Kings of Leon – Cold Desert

Know something about this song or lyrics? Add it to our wiki.
Send "Cold Desert" Ringtone to Cell

I'm on the corner, waiting for a light to come on
That's when I know that you're alone
It's cold in the desert, water never sees the ground
Special unspoken without sound

You told me you loved me, that I'd never die alone
Hand over your heart, let's go home
Everyone noticed, everyone has seen the signs
I've always been known to cross lines

I've never ever cried when I was feeling down
I've always been scared of the sound
Jesus don't love me, no one ever carried my load
I'm too young to feel this old

Is it you, is it me
Or does nobody know, nobody see
Nobody but me.

Send "Cold Desert" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by scarecrowlyrics

Track duration: 05:35

"Cold Desert" as written by Caleb Followill Nathan Followill

Lyrics © BUG MUSIC, WINDSWEPT HOLDINGS LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Cold Desert song meanings
Add your thoughts

77 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:i can relate with the part im too "young" to feel this old.
    Flag sabullyon March 23, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The desert is a grand metaphor for the psychological isolation of the individual, particularly men who are conditioned to hide emotion. It's 'cold in the desert, water never sees the ground' - is a metaphorical version of 'I never cried when I was feeling down' - i.e. this man struggles to show feeling. But yet the song is rich with his psychological dilemmas - 'there's no-one here to carry my load,' 'I'm too young to feel this old.' But nobody sees this inner struggle but him, and it is notable that these are existential dilemmas. Personally I have never found a woman I can talk to about these weights on my mind (does God exist? Have I been here many times before and I am in fact thousands of years old? that sort of thing).

    Such a powerful song, by far my favourite on the album and the most heartfelt - I always put it on those nights when I some girl has completely failed to 'find' me through the 'cold desert' of a cool exterior that I developed to protect myself but which has progressively isolated me emotionally from other people. I love the way the song fades out and in again with Caleb almost wailing at the. Reminds me, in a way, of Kurt Cobain trying to get the pain out in the wails at the end of some tracks on Nevermind. Beautiful song.
    Flag Liminal2on January 17, 2013   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:Here is the video where Caleb tell the story of this song!
    youtube.com/…
    Flag MaxiPardoon December 05, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:beautiful song.
    i think this is about losing hope of something and waiting for god to give you a sign. but there is none. hence the line jesus don't love me, no one ever carried my load. taking on so much responsibility that you feel exhausted and burdened. this song gets me through the rough times when i'm feeling low.
    Flag parachut3on July 07, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This is amazing. Blows my mind every time I listen to it. It's full of so much pain and it's just.. perfect. My favourite, absolutely brilliant.
    Flag highwayon April 04, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Pretty much, Caleb is a genius. Anyone who can write like that off the top of their head, so raw and emotional, there are no words. One of my favorite songs ever. Gives me chills, especially live.
    Flag musiccrazed11on March 23, 2011   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:I heard the lyrics of Cold Desert were written by Caleb when he was drunk, and took a walk out in the desert. He reflected on past transgressions and relationships...and the Line "Jesus don't love me, no one ever carried my load" at the time, was how he felt...in an interview he said he knew it was wrong to say that...(the whole band being raised Pentecostal and all) but he truly and honestly felt that way that particular moment in time. Beautiful Song despite its pinch of depression :)
    Flag spaz7894on February 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song reflects on past realationships and relapse'ing.
    Flag razorminkon October 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"nobody knows, nobody sees, nobody but me"

    Long Black Veil anyone?

    I like to think since he was improvising this part, he pulled those lyrics almost verbatim from Long Black Veil.
    Flag Kasselon August 12, 2010   Link
  • -2
    Lyric Correction:I know that proper English for the line "everyone noticed everyone has seen the signs" is indeed everyone NOTICED, but I can NOT stop hearing "everyone knowed it, everyone has seen the signs"

    And if you take into consideration that 1) he is Southern and we Southerners tend to say things like "knowed" and 2) the claim that he was extremely inebriated when he sang this bit, I'm pretty sure 100% proper English was not on the top list of priorities.

    Do I have any body else to agree or am I just crazy?
    Flag ivealwaysbeenknowntocrosslineson April 05, 2010   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain