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"Wolves" is a song by Kanye West on his seventh studio album, The Life Of Pablo (2016).[1] The song is featured as the thirteen track and features VIC MENSA and Sia as well as common collaborator Caroline Shaw providing backing vocals.[2] The song also initially featured a verse from Frank Ocean that had been split off into its own song titled "Frank's Track".[3] The song features production by Boi-1da, Plain Pat, Cashmere Cat, and MIKE DEAN amongst others.[4]

Production[]

The song samples "Nightcall" by Kavinskyy and Lovefoxxx.[5]

Background[]

The initial version of the song titled "Lost" dates back to January 7, 2014 during the Yeezus II sessions. This version of the song, although unheard, is confirmed to be Kanye's initial freestyle for the song. The song had been worked on extensively during these sessions despite being created so late, although most of the versions known to exist from this era are reference tracks which had been recorded by Livvi Franc, BOOTS, Andrea Martin, as well as Sam Dew.[6] The song was also brought into consideration for Yeezus II's final release, as it had also appeared on CyHi's ypm playlist as the fourth track.[7] This version of the song was only an instrumental, however.[8]

The song had been carried into the So Help Me God sessions spanning through 2014 and 2015.[9] Sometime during these sessions, the rapper Drake had recorded for the song.[10] It had also been insinuated the singer Björk had also been featured on this version of the song, although the song's producer Cashmere Cat would clear up the confusion and clarified the song had only sample Björk.

A version of this song during these sessions debuted during Yeezy Season 1, now featuring vocals from VIC MENSA and Sia.[11] Frank Ocean had also recorded a verse intended for the outro during these sessions.[12] The song had been intended to release as a B-Side single to the already released All Day, though it never had.

The song continued to be worked on into the SWISH sessions throughout 2015, though all previous features did not make it into final versions of the song from this era. During these sessions, Caroline Shaw had recorded vocals for the song and added production from producer Havoc had been added.[13] The Frank Ocean outro had also been maintained.

The song, given it had been in a finished state for multiple years, had not been worked on again through the Waves and The Life Of Pablo sessions. The song released as a part of an early version of The Life Of Pablo on February 14, 2016 featuring Caroline Shaw and Frank Ocean, though none of the Havoc production changes were present in the song.[14] The song had also released as a radio single while in this version.

The song would be updating, reminiscing earlier versions more with VIC MENSA and Sia being added back and Caroline Shaw being kept on the song as backing vocals.[15] Frank Ocean was cut from the final version and his verse was given its own song.[16]

Despite the song being released, the song was briefly brought back during the DONDA: WITH CHILD sessions in 2020 for the Donda Visual Album, utilizing an early version of the song featuring Caroline Shaw as an interlude titled "Wolves Interlude".[17]

Lyrics[]

[Chorus]
Lost out, beat up
Dancin', down there
I found you, somewhere out
'Round, 'round there, right, right there
Lost and beat up
Down there, dancin'
I found you, somewhere out
Right down there, right 'round there

[Verse 1]
Lost and found out
Turned out, how you thought
Daddy found out
That you turned out how you turned out
If mama knew now
How you turned out, you too wild
You too wild, you too wild
You too wild, I need you now
Love you (Got to)
Love you (Love you)
Found you, found you
Right now, right now
Right now, right now
If your mama knew how
You turned out, you too wild
You too wild, you too wild
You too wild, and I need you now
Lost and found out

[Bridge]
Cry, I'm not sorry
Cry, who needs sorry when there's Hennessy?
Don't fool yourself
Your eyes don't lie, you're much too good to be true
Don't fire fight
Yeah, I feel you burning, everything's burning
Don't fly too high
Your wings might melt, you're much too good to be true
I'm just bad for you
I'm just bad, bad, bad for you

[Verse 2]
I was lost and beat up
Turned out, burned up
You found me through a heartache
Didn't know me, you were drawn in
I was lost and beat up
I was warm flesh on Caesar
You found me in your gaze
Well, I found me, oh, Jesus
I was too wild, I was too wild
I was too wild, I was too wild
I was too wild, I was too wild

[Interlude]
And I need you now
Lost and found out
Yeah

[Verse 3]
You gotta let me know if I could be your Joseph
Only tell you real shit, that's the tea, no sip
Don't trip, don't trip, that pussy slippery, no whip
We ain't trippin' on shit, we just sippin' on this
Just forget the whole shit, we could laugh about nothin'
I impreg-a-nate your mind, let's have a baby without fuckin', yo
I know it's corny bitches you wish you could unfollow
I know it's corny n***as you wish you could unswallow
I know it's corny bitches you wish you could unfollow
I know it's corny n***as you wish you could unswallow
Ayy, I know it's corny bitches you wish you could unfollow
I know it's corny n***as you wish you could unswallow
You tried to play nice, everybody just took advantage
You left your fridge open, somebody just took a sandwich
I said, "Baby, what if you was clubbin'
Thuggin', hustlin' before you met your husband?"
Then I said, "What if Mary was in the club
'Fore she met Joseph, around hella thugs?"
Cover Nori in lambs' wool
We surrounded by the fuckin' wolves
(What if Mary) "What if Mary
(Was in the club) Was in the club
'Fore she met Joseph with no love?"
Cover Saint in lambs' wool
(And she was) We surrounded by
(Surrounded by) The fuckin' wolves

Trivia[]

  • The song had a scrapped intro, Which was Reused in the DONDA visual album.

References[]

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