Using his own contacts in the record business, Shepherd's father and manager, Ken Shepherd, helped his son land a major-label record deal with Giant Records. In 1995, his debut album was entitled Ledbetter Heights and featured original material and a few covers.
He recently converted to Catholicism and overcame an addiction problem, and that's become a theme of his current work. He is married to Hannah Gibson, daughter of Actor Mel Gibson.
Discography:
1995 - Ledbetter Heights
1997 - Trouble Is...
1999 - Live On
2004 - The Place You're In
2007 - 10 Days out...Blues from the Backroads
2011 - How I Go
Everything Is Broken
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Broken threads, broken springs
Broken idols, broken heads
People sleeping in broken beds
Ain't no use jiving
Ain't no use joking
Everything is broken
Broken bottles, broken plates
Broken switches, broken gates
Broken dishes, broken parts
Streets are filled with broken hearts
Broken words never meant to be spoken
Everything is broken
Seem like every time you stop and turn around
Something else just hit the ground
Broken cutters, broken saws
Broken buckles, broken laws
Broken bodies, broken bones
Broken voices on broken phones
Take a deep breath, feel like you're chokin'
Everything is broken
Every time you leave and go off someplace
Things fall to pieces in my face
Broken hands on broken ploughs
Broken treaties, broken vows
Broken pipes, broken tools
People bending broken rules
Hound dog howling, bull frog croaking
Everything is broken
The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band's song "Everything Is Broken" paints a poignant picture of a world that is falling apart at the seams. The opening lines of the song set the tone, as we are presented with a long list of broken items and objects, ranging from broken strings and springs to broken beds and hearts. The repetition of the word 'broken' underscores the pervasive sense of despair that seems to permeate the world around us.
Despite the apparent chaos and sadness of the world, the song suggests that life goes on, and there is no point in pretending otherwise. The refrain 'Ain't no use jiving, ain't no use joking' seems to suggest that there is no point in trying to make light of what's happening, nor is there any benefit in pretending that everything is okay when it is clearly not.
The song is a powerful commentary on the fragility of life and the sense of helplessness that can arise in the face of a society in disarray. However, it also contains a glimmer of hope, as the song suggests that people are still finding ways to move forward despite the obstacles in their path. It is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, we still have the power to find a way through.
Line by Line Meaning
Broken lines, broken strings
Things that were once together or whole are now split apart and in disrepair
Broken threads, broken springs
Even the basic pieces that hold things together are falling apart
Broken idols, broken heads
Things or people once admired and respected are now damaged or flawed
People sleeping in broken beds
The things we rely on for comfort and rest are no longer providing us with what we need
Ain't no use jiving
There's no point in pretending everything is fine
Ain't no use joking
There's no value in making light of the problems we're facing
Everything is broken
The singer is emphasizing that everything around them is in a state of disrepair
Broken bottles, broken plates
Even the objects we use in our daily lives are damaged and falling apart
Broken switches, broken gates
Even the things that are meant to protect us are no longer working
Broken dishes, broken parts
The things that used to function properly are now unable to perform their intended tasks
Streets are filled with broken hearts
The brokenness extends beyond the physical world and into the emotional realm
Broken words never meant to be spoken
Words hurt and damage relationships, and are sometimes spoken impulsively and without forethought
Seem like every time you stop and turn around
It feels like things are falling apart faster than we can keep up with them
Something else just hit the ground
Every time we look away, something else is breaking or falling apart
Broken cutters, broken saws
Even the tools we use to fix things are breaking
Broken buckles, broken laws
The very systems and structures that we rely on to keep us safe and functioning are faltering
Broken bodies, broken bones
We ourselves are subject to the same breakages as the things around us
Broken voices on broken phones
Even our methods of communication are no longer dependable
Take a deep breath, feel like you're chokin'
The stress and anxiety of everything falling apart can be overwhelming
Every time you leave and go off someplace
When things seem to be going well, leaving can cause everything to fall apart
Things fall to pieces in my face
The singer is struggling to keep everything together, and things constantly seem to go wrong
Broken hands on broken ploughs
Even the work we do is challenging and difficult, leading to failure
Broken treaties, broken vows
Even promises and commitments are no longer kept
Broken pipes, broken tools
Even the basic infrastructure we rely on is no longer working
People bending broken rules
When the system no longer works, people start to break the rules to try and survive
Hound dog howling, bull frog croaking
Even the natural world seems to be in discord with itself
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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