Kumbaya
Jacob Banks Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Eh, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

The summer of '09
Back where lovers love divine
I still remember you there on my window
Your hair blowin' in the sky
We've grown up since then
You visit through my pen
And through my tears
And I recall what we once were

If paper planes could fly
We would never hit the ground
You still ricochet my mind
Every winter in July
We've grown up since then
You visit through my pen
Through the eyes of our old friends
And my voice when I pretend

Kumbaya, both livin' in pieces, pieces
Half your heart, go stay with me, yeah, me, yeah
Kumbaya, both livin' in pieces, pieces
Half your heart, go stay with me, yeah, me, yeah

You're so far away but your memory remains
In my brain, tucked under some painful things
You're so far away but when someone drops your name
You come pourin' through my veins
Like that Hollywood cocaine

Kumbaya, both livin' in pieces, pieces
And half your heart, go stay with me, yeah, me, yeah
Kumbaya, both livin' in pieces, pieces
Half your heart, go stay with me, yeah, me, yeah

You still come up over coffee
Only sorry that I ain't sorry

Kumbaya, both livin' in pieces, pieces
And half your heart, go stay with me, yeah, me, yeah




Kumbaya, both livin' in pieces, pieces
Half your heart, go stay with me, yeah, me, yeah

Overall Meaning

The song "Kumbaya" by Jacob Banks and Bibi Bourelly talks about the memories of a past relationship that still lingers in the mind of the singer. The song begins by referring to the summer of 2009 where love was divine and the singer remembers the person standing by their window with hair blowing in the sky. As time has passed, the person has visited the singer through their pen and old friends. The nostalgia still exists as the singer yearns for a time that has passed.


The chorus of the song focuses on the phrase "Kumbaya," which is a spiritual song often associated with group singing around a campfire. In this song, it represents both people living in pieces or fragments and invites the other person to stay with them. The past relationship has left both the singer and the other person in fragments, but they long for each other, and the singer wishes the other person could stay with them.


The overall theme of the lyrics is bittersweet nostalgia, as the singer grapples with their memories and yearns for what once was. They still feel the emotional pain and longing for the person years later, even though they are physically distant. The song's melancholy feel provides an insight into heartbreak, reminiscence, and how the past can still affect us in the present.


Line by Line Meaning

The summer of '09
A reference to a memory from the past


Back where lovers love divine
A romantic location from the past


I still remember you there on my window
A specific memory of a shared moment


Your hair blowin' in the sky
A descriptive detail of the moment


We've grown up since then
Acknowledging the passage of time and change


You visit through my pen
The memory of the person is present in the artist's creative work


And through my tears
The emotion of missing the person is still present


And I recall what we once were
Reflecting on the previous relationship


If paper planes could fly
A hypothetical scenario


We would never hit the ground
Continuing the hypothetical scenario


You still ricochet my mind
The memory of the person still affects the artist's thoughts


Every winter in July
A meaningful month to the artist that may not make logical sense


Through the eyes of our old friends
Remembering the past through mutual friends


And my voice when I pretend
The artist uses their imagination to reconstruct the past


You're so far away but your memory remains
Reflecting on the separation of the person from the artist's life


In my brain, tucked under some painful things
The memory may be difficult to deal with


You're so far away but when someone drops your name
The memory of the person can be triggered by others mentioning them


You come pourin' through my veins
The physical manifestation of the strong emotional impact of the memory


Like that Hollywood cocaine
A metaphorical reference to the addictive nature of the memory


You still come up over coffee
The memory of the person affects the artist during everyday moments


Only sorry that I ain't sorry
The artist has conflicting emotions about the memory


Kumbaya, both livin' in pieces, pieces
A reference to the song 'Kumbaya' and a shared experience of brokenness or pain


Half your heart, go stay with me, yeah, me, yeah
The artist wishes to hold onto a part of the other person and their past relationship


Kumbaya, both livin' in pieces, pieces
Continuing the reference to shared brokenness or pain


And half your heart, go stay with me, yeah, me, yeah
Repeating the desire to keep a part of the other person




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ajay Bhattacharyya, Bibi Bourelly, Jacob Akinoso, Ryan Vojtesak

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@mirelagrad882

Intro: Bibi Bourelly]
Eh, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah



[Verse 1: Bibi Bourelly]
The summer of '09
Back where, lovers love divine
I still remember you there on my window
Your hair blowing in the sky
We've grown up since then
You visit through my pen and through my tears
And I recall what we once were

[Verse 2: Jacob Banks]
If paper planes could fly we would never hit the ground
Used to ricochet my mind, every winter in July
We've grown up since then
You visit through my pen
Through the eyes of our old friends
And my voice when I pretend

[Chorus: Jacob Banks & Bibi Bourelly]
Kumbaya, we're both livin' in pieces, pieces
Have your heart, go stay with [?]
Kumbaya, we're both livin' in pieces, pieces
Have your heart, go stay with [?]

[Verse 3: Jacob Banks & Bibi Bourelly]
You're so far away, but your memory remains
In my brain, tucked under some painful things
You're so far away but when someone drops your name
You come pourin' through my veins
Like that Hollywood cocaine

[Chorus: Jacob Banks & Bibi Bourelly]
Kumbaya, we're both livin' in pieces, pieces
Have your heart, go stay with [?]
Kumbaya, we're both livin' in pieces, pieces
Have your heart, go stay with [?]

[Bridge: Jacob Banks]
You still come up over coffee
Only sorry that I ain't sorry

[Chorus: Jacob Banks & Bibi Bourelly]
Kumbaya, we're both livin' in pieces, pieces
Have your heart, go stay with [?]
Kumbaya, we're both livin' in pieces, pieces
Have your heart, go stay with [?]



All comments from YouTube:

@ibrahimmubarak9035

“Your so far away but your memories remain,in my brain..tucked under some painful things” my favorite bit

@lisali8174

"You're so far away but when someone drops your name
You come pouring through my veins
Like that Hollywood cocaine" - love this words so much💔

@pablocarrasco7527

During a time when music has become so industry its good to hear some pure soul and musical talent again.

@akcnt124

my wife and I broke up and I heard your song... damn thank you for that joint! It gives me so much power to stay strong for our daughters!

@YaheemHaMelek

Yoo Patrick, how long you been married for?

@akcnt124

Only for 3 Years! I didn't see it coming!

@TeeTeeAO

Patrick Wiebe stay strong man!

@chrylmarthrel1173

Stay strong, Jacob Banks is my wake up songs

@Aaronlew1s

read your comment just now and i hope everythin' went halfway as it supposed to be for you....take care

@Tony_254

In a time when everyone thinks they can sing, you stumble upon such a piece...smooth

More Comments

More Versions