Behind the Lyric: “On Wires” by Carly Rae Jepsen and Knowing What She Wants

Carly Rae Jepsen’s new double album is called Day And Night. But she could have called it Black And White. Because as you’ll hear on the album’s lead single “On Wires”, the Canadian singer-songwriter knows exactly what she wants.

World Is On Fire

Jepsen uses a tightrope metaphor to describe the anxiety of meeting someone, liking them, and wondering who’s making the first move here. It’s risky business.

The whole world is on fire, but we didn’t notice,
I’m walking on wires in the middle of it,
Standing in your, standing in your coat.
I think it’s not fair what you’re doing to me,
Stop dragging this out ’round the city, baby,
Dancing in your, dancing in your coat.

It’s clear what she wants. But does the other person feel the same?

I want to be more than friends for the week.

When the chorus hits, Jepsen’s voice floats inside the track’s density, in a surreal blend of anxiety and bliss. She sustains the word “you” as if she’s falling from high above, from the aforementioned tightrope, but there’s no safety net below to catch her if her feelings are unreciprocated.

I want you…
So what are we gonna do?

I’m Calling To You

In a statement, Jepsen said, “It’s about wanting someone so badly you can barely get through the motions of a night out.”

She can picture what it might be like, but a picture isn’t enough. The image doesn’t talk; it can’t feel, and she cannot touch it. Come on, she’s thinking. “Wanna walk me home?”

The narrator stares at this person, hoping for a hint. It’s the awkwardness of gazing at someone from across the room. Do they share the same urgency?

Gimme a look, gimme a sign,
You want a muse, you need a siren, I’m calling to you.
Every sip, every sigh,
Hands on my hips, we’re gonna fly, it’s a beautiful thing.

For Jepsen, “On Wires” does away with the soft emotional volleys of flirting. This is a straight-up pursuit. She knows what she wants and the hunt is on.

Photo by Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images