Buddy Miller is a country singer, songwriter, recording artist and producer… Read Full Bio ↴Buddy Miller is a country singer, songwriter, recording artist and producer, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. Miller is married to and has recorded with singer/songwriter Julie Miller.

Miller formed the Buddy Miller Band, which included singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin on vocals and guitar.

In addition to releasing several solo albums over the years, Miller has toured as lead guitarist/backing vocalist for Emmylou Harris's Spyboy band, Steve Earle on his El Corazon tour, and Linda Ronstadt. He co-produced and performed on Jimmie Dale Gilmore's 2000 album Endless Night. He has also appeared on several albums by songwriter/singer Lucinda Williams.

At the 4th Annual Americana Music Association Honors & Awards, the Ryman Auditorium September 2005, Miller received the Album of the Year Award for his Universal United House of Prayer, and the opening cut of that album, Worry Too Much (penned by Mark Heard, and originally released on Second Hand), won the Song of the Year Award.

Does My Ring Burn Your Finger
Buddy Miller Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I gave you my heart
It was not what you wanted
Now the walls say your name
And the pictures are haunted
Does my ring burn your finger?
Did my love weigh you down?
Was a promise too much to keep around?

I remember your words and I can't keep from cryin'
I could never believe that your kisses were lyin'
Was there somethin' from the past
Buried in a shallow grave?
Did you think that it was too far gone to save?

Please tell me baby
Please tell me now
You say that I should just go on
Now please tell me how

Now it's just me and the night and I'm so brokenhearted
I just wait in the dark here for my dearly departed
Did my ring burn your finger?

Did my love weigh you down?
Was a promise too much to keep around?

Overall Meaning

In Buddy Miller's song, "Does My Ring Burn Your Finger," the singer is reflecting on a failed relationship where they gave their heart to the other person, but it was not what they wanted. The walls of the singer's house still say the other person's name, and the pictures are haunted by their memories. The singer questions if their love was too much to handle, asking if their ring burns the other person's finger and if their love weighed them down. They wonder if there was something from the past that was too difficult to overcome or if the promise of their love was too much to keep around. Regardless of the reason, the singer is heartbroken and waiting in the dark for the person that they loved and lost.

The lyrics of this song are easy to relate to for anyone who has experienced heartbreak in a relationship. The lyrics are raw and emotional and explore the intense pain of loving someone with your whole heart, only to have that love rejected. The haunting imagery in the song creates a sense of melancholy as the singer reflects on their lost love. The simple chords and melancholic melody of the song complement the emotions in the lyrics, making it all the more powerful.

Line by Line Meaning

When I gave you my heart
When I opened up and gave you my heart

It was not what you wanted
Which wasn't what you desired

Now the walls say your name
The walls echo your name

And the pictures are haunted
Pictures remind me of memories we had

Does my ring burn your finger?
Is my ring still burning your finger?

Did my love weigh you down?
Was my love too much for you to handle?

Was a promise too much to keep around?
Couldn't you keep your promise?

I remember your words and I can't keep from cryin'
I recollect your words and it makes me cry

I could never believe that your kisses were lyin'
I never imagined that you could lie in your kisses

Was there somethin' from the past
Was there something in your past

Buried in a shallow grave?
Suppressed or hidden in your mind?