Exs & Ohs was created by Elle King in collaboration with Dave Bassett. The song draws from Elle Kings personal experiences, reflecting on her past relationships and how they continue to haunt her, using a metaphor of ghosts to describe her ex-lovers. The lyrics play with the idea that despite ex-lovers wanting to come back, they never want to stay, creating a cycle of Exs & Ohs.
Well, I had me a boy, turned him into a man I showed him all the things that he didn't understand Whoa, and then I let him go Now, there's one in California who's been cursing my name 'Cause I found me a better lover in the UK Hey, until I made my getaway
One, two, three, they gonna run back to me 'Cause I'm the best baby that they never gotta keep They always wanna come, but they never wanna leave
Ex's and the oh, oh, oh's they haunt me Like gho-o-osts they want me to make 'em all They won't let go Ex's and oh's
I had a summer lover down in New Orleans Kept him warm in the winter, left him frozen in the spring My, my, how the seasons go by I get high, and I love to get low So the hearts keep breaking, and the heads just roll You know that's how the story goes
One, two, three, they gonna run back to me 'Cause I'm the best baby that they never gotta keep One, two, three, they gonna run back to me They always wanna come, but they never wanna leave
Ex's and the oh, oh, oh's they haunt me Like gho-o-osts they want me to make 'em all They won't let go My ex's and the oh, oh, oh's they haunt me Like gho-o-osts they want me to make 'em all They won't let go Ex's and oh's
One, two, three, they gonna run back to me Climbing over mountains and sailing over seas One, two, three, they gonna run back to me They always wanna come, but they never wanna leave My ex's and the oh, oh, oh's they haunt me Like gho-o-osts they want me to make 'em all They won't let go
Ex's and the oh, oh, oh's they haunt me Like gho-o-osts they want me to make 'em all They won't let go Ex's and oh's