Poor Man's Son
Black Water Bride Lyrics
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And I'm spilling my guts to my fans
Don't wanna be somethin' you see
On the cover of some rag magazine
I tell myself I don't need your help
And I leave my dreams on that very top shelf
You call me lazy
Maybe I'm crazy
Well I've been down, I'm on the run
I've been raised a poor man's only son
Feeling like I'm never good enough
Paved my road with sweat and not just luck
Well I'm thirty-five
And it's do or die
And I'm leavin' all this bullshit behind
Out on the road
Sell or be sold
And I'm trading all this applause for my soul
No compromise and no more lies
And I've got some words here for the wise
Don't live your life through someone's eyes
When they can take you or leave you on the roadside
Well I've been down, I'm on the run
I've been raised a poor man's only son
Feeling like I'm never good enough
Paved my road with sweat and not just luck
Well I've been down, I'm on the run
I've been raised a poor man's only son
Feeling like I'm never good enough
Paved my road with sweat and not just luck
The lyrics of Poor Man's Son by Black Water Bride describe the struggles of a musician who has been trying to make it big for a long time but hasn't been successful yet. The musician is drunk and pouring their heart out to their fans, but they don't want to be a celebrity who is just a cover story for some tabloid magazine. The lyrics reflect the frustration of an artist who has been working hard but has not received the recognition they deserve. The artist tells themselves that they don't need anyone's help and keep their dreams on the top shelf, implying that they are not willing to compromise their artistic integrity for the sake of fame.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the artist's struggle as a poor man's son who has paved their road with sweat, not luck. They feel like they are never good enough and always have to work extra hard to make it in the industry. The artist's age has also become a factor, as they are thirty-five and feel like it's a now or never situation. They are leaving behind all the bullshit and fake applause and selling their soul to pursue their true passion. The artist advises the wise not to live their lives through someone's eyes and to choose their own path in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh here I am three sheets again
I'm drunk again and not in control
And I'm spilling my guts to my fans
I'm sharing vulnerable things with my fans
Don't wanna be somethin' you see
I don't want to be seen as something I'm not
On the cover of some rag magazine
On the cover of some cheap magazine
I tell myself I don't need your help
I convince myself I don't need your help
And I leave my dreams on that very top shelf
And I leave my dreams untouched and unfulfilled
You call me lazy
You accuse me of being lazy
Maybe I'm crazy
Maybe I am crazy for pursuing my dreams
But your condescending words never phase me cuz...
But your insulting words never affect me because...
Well I've been down, I'm on the run
I have experienced hardship and am currently evading it
I've been raised a poor man's only son
I was raised in poverty as the only child
Feeling like I'm never good enough
Feeling like I can never measure up
Paved my road with sweat and not just luck
I achieved success through hard work, not just luck
And it's do or die
This is my make or break moment
And I'm leavin' all this bullshit behind
I'm leaving behind all the unnecessary stuff
Out on the road
Traveling far from home
Sell or be sold
Succeed or fail, there's no in-between
And I'm trading all this applause for my soul
I'm giving up fame for my self-respect
No compromise and no more lies
No more compromising my integrity or lying to please others
And I've got some words here for the wise
And I have some advice for the smart ones
Don't live your life through someone's eyes
Don't live your life based on others' expectations
When they can take you or leave you on the roadside
When they can easily discard you and leave you behind
Contributed by Isabelle F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.