Blowin' Smoke
Kacey Musgraves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kelly caught that outbound bus for Vegas
We're all out here talking trash, making bets
Lips wrapped round our cigarettes
She always thought she was too good to be a waitress
Well
we all say that we'll quit someday
But we're just blowin' smoke
Hey, yeah
We're just blowin' smoke
Hey, yeah
Out here goin' broke
Hey, yeah
Yeah, we're just blowin'
Smoke
Well, Janie got divorced again
Her ex-husband's in the pen
From two to five, five to ten and longer
Brenda's traded smokes for cake, still hadn't lost that baby weight
And that baby's about to graduate, from college
I'm just flicking ash
Into the tray
Tell them both it'll be okay
But I'm just blowin' smoke
Hey, yeah
I'm just blowin' smoke
Hey yeah, hey yeah
I'm out here goin' broke
Hey, yeah
Yeah, we're just blowin' smoke
We all say that we'll
Quit someday
When our nerves ain't shot
And our hands don't shake, yeah
We all say that we'll
Quit someday
When our nerves ain't shot
And our hands don't shake
Wipe down the bar, take out the trash
Light one up and count my cash
Swear I'm never coming back again
I'm just blowin' smoke
Hey yeah
I'm just blowin' smoke
Hey yeah
Out here going broke
Hey yeah
Yeah, we're just blowin'
Smoke
Kacey Musgraves’s “Blowin’ Smoke” is a song that speaks about the life of those living in a small town where dreams often go unfulfilled. The song is a portrayal of the struggles of working-class women who have to work odd jobs to make ends meet. The song’s tone is melancholic and critical, as it points out how the characters have become complacent in their lives, simply blowing smoke and making empty promises about their future.
The first verse focuses on Kelly, who leaves her job as a waitress to go to Vegas. The other characters are depicted as talking trash and making bets while smoking cigarettes. The verse also shows how Kelly felt she was too good to be a waitress, hinting at the lack of upward mobility for working-class women in small towns. The chorus of the song talks about how they are all just blowing smoke, with no concrete plans or actions towards achieving their dreams.
The second verse tells the story of Janie, who is the victim of yet another divorce, and Brenda, who has traded cigarettes for cake but still hasn't lost the baby weight. The verse highlights how their lives have not gone according to plan and how they are still stuck in the same place. The verse also introduces the theme of time passing, with Brenda’s baby about to graduate from college.
Line by Line Meaning
Between the lunch and dinner rush
At a busy time between meal services
Kelly caught that outbound bus for Vegas
Kelly left for Las Vegas
We're all out here talking trash, making bets
We are gossiping and gambling
Lips wrapped round our cigarettes
Smoking cigarettes
She always thought she was too good to be a waitress
Kelly believed she was better than her job
Well, we all say that we'll quit someday
We all talk about quitting our jobs someday
When our ship comes in, we'll just sail away
When we have more money, we'll leave
But we're just blowin' smoke
We're lying to ourselves
Out here goin' broke
We're broke
Well Janie got divorced again
Janie got divorced for the second time
Her ex-husband's in the pen
Janie's ex-husband is in jail
From two to five, five to ten and longer
He's in jail for at least five years
Brenda's traded smokes for cake, still hadn't lost that baby weight
Brenda is eating cake instead of smoking, but hasn't lost her pregnancy weight
And that baby's about to graduate, from college
Brenda's child is graduating from college
I'm just flicking ash into the tray
I'm casually smoking and ashing into a tray
Tell them both it'll be okay
Assuring Janie and Brenda that everything will be fine
But I'm just blowin' smoke
I'm not being truthful
We all say that we'll quit someday
We keep talking about quitting our jobs
When our nerves ain't shot
When we aren't anxious and stressed
And our hands don't shake, yeah
When we are not physically affected by stress
Wipe down the bar, take out the trash
Cleaning the bar and taking out the garbage
Light one up and count my cash
Smoking a cigarette and counting my earnings
Swear I'm never coming back again
Saying I won't return to this job again
Out here going broke
Being out of money
Yeah we're just blowin' smoke
We're lying to ourselves
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Luke Robert Laird, Shane L. McAnally, Kacey Lee Musgraves
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tgrabes
Kacey actually understands working class people. This type of musician doesn't come along often and even rarer for them to actually wrote about it.
@ox8454
ya they do, almost all musicians are working class
@carmengracepuentes7953
yep that's why I love her bc she's not embarrassed about her roots and beginning and helps me me proud of mine 😍😎
@RitaMidwest
real country messages. I dont even listen to any nee country for lack there of but this is chill
@SHADOW_VR471
@@ox8454 right the best musicians the best writers usually have lived the life of the working class and have had some of the craziest struggles thats how they have such incredibled songs from incredible raw and relatable material and life experiances its the shitty artist like bubblegum pop like jojo siwa or everytime a rich celeb becomea amusician like i love pris hilton and kim k but as muaicians they were fucking terrible cuz they had nothing relatable to talk about there then the club and most mature adults dont even like the club so ita only relatable spoiled rich kids like willie nelson loretta lynn dolly parton they all can related i mean come on coal miners daughter lol.
Oh and p.s. sry there legit no punctuation my bad im sure u can figure it out .
@nighttrain1565
Well this comment just went to shit. Last thing I want to see is this priss prancing around on my TV screaming fuck in front of my children and demanding I give up my weapons.. sorry but she's just another zombie of the liberal culture regurgitating talking points. She says she's from Texas like its supposed to mean something.
@MissRocketHorse2
I admire Kasey. She sings about the truth that other people are scared to admit, not to mention the fact that she has a great voice.
@ainsleyharriott2209
I’m so happy for all the success and recognition Kacey has gotten since this time when she was already a legend in my mind
@chrisezelle
❤️🤘🏼🎸
@user-hs6nu7tp1g
She don't get the kind of recognition that she deserves. She's only 35 years old man give her a whole lot of credit.