Radio XVII, side B, track 6: “Wild World” by Maxi Priest

Oh, Maxi Priest, good for you.  It’s not easy to take the high road when the one you love decides they want to move on to something and/or someone new.  This is probably one of the most stoic break-up songs out there.  Sure, you might be able to read a little passive-aggressiveness going on, the whole, “Hey, I just want you to be happy, but just a heads-up, pretty single girls who break up with their boyfriends get killed out in the big wide world.  Just sayin’.  But I just want you to be happy.  Really.”  I may be reading too much into it, Maxi Priest.  But my favorite line is “But if you want to leave, take good care.  Hope you find a lotta nice things to wear.”  That is stoic break-up all over the place.  You’re trying to be all adult about it, you’re standing by the door with her, she’s about to leave, both of your eyes glistening with the pain of love moved on, and you’re trying to be a man about it and you say “Take good care”.  And that should be where you leave it.  But then you blurt out “Hope you find a lotta nice things to wear.”  So long, dignity.  If you could have just kept your mouth shut after “Take good care”, right, Maxi Priest?  But if you keep talking, maybe she won’t leave.  Except she’s still gonna leave, and the last words you’ll say to her are about clothes shopping.  Smooth move.  Well, at least the song’s great. . .

“Wild World”

Don’t go

Don’t go

Please stay

Now that I’ve lost everything to you
You say you wanna start something new
And it’s breakin’ my heart you leavin’
Baby, I’m grievin’

But if you wanna leave, take good care
Hope you find a lotta nice things to wear

Then a lotta nice things turn bad out there

Oh, baby, baby, it’s a wild world

It’s hard to get by just upon a smile, girl

Oh, baby, baby, it’s a wild world

I’ll always remember you
Like a child, girl

You know I’ve seen a lot of what the world can do
And it’s breakin’ my heart in two
Because I never wanna see you sad, girl
Don’t be a bad girl
But if you wanna leave, take good care
Hope you find a lotta nice friends out there
But just remember there’s a lot of bad everywhere

Oh, baby, baby, it’s a wild world

It’s hard to get by just upon a smile, girl

Oh, baby, baby, it’s a wild world

I’ll always remember you
Like a child, girl

<awesome Maxi Priest jam>

You know I’ve seen a lot of what the world can do
And it’s breakin’ my heart in two
‘Cause I never wanna see you sad, girl
Don’t be a bad girl
But if you wanna leave, take good care
Hope you find a lotta nice things to wear

Then a lotta nice things turn bad out there

Oh, baby, baby, it’s a wild world

It’s hard to get by just upon a smile, girl

Oh, baby, baby, it’s a wild world

I’ll always remember you
Like a child, girl

Oh, baby, baby, it’s a wild world

It’s hard to get by just upon a smile, girl

Oh, baby, baby, it’s a wild world