Burn Card
The Barr Brothers Lyrics
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My worried mind, it leads to you
And thinkin' of you leads to nowhere but to the
Devil in the ocean blue
I ask the moon for orchids
She said "How 'bout a drop of blood from a rolling stone?"
She never fails to tickle my funny bone
How do you steal what you really want
When what you really want is free?
And how do you deal when you lost at the wheel
Only thinkin' how it 'oughta be?
Held my love for ransom, and posted a reward I cannot afford
A dynamite from the ceiling to the floor
Yeah from your one-eyed-jacks to your rolled up trips
I'll be gone when your pocket aces flip
And there ain't no river that needs a damn
Just a slow and steady drift
I'll be your burn card
Lost in the shuffle at the bottom of the deck, yeah
Tryin' to hide by the highway's low
And the low way's mine
You can burn me eternally
Out to the snow and the wind and the rain
And again and again and again and
I'm just leavin' a little worse than when I came
Trouble is as trouble does
When it's on a troubled mind
Reasons come and reasons will go
When the blind are followin' the blind
The coffin in that cradle
The daughter and the Holy Ghost in the same room
Me, I'm just makin' the dust fly with the broom
Yeah from your one-eyed-jacks to your rolled up trips
I'll be gone when your pocket aces flip
And there ain't no river that needs a damn
Just a slow and steady drift
I'll be your burn card
Lost in the shuffle at the bottom of the deck, yeah
Tryin' to hide where the aces are low
And the blinds are too high
You can burn me eternally
Out to the snow and the wind and the rain
And again and again and again and again and again
I'm just leavin' a little worse than when I came
The lyrics of "Burn Card" by The Barr Brothers explore themes of deception, loss and troubled feelings. The song starts off with the singer's mind being plagued with worries, which ultimately lead to thoughts of a woman who brings nothing but trouble, symbolised by the "devil in the ocean blue." The singer seeks reassurance from the moon, asking for orchids, but the response is a metaphorical one, suggesting that blood is the cost of getting what is desired, further adding to the idea that there are prices to be paid for achieving one's goals.
The chorus continues the theme of deception, using gambling metaphors to describe a situation where the singer is trying to gain something, but ends up being the one who loses. The idea of a burn card, a card that is placed face down on the table before the flop, adds to the feeling of being deceived and taken for granted. The bridge then touches on the idea that troubles follow one another and rarely go away completely, with even the Holy Ghost being present in the same room as the coffin, reminding the singer that death is ever-present. Ultimately, the song ends on a note of resignation, with the singer admitting that they will keep coming back to the same troubles, falling into the same traps, and feeling worse for it.
Line by Line Meaning
The trickin' leads to my worried mind
My deception has left me feeling anxious and uncertain
My worried mind, it leads to you
My anxiety and uncertainty cause me to think of you
And thinkin' of you leads to nowhere but to the Devil in the ocean blue
When I think of you, my thoughts are consumed by negative and harmful things
I ask the moon for orchids
I wish for something beautiful and unattainable
She said "How 'bout a drop of blood from a rolling stone?"
The moon suggests a dangerous and unstable alternative to my wish
She never fails to tickle my funny bone
Despite her dangerous suggestion, the moon still manages to amuse me
How do you steal what you really want
It is difficult to acquire something when it is already freely available
When what you really want is free?
What I desire is something that cannot be bought
And how do you deal when you lost at the wheel
I struggle to cope with the consequences of my actions
Only thinkin' how it 'oughta be?
I cannot help but lament over how things could have been different
Held my love for ransom, and posted a reward I cannot afford
My actions caused me to lose the love I held dear, and I cannot take it back
A dynamite from the ceiling to the floor
The damage I have caused is irreparable and far-reaching
Yeah from your one-eyed-jacks to your rolled up trips
I am familiar with your tactics and strategies
I'll be gone when your pocket aces flip
I will not stick around for your sudden moments of triumph
And there ain't no river that needs a damn
I am not concerned with any obstacles or barriers
Just a slow and steady drift
I am content with the slow and uneventful passage of time
I'll be your burn card
I am disposable and insignificant, like a low-value card in a deck
Lost in the shuffle at the bottom of the deck, yeah
I am easily overlooked and forgotten about
Tryin' to hide by the highway's low
I am attempting to avoid detection and stay out of sight
And the low way's mine
I am accustomed to living in obscurity and solitude
You can burn me eternally
You can dispose of me without any consequence or guilt
Out to the snow and the wind and the rain
My fate is uncertain, and it could be anything from isolation to destruction
And again and again and again and
Regardless of what happens to me, my cycle of suffering never ends
I'm just leavin' a little worse than when I came
I am constantly deteriorating, both physically and emotionally
Trouble is as trouble does
Just like how actions lead to consequences, trouble leads to more trouble
When it's on a troubled mind
When I am troubled, I tend to make things worse for myself
Reasons come and reasons will go
I can try to justify my actions, but they will not change what has happened
When the blind are followin' the blind
When people are ignorant and uninformed, they tend to make bad decisions
The coffin in that cradle
Death and new life are closely intertwined
The daughter and the Holy Ghost in the same room
Spiritual and emotional forces can coexist in the same space
Me, I'm just makin' the dust fly with the broom
I am a mundane and unimportant presence, cleaning up a mess
Tryin' to hide where the aces are low
I am attempting to avoid situations where I am vulnerable and powerless
And the blinds are too high
I am unable to see the entire picture and make informed decisions
Writer(s): Andrew Barr, Philip Barr
Contributed by Juliana E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.