Badge And Gun
John Mayer Lyrics
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Give me the road that I may run
Give me that peaceful, wandering free I used to know
I've waited all I can
But I'm just not a patient man
And I've been hiding here for seven months or so
Hand me down my golden hat
You never know how long I'll be away
Give me my badge and gun
Give me the songs that I once sung
Give me those jet-black, kick-back, lay down nights alone
This house is safe and warm
But I was made to chase the storm
Taking the whole world on with big ole' empty arms
Tell my friends I tried my best
That one day I just up and left
They probably saw it coming anyway
What can I say
Hey, hey
The lock is on the cellar door
I can't remember what it's for
I ain't been down those stairs in oh so long
So, so long
Give my badge and gun
Give me the road that I may run
Give me that peaceful, wandering free I used to know
A copy of your key is hanging where it used to be
Good as you've always been to me
The life I need to lead
Is somewhere out there, callin' over those hills
In John Mayer's song "Badge and Gun," he sings about his desire to leave behind the safety and comfort of his home and return to the life he once knew. He yearns for the freedom he used to have when he could wander the world without a care in the world. He feels trapped and unable to wait any longer for his chance to break free. He's not one for patience and has been hiding for months. He implores listeners to give him his badge and gun so that he can hit the road and run towards the life he was meant to lead.
Mayer's lyrics are incredibly rich with imagery and symbolism. When he talks about his golden hat and the winter one, it can be interpreted as him wanting to be prepared for whatever comes his way. His desire for his badge and gun can represent his need for protection and the feeling of safety that comes with it. The peaceful, wandering free life he used to lead is something he longs for and is willing to risk it all to find again. He acknowledges that his friends may not be surprised by his departure but still wants to let them know he gave it his best shot.
The lock on the cellar door and his inability to recall why it's there suggest that he's been confined and trapped for far too long. He wants to break free and chase the storm, even if it means facing the world with empty arms. His desire for the life he needs to lead is so strong that he has left a copy of his key in plain sight, ready to go when he is. Overall, "Badge and Gun" tells a story of a man who has been confined for far too long, yearning for the freedom he once knew and willing to risk it all to find it.
Line by Line Meaning
Give my badge and gun
I want to be a law enforcement officer, with all the power and authority that comes with it
Give me the road that I may run
I want the freedom to go where I please, without anyone telling me what to do
Give me that peaceful, wandering free I used to know
I want to escape from the stresses of everyday life and find the inner peace I once had
I've waited all I can
I have been patient for as long as I can, but now I need to act
But I'm just not a patient man
I am an impatient person by nature
And I've been hiding here for seven months or so
I have been in hiding for a long time, waiting for the right moment to make my move
Hand me down my golden hat
I want to wear my best clothes and look my best before I leave
And grab the winter one at that
I also need to be prepared for harsh weather conditions
You never know how long I'll be away
I don't know how long it will take me to achieve my goals, so I need to be ready for anything
Give me the songs that I once sung
I want to remember the good times and the music that inspired me
Give me those jet-black, kick-back, lay down nights alone
I want to go back to the days when I could relax and be by myself, without any pressures from the outside world
This house is safe and warm
I have a comfortable life, but it's not enough for me
But I was made to chase the storm
I am a risk-taker and thrive on the excitement and danger that comes with it
Taking the whole world on with big ole' empty arms
I am ready to take on the world, even if I have nothing to lose
Tell my friends I tried my best
I want people to know that I did everything I could to make things right
That one day I just up and left
I left without saying goodbye, because I didn't want anyone to try and stop me
They probably saw it coming anyway
My friends likely knew that I was unhappy and looking for a change
What can I say
There's nothing I can do or say that will change my circumstances
The lock is on the cellar door
I have locked away my past and don't want to revisit it
I can't remember what it's for
I have blocked out the painful memories and don't want to think about them
I ain't been down those stairs in oh so long
I haven't looked back at my past in a long time
A copy of your key is hanging where it used to be
I have left behind a part of myself, but it's still there for me if I need it
Good as you've always been to me
I appreciate the things that used to make me happy, but they don't anymore
The life I need to lead
I have a destiny to fulfill and can't ignore it anymore
Is somewhere out there, callin' over those hills
My future is out there, and I need to go find it, even if it means leaving everything behind
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: JOHN CLAYTON MAYER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Shin Tuấn Thành
Give my badge and gun
Give me the road that I may run
Give me that peaceful, wandering free I used to know
I've waited all I can
But I'm just not a patient man
And I've been hiding here for seven months or so
Hand me down my golden hat
And grab the winter one at that
You never know how long I'll be away
Give me my badge and gun
Give me the songs that I once sung
Give me those jet-black, kick-back, lay down nights alone
This house is safe and warm
But I was made to chase the storm
Taking the whole world on with big ole' empty arms
Tell my friends I tried my best
That one day I just up and left
They probably saw it coming anyway
What can I say
Hey, hey
The lock is on the cellar door
I can't remember what it's for
I ain't been down those stairs in oh so long
So, so long
Give my badge and gun
Give me the road that I may run
Give me that peaceful, wandering free I used to know
A copy of your key is hanging where it used to be
Good as you've always been to me
The life I need to lead
Is somewhere out there, callin' over those hills
Fanny Torres
Give my badge and gun
Give me the road that I may run
Give me that peaceful, wandering free I used to know
I've waited all I can
But I'm just not a patient man
And I've been hiding here for seven months or so
Hand me down my coat and hat
grab the winter one at that
You never know how long I'll be away
Give me my badge and gun
Give me the songs that I once sung
Give me those jet-black, kick-back, lay down nights alone
This house is safe and warm
But I was made to chase the storm
Taking the whole world on with big ole' empty arms
Tell my friends I tried my best
That one day I just up and left
They probably saw it coming anyway
What can I say
Hey, hey
The lock is on the cellar door
I can't remember what it's for
I ain't been down those stairs in oh so long
So, so long
Give my badge and gun
Give me the road that I must run
Give me that peaceful, wandering free I used to know
A copy of your key is hanging where it used to be
Good as you've always been to me
The life I need to lead
Is somewhere out there, callin' over those hills
bishoy romani
One of his best Songs... So underrated even between john Fans
yarb
Easily one of my top 5 favorite songs he sings.
Josh Alicea
Sounds like somebody who found peace away from all the noise, has healed and wants to get back out in the noise with a healthy mindset.
Shin Tuấn Thành
Give my badge and gun
Give me the road that I may run
Give me that peaceful, wandering free I used to know
I've waited all I can
But I'm just not a patient man
And I've been hiding here for seven months or so
Hand me down my golden hat
And grab the winter one at that
You never know how long I'll be away
Give me my badge and gun
Give me the songs that I once sung
Give me those jet-black, kick-back, lay down nights alone
This house is safe and warm
But I was made to chase the storm
Taking the whole world on with big ole' empty arms
Tell my friends I tried my best
That one day I just up and left
They probably saw it coming anyway
What can I say
Hey, hey
The lock is on the cellar door
I can't remember what it's for
I ain't been down those stairs in oh so long
So, so long
Give my badge and gun
Give me the road that I may run
Give me that peaceful, wandering free I used to know
A copy of your key is hanging where it used to be
Good as you've always been to me
The life I need to lead
Is somewhere out there, callin' over those hills
GG EZ
The line is “Coat and hat, grab the winter one at that”, not golden lol. Thanks for the lyrics!
Linh Tran
some love to John from Vietnam 🇻🇳
Nick Smart
This is an amazing song. Beautiful. I crave that freedom, too.
Jos Bouhuis
I love playing and listening to this song. It really plays into my feelings, especially with the lockdown right now
Chris
the life we need to lead is somewhere calling over those hills..
Kélyne Bezerra
I can't describe the place this song takes me. ♥️