BURNING UP
Adam Linder Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's the happiest day of the year
And I'm still alive
But I don't know how
And I couldn't tell you why
For the first time in a long time
I can finally say that I'm glad
To be breathing and feeling
Tonight made the world not seem as bad

This is the story
Of half a year of my life in a nutshell
Though it's badly cracked, I am still intact
And I've been healing well
This is a warning
A reminder of just how cold it can get
My fear of regret
If I ever let this happen again

I was waking up
And cursing the hands on my clock
And I was breaking up
My nights are so bland and my days taste like chalk
And I was burning up
I thought I might freeze; I was down on my knees in surrender
But now I am fixing up
I've put it the effort, and now I feel better than ever

I was burning up
I thought I might freeze; I was down on my knees in surrender
Now I'm all fixed up
And I swear I am better than ever
I swear I am better than ever
But I never stay better forever

But this just wouldn't feel right
Without a song of hope
And I'll be damned
If I end on a minor note
And in four more bars
This will all end where it began




These white boy blues
And this clichéd guitar in my hand

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Adam Linder's song "Burning Up" are a testament to the struggles of life and the ability to overcome them. The song begins with the declaration that it is the happiest day of the year, and despite that, the singer is still grappling with the fact of being alive. The lyrics reveal that the singer has been through a lot in the past six months, and though they feel cracked, they are still intact and healing well. Through the lyrics, we sense a warning about how cold life can get, and the fear of regret if things go wrong again.


The second verse introduces the singer's struggle with waking up and cursing the hands on the clock. They are breaking up and feel as though their days are filled with monotony. However, the chorus declares that despite being down on their knees in surrender, the singer has put in the effort and is now feeling better than ever before. The song ends on a note of hope, with the singer saying that they will not end on a minor note and that the white boy blues and cliched guitar will continue where they began.


The lyrics to Burning Up are powerful for their honesty, vulnerability, and their message of hope. They capture the emotional ebb and flow of life, with all its pain, struggles, and the enduring moments of joy.


Line by Line Meaning

It's the happiest day of the year
Despite my past struggles, I've arrived at a point in my life where I can feel genuine joy.


And I'm still alive
Despite the hardships I've faced, I've managed to survive.


But I don't know how
I'm not exactly sure how I've managed to make it this far, but I'm grateful nonetheless.


And I couldn't tell you why
I can't really explain what's led me to this point, but I'm choosing to embrace the positivity nonetheless.


For the first time in a long time
After battling through a difficult period, I'm finally able to experience happiness again.


I can finally say that I'm glad
I'm able to express my genuine sense of contentment with the way things are going in my life.


To be breathing and feeling
I'm grateful for the simple things in life, such as being able to breathe and feel emotions.


Tonight made the world not seem as bad
I've had an uplifting experience that has helped me see the world in a more positive light.


This is the story
What I'm sharing is a condensed version of the past six months of my life.


Of half a year of my life in a nutshell
I'm summing up a significant portion of my life in just a few lines.


Though it's badly cracked, I am still intact
Despite facing challenges and struggles, I've managed to hold myself together.


And I've been healing well
I've had time to recover and mend from any emotional wounds I've suffered.


This is a warning
I'm sharing my personal experience as a cautionary tale.


A reminder of just how cold it can get
Life can be difficult and cutthroat at times.


My fear of regret
I'm afraid of making a mistake I'll regret later on.


If I ever let this happen again
I'm warning myself to avoid situations that could lead to negative outcomes in the future.


I was waking up
I was struggling with starting each new day.


And cursing the hands on my clock
I was agitated by the idea of time slipping away from me.


And I was breaking up
I was dealing with a broken heart or relationship.


My nights are so bland and my days taste like chalk
My life had become monotonous and lacked excitement or flavor.


I thought I might freeze; I was down on my knees in surrender
I'd hit rock bottom and felt like there was nowhere left to go.


But now I am fixing up
I'm in the process of healing and recovering from my difficult past.


I've put it the effort, and now I feel better than ever
I've made strides in my personal growth and mental health, and am currently feeling more positive than I have in a while.


Now I'm all fixed up
I've come a long way in my journey to overcome my difficult past.


And I swear I am better than ever
I'm giving my word that I've come a long way and am feeling more positive than ever before.


But I never stay better forever
I understand that life is full of ups and downs and that there may be more challenges to come.


But this just wouldn't feel right
As I wrap up my story, I feel compelled to share a message of hope.


Without a song of hope
I feel like sharing a positive message is an important part of my story and message.


And I'll be damned
I feel quite strongly that I want to end on a high note and not a low one.


If I end on a minor note
I don't want to leave things on a negative or sad note.


And in four more bars
In just a few more lines, my story will come to a close.


This will all end where it began
My story ultimately comes full circle and I'm finally able to embrace positivity once again.


These white boy blues
This story I've shared is a common one that many people can relate to.


And this clichéd guitar in my hand
This is me sharing my story through music, something that so many people can connect with and relate to.




Contributed by Nolan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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