Wouldn't Leave

Album: Ye (2018)
Charted: 24
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In May 2018, Kanye West engaged in controversial TMZ live interview in which he revealed he was addicted to opioids and suggested that African-Americans simply chose to be imprisoned for centuries by white slavemasters. Much of Ye's content was sparked by the backlash he received for his comments. In the case of this song the criticism came from Kanye's own home.
  • In the first verse West reveals that wife Kim Kardashian called him "screaming" over his "slavery was a choice" comments.

    My wife callin', screamin', say we 'bout to lose it all
    Had to calm her down 'cause she couldn't breathe
    Told her she could leave me now, but she wouldn't leave


    During the Ye listening party in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, West quipped regarding Kim's reaction, "This is what they mean for better or for worse huh?"
  • Throughout the song, West salutes his wife for not leaving him despite his past errors such as a Sway in the morning rant and his TMZ Live shenanigans. He also shouts out other women who stick by their man through thick and thin, like Kim has done with him.
  • "Wouldn't Leave" features uncredited vocals by PartyNextDoor (on the chorus), Jeremih (the bridge) and Ty Dolla Sign (the outro).
  • The song contains sanctified shout outs sampled from "Baptizing Scene", written and performed by Reverend W.A. Donaldson (from Alan Lomax's 1960 compilation Sounds of the South). The same track was previously sampled by Kanye on "Niggas in Paris" from his 2011 collaboration album with Jay-Z, Watch the Throne.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Amy Lee of Evanescence

Amy Lee of EvanescenceSongwriter Interviews

The Evanescence frontwoman on the songs that have shifted meaning and her foray into kids' music.

Lita Ford

Lita FordSongwriter Interviews

Lita talks about how they wrote songs in The Runaways, and how she feels about her biggest hit being written by somebody else.

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.