Bradbury grew up in New Jersey with an early interest in performing, partly because of his mother’s career as a circus clown. At the age of 7, he felt certain that he would either become a songwriter or a cartoonist. He learned to play guitar as a vessel to tell his stories -- and because his handwriting and grammar steered him away from being a novelist. By the age of 18, he’d discovered Bob Dylan, Jack Kerouac, and Paul Simon, and decided to hit the road.
At 25, he moved from Charlottesville, Virginia, to Nashville, to try making it as a songwriter. For three months, he slept in his car in a Walmart parking lot, and developed a local following by playing open mic nights. With a handful of self-funded EPs and albums, Bradbury steadily cultivated a national audience by touring constantly. Produced by Kenneth Pattengale of the Milk Carton Kids, Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs is Bradbury’s first release for ANTI- Records.
True Love
Darrin Bradbury Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crudely born from jugs, far to willing to explode
We weren't trying to get high
We were just trying to clean the kitchen
Struck the right combination
Yeah and up there you go
Cause true love
True love
You're 62 at 23
And true love
Will always start off burning kinda sweet
Oh oh oh
Cause baby i need you like i need a needle in my arm
We've been calling it a good time but its the farthest thing from fun
Well i follow the track marks up your veins and through the blood
Now I'm sitting here wishing that i ain't never touched that stuff
Cause true love
Is gonna make you lose some teeth
True love
You're 62 at 23
And true love
Will always start off burning kinda sweet
Oh oh oh
How i wish i could get back to when
Love was just a toke of something green like your eyes
Honey and gold like your hair
And we could always laugh even when there was no joke
We'd lie lazy around like cats never going anywhere
Cause true love
Is gonna make you lose some teeth
True love
You're 62 at 23
And true love
Will always start off burning kinda sweet
Oh oh oh
So sweet
Oh oh oh
Just like meth
Oh oh oh
Or your sister's homemade brownies
Which also smell like meth
The lyrics of this song 'True Love' by Darrin Bradbury paint a picture of a love that is intense and explosive, born from makeshift materials and far too eager to cause damage. Bradbury likens this love to a meth lab in someone's basement, a dangerously volatile and chaotic situation. Instead of getting high, they were just trying to clean the kitchen, but somehow, they managed to create something that sparked and exploded. It is said that true love will make you lose some teeth, and it seems this statement applies to this situation where the love the singer is referring to is not safe, and it leads to undesirable outcomes.
The singer further symbolizes that he needs his lover like a needle in his arm, and in the process, he has lost himself to this love. The love that they thought was bringing joy and happiness feels like a bad trip. The singer bemoans that love should have been like a toke of green or a joke, but now it has turned into something dangerous like the homemade meth or the sister's brownies that smell like meth. Overall, the song is a commentary on the dangers of intense love and the consequences of maintaining such a destructive relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Our love is like the meth lab in your mother's basement
Our love is crude and dangerous, born from reckless behavior and prone to explode.
We weren't trying to get high
Our love wasn't intended to be harmful or cause us any damage.
We were just trying to clean the kitchen
We were using love as a distraction or coping mechanism for our problems.
Struck the right combination
Our love happened by chance and was successful because of a particular set of circumstances.
Yeah and up there you go
Our love is like a volatile substance that can easily spiral out of control.
Cause true love
Is gonna make you lose some teeth
True love may cause us physical or emotional pain and damage.
True love
You're 62 at 23
True love can age us prematurely or cause us to feel worn out and hopeless.
And true love
Will always start off burning kinda sweet
True love may initially feel intoxicating and delightful before revealing its harsher side.
Oh oh oh
Cause baby i need you like i need a needle in my arm
Our love is as addictive and dangerous as a drug.
We've been calling it a good time but its the farthest thing from fun
We've been mistaking our unhealthy relationship for a source of pleasure and happiness.
Well i follow the track marks up your veins and through the blood
I've been blindly following you into danger and addiction, even though it's hurting me.
Now I'm sitting here wishing that i ain't never touched that stuff
Now that I see the real impact of our love, I regret ever getting involved.
How i wish i could get back to when
Love was just a toke of something green like your eyes
I wish I could go back to when love was pure and innocent, like the way I used to see you.
Honey and gold like your hair
My perception of you was once warm and precious, like the colors of honey and gold.
And we could always laugh even when there was no joke
Our love used to be effortless and joyful, even in moments of silence or boredom.
We'd lie lazy around like cats never going anywhere
Our love used to feel like a peaceful sanctuary, where we could rest and be content with each other.
So sweet
Oh oh oh
Just like meth
Oh oh oh
Or your sister's homemade brownies
Which also smell like meth
Our love is just as addictive and dangerous as drugs or homemade substances, and even harmless things in our lives are now tainted by the toxicity of our relationship.
Contributed by Adalyn B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
john lamont
I stumbled onto this song and artist and im kind of blown away. Cool song Cool voice and very cool guitar.
ligairi
Wow. That took me off guard.