Audra Mae is an American singer-songwriter from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Sh… Read Full Bio ↴Audra Mae is an American singer-songwriter from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She released her debut album 'The Happiest Lamb' in 2010.

Mae was born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The oldest of six children, and brought up in music theatre, she left home at 18 to pursue a career in recording music. Audra tried College outside of Nashville, TN for a year. However, after realizing she spent little time in class and, instead, wrote songs all day, Audra Mae decided to move to Los Angeles. Two years after arriving in LA, and playing live shows, Audra Mae earned a deal with Warner Chappell Publishing. She has now lived in Los Angeles for five years and in November of 08 her cover of Bob Dylan's Forever Young was featured on the FX series Sons of Anarchy. Audra Mae's new EP is an introduction to the artist and showcases her ability to create and interpret genuinely infectious melodies and lyrics giving the listener a true sense of Audra's perspective on her experiences.

http://www.myspace.com/audramae

Smoke
Audra Mae Lyrics

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Fire on the hill.
Blood on the ground.
Not what you see
On the good side of town.
Not what you'd think.
Gone in a blink of an eye.
Did he know?

Silent and still,
His broken prayer
Falls from his lips,
Vanishing in thin air.
Falls to his knees,
Breathing his sweet lullaby.
And he knows

But could he tell?
Stuck like a horse
On a carousel.
All of the plans
That he made himself
May as well be smoke.

What’s left undone
Pours from his side.
Soul fades away
As an ambulance cries.
So close to home.
There all alone in the dark
And he knows

Last night,
Somebody’s baby,

Last night.
Somebody’s baby died.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Audra Mae's song "Smoke" paint a picture of tragedy in a seemingly perfect world. The opening lines, "Fire on the hill. Blood on the ground. Not what you see on the good side of town," suggest that something terrible has happened but it is not the typical image of a crime or violence that we may associate with certain areas. The next lines, "Not what you'd think. Gone in a blink of an eye," further emphasize the suddenness and unpredictability of this tragedy.

The second verse shifts focus to the individual affected by this tragedy. We see him in a moment of silent prayer or contemplation, "His broken prayer falls from his lips, vanishing in thin air." The image of him falling to his knees and breathing his own "sweet lullaby" suggests a sense of resignation or acceptance, as if he knows something that we, the listeners, do not.

The final verse reveals the heartbreaking reality: "Last night, somebody's baby died." The line, "All of the plans that he made himself may as well be smoke" emphasizes the senselessness of the tragedy and the futility of any plans or dreams that the victim may have had. The lyrics overall paint a powerful and emotional portrait of loss, grief, and the fragility of life.

Line by Line Meaning

Fire on the hill.
There is a fire on the hill, indicating something is burning.

Blood on the ground.
Blood has been spilt on the ground, possibly implying violence or tragedy.

Not what you see On the good side of town.
The event is not what one would expect to happen in a so-called good neighborhood or well-to-do area.

Not what you'd think.
The situation is unexpected and contrary to what one might assume.

Gone in a blink of an eye.
Whatever has occurred has happened very quickly, in an instant.

Did he know?
It is unclear if the person involved in the event had any knowledge of what was happening or about to happen.

Silent and still, His broken prayer Falls from his lips, Vanishing in thin air.
The person involved is quiet and still, and they may be praying or uttering some kind of statement, but it is unclear if anyone can hear it or if it has any effect.

Falls to his knees, Breathing his sweet lullaby. And he knows
The person falls to their knees, perhaps in pain or grief, and is essentially singing a comforting song to themselves. They seem to be aware of their fate or what has happened.

But could he tell? Stuck like a horse On a carousel.
Despite their knowledge or intuition, the person may be helpless or unable to affect the situation, feeling trapped and encumbered like a horse on a carousel.

All of the plans That he made himself May as well be smoke.
The person's plans or aspirations no longer matter or have dissolved into thin air like smoke, possibly indicating a sense of futility or defeat.

What’s left undone Pours from his side. Soul fades away As an ambulance cries.
Whatever is left of the person is quickly leaving their body or pouring out of them, while the sounds of an approaching ambulance or other emergency services are heard in the background.

So close to home. There all alone in the dark And he knows
The tragedy or event happened very close to where the person lived or normally frequented, and now they are alone in the dark, perhaps in isolation or despair. They are still aware of what is happening or what has happened.

Last night, Somebody’s baby, Last night. Somebody’s baby died.
The final lines suggest that the person involved may have been a young or innocent individual who tragically lost their life.

Contributed by Bentley V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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