Miguel – Leaves Lyrics

Miguel – Leaves Lyrics

Leaves Lyrics by Miguel

In “Leaves,” his girlfriend broke up with, and therefore left (a pun perhaps?), him. He’s mourning because it was unexpected for him. He compares this break up to the Winter and the time they were in love to the Summer.

Between those seasons, there’s Fall – when the leaves on trees usually change colors. As he lives in California and the leaves on the palm trees are green all year round, he never saw this Winter/break up coming.

Fun fact: Because the lead guitar riff of “Leaves” is similar to The Smashing Pumpkins’ 1979, Billy Corgan has a co-writing credit. After realizing the heavy similarities, Miguel contacted Corgan before releasing the song.

[Verse 1]
The leaves, they don’t change here
The leaves don’t change here, so I never saw it coming
Winter hit me, Hiroshima, where did the sun go?
Just the cruel rain pouring, you say that it’s over
How could it be over, when I never saw it coming?

[Chorus]
Sweet California, sour California
Sweet California, bitter California
Sweet California
I should’ve known better, I should’ve known better
Cause the leaves don’t change here

[Verse 2]
Heart caught in a riptide, cold Pacific waters
Keep on pulling me under, drowning in my sorrows
Eager waves keep on crashing, you say that it’s over
How could it be over? I never saw it coming

[Chorus]
Sweet California, sour California
Sweet California, bitter California
Sweet California
I should’ve known better, I should’ve known better
The leaves, they don’t change here

[Verse 3]
You know I’m from here, I never saw it coming
Where did the summer go, when you loved me?
Where did the summer go, when you loved me?
You say it’s over now, how could it be over?
I never saw it coming

[Chorus]
Sweet California, sour California
Sweet California, bitter California
Sweet California, oh, I should’ve known better
Should’ve known better
The leaves, they don’t change here