinking highly of himself, by become a famous singer though, he is essentially demonstrating his value. Might sound a little odd at first, but it's really part of our nature... the same way male animals often try to demonstrate their value to a mate (a peacock showing its feathers for example). Not the first song to express this; the Counting Crows' "Mr. Jones" was basically written about the same thing- "hey man we'd meet tons of girls if we were like rock stars lol".

    That said, I like the song, and I can kind of relate. A little bit of my drive towards success is simply that when I meet someone I'm interested in, to use the words of the writer, I hope it'll make them notice someone like me.
    district942on January 09, 2009   Link
  • +3
    My InterpretationMy interpretation of this song is someone who is desperately searching for the love of his life. The line "i've been roaming around, always looking down at all i see" May suggest that he views his life as negative and not really going anywhere, with the hope of his true love having the ability to change all of this. "and all you know,and how you speak"- He digs everything about this imaginary love, her knowledge, her power with words. "off in the night,while you live it up, i'm off to sleep"- He envisions this girl is out partying, enjoying her life while he is at home, sleeping, too sad to do anything else. That's my take at least.
    commons4101on May 27, 2009   Link
    • 2 Replies
  • +3
    General Commentthis song doesnt refer to him. it refers to a person that is in love with a girl that is extremely outgoing and goes to parties and knows sooo many people. he is shy and needs a person like that. someone who is going to open up. the painted faces refers to the people that act like people who they arent but get high in the social chain. so high that he cant reach that high because of how shy he is. he is looking down at them at the same time because they arent real and they arent there true selves. he is off to sleep because he doesnt hang out with people. he just stays home while she is out there having fun. he stays home trying to think of things to get her to notice him. either by poem or by song or by being romantic. in reality she and him know each other but are just friends and she doesnt realize how he feels about her.
    jhan123on June 21, 2009   Link
    • 3 Replies
  • +3
    General CommentAs a touring musician this song hits me hard. I know exactly what he is describing in the song. Its about being on the road, and even though you have the attention of being in a band and seeing all these new places you feel really alone, because you feel like you don't have that special someone with you (whoever that may be), and you see it all around you in the places you go and play at, like you will see the love people have between one another and it makes you want the same, but you can't because music has to come first when you are in a fulltime band. It's a hard feeling to describe but I hope you can catch what I am saying! It's an amazing song, because it hits so hard due to the fact that I have super strong feelings for a girl at home, but I feel like I can't persue it due to being on tour all the time, I don't want to put her through me being away all the time.....it sucks because she is amazing, but she doesn't know how I feel, and I think about her constantly when out on the road, so this song hits super hard.

    Kings of Leon is amazing!
    take care.
    iamthefortresson June 23, 2009   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • +2
    General CommentThis is a fantastic song.

    I think it's sorta obvious what it's about..
    He's on tour and he sees the crowds and he gets lonely.
    I think the whole "lonely while everyone sees you" scenario is definitely plausible.
    princessKATIEon September 20, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General CommentNah, it's totally a lovesick song.
    He's wants someone, but they're too different. And everything he sees makes him want her more.
    He's at the top, and he's lovely as fck.
    He just wants them to notice, but he doesn't know how to do it.
    kiss these starson October 26, 2008   Link

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