Country-pop may have ruled the charts, but Kevin Fowler established himself… Read Full Bio ↴Country-pop may have ruled the charts, but Kevin Fowler established himself impressively throughout Texas by making modest honky tonk-style country for regular folks. Raised in the West Texas town Amarillo, the guitarist began his musical career on both drums and piano. He left Texas at age 20 for the bright lights of Los Angeles, where he studied music at the Guitar Institute of Technology. He returned to Texas soon after and settled in Austin, where he joined the hard rock band Dangerous Toys. Following this eye-opening stint, Fowler started his own Southern hard rock band, Thunderfoot. He soon came to the realization, however, that he couldn't shake his West Texas roots and gave up hard rock for country, the style of music he grew up with.

Fowler put together a country band in 1998 and began playing Tuesday nights at Babe's on Sixth Street in Austin. Within two years, he'd begun recording albums and struck big with his self-released Beer, Bait and Ammo (2000). The album sold around 30,000 copies in the Texas area and garnered an impressive amount of airplay, particularly for the album's title track. The song became somewhat of a Texas anthem; Mark Chesnutt made the song part of his live show, and Sammy Kershaw recorded it. Fowler returned in 2002 with his third album, High on the Hog, and boasted some impressive guests, including Willie Nelson and David Lee Garza.

Borderline Crazy
Kevin Fowler Lyrics

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All these 60 hours weeks without a vacation
I'm all mixed up and my body's achin'
Talked to the Doctor and the bar down the street
But all he could offer me was sympathy
When I finished my drink and got up to go
Everybody said goodbye but I said adios

Got these Blue collar blues

And I can't sleep
Been counting margaritas instead of sheep
I close my eyes and all I see is a cloud of señoritas dancin' round me
I don't think I'm losing my mind
But I'm thinking maybe, I might be borderline crazy

Well I drove past my ex going in to work today
And my mind, once again drifted to Monterey
I hear mariachi bands playin' in my head
The less I listen the louder it gets
Been going to bed with my flip-flops on
I just might be, too far gone

Got these Blue collar blues
And I can't sleep
Been counting margaritas instead of sheep
I close my eyes and all I see is a cloud of señoritas dancin' round me
I don't think I'm losing my mind
But I'm thinking maybe, I might be borderline crazy

Ya I'm all twisted up like a big piñata
What I need right now is a whole lotta nada

Got these Blue collar blues
And I can't sleep
Been counting margaritas instead of sheep
I close my eyes and all I see is a cloud of señoritas dancin' round me
I don't think I'm losing my mind
But I'm thinking maybe, I might be borderline crazy

Yeah, I might just be borderline crazy

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Borderline Crazy" by Kevin Fowler express the exhaustion of a blue-collar worker who has been working for 60 hours per week without any vacation. The singer feels mixed up and overwhelmed, seeking help from both the doctor and the bar. However, there seems to be no solution to his situation except for sympathy. The singer feels trapped in his life and unable to escape his mundane routine. As he leaves the bar, he feels like saying adios for his friends who seem content with the same everyday life.

The chorus of the song talks about the singer's inability to sleep; he counts margaritas instead of sheep, and his mind is filled with the vivid image of señoritas dancing around him. However, although he feels like he might be losing his mind and going borderline crazy, he seems aware that his hallucinations are just the result of his exhaustion and dissatisfaction than anything else. The song ends with the singer's acknowledgment that he might be borderline crazy, regardless.

Overall, the lyrics of "Borderline Crazy" describe a life that has become too monotonous, tiring, and unfulfilling. The song portrays the experience of many blue-collar workers who struggle to make ends meet and find meaning in their lives. The song's upbeat, catchy melody contrasts with the underlying sadness of the lyrics, adding to the song's impact.

Line by Line Meaning

All these 60 hours weeks without a vacation
I've been working so hard, without any breaks.

I'm all mixed up and my body's achin'
I feel confused and my body is in pain.

Talked to the Doctor and the bar down the street
I've been seeking help from both a medical professional and a local bar for my troubles.

But all he could offer me was sympathy
Neither the doctor nor the bar could offer me a solution, just kind words.

When I finished my drink and got up to go
I finished my drink and left the bar.

Everybody said goodbye but I said adios
Everyone else said goodbye, but I said goodbye in Spanish (adios).

Got these Blue collar blues
I have the blues that come from working a hard, blue-collar job.

And I can't sleep
I'm having trouble sleeping.

Been counting margaritas instead of sheep
To help me sleep, I've been thinking about drinking margaritas instead of counting sheep.

I close my eyes and all I see is a cloud of señoritas dancin' round me
When I close my eyes, I hallucinate that I see a bunch of women dancing around me.

I don't think I'm losing my mind
I don't believe I'm going crazy.

But I'm thinking maybe, I might be borderline crazy
Although I'm not sure, I'm starting to think that I might be getting close to losing my mind.

Well I drove past my ex going in to work today
I saw my ex-partner when I was driving to work today.

And my mind, once again drifted to Monterey
Seeing my ex made me start thinking about Monterey, California again (where there are many mariachi bands).

I hear mariachi bands playin' in my head
I have a song stuck in my head from the mariachi band I'm thinking about.

The less I listen the louder it gets
The more I try to ignore the song in my head, the louder it becomes.

Been going to bed with my flip-flops on
I've been so distracted that I forget to take my flip-flops off before getting into bed.

I just might be, too far gone
I might be beyond help or recovery.

Ya I'm all twisted up like a big piñata
I feel like I'm a mess and getting more frazzled, like a piñata being hit and twisted.

What I need right now is a whole lotta nada
I need nothing at all right now, just peace and quiet.

Yeah, I might just be borderline crazy
I'm not sure, but I might be going crazy.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GREG BARNHILL, JEREMY S. STOVER, KRIS BERGSNES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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