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.
Hellbent For A Heartache
Kevin Fowler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well if you looked up "fool" in Webster's Dic book
You'd find a picture of me
You'd say now this ole boy
Ain't too smart wearing his heart on his sleeve
I'm a sucker for love, oh I'm a true romantic
I've been the fool before
But girl that's ever known me, has gone and left me lonely
And I kept comin' back for more
'cause I'm hellbent for a heartache
I keep fallin' over and over again
It's a lesson in love I can't get the hang of
It's the game of chance I ain't ever gonna win
I'm hellbent for a heartache
I keep fallin' over and over again
Well my heart's at stake
But that's the chance I'll take
'cause I'm hellbent for a heartache
Now all my life I've been mistreated
A little good lovin' is all I ever needed
To keep me alive, keep me hangin' on
Oh for once it'd sure feel nice
Not to be singing these blues
I never learn, I just keep on believing
Til one day these people come true
(Chorus 2x)
The opening lines of Kevin Fowler’s “Hellbent For A Heartache” indicate an awareness of the singer’s doomed romantic track record. He suggests that if one looked up the term “fool” in Webster’s dictionary, one would likely find an accompanying photograph of himself. The singer is a self-proclaimed romantic and has repeatedly fallen for women who have left him heartbroken. Despite this, he cannot help but continue to pursue love and face the inevitable pain that comes with it. He acknowledges his history of being foolishly in love and having his heart broken, but he remains determined to continue chasing after love.
The chorus of “Hellbent For A Heartache” further emphasizes this recurring pattern of heartbreak. The singer is “hellbent” on finding love, even though he continues to fall for women who inevitably leave him. He recognizes that he is not capable of winning at love, but he is unable to resist the temptation to keep trying. Despite being aware of the futility of his actions, he continues to play the “game of chance” that is love, even if it means being hurt repeatedly. In conclusion, “Hellbent For A Heartache” describes the singer’s relentless pursuit of love despite his history of heartbreak and his awareness that he will likely never succeed.
Line by Line Meaning
Well if you looked up "fool" in Webster's Dic book
I am acknowledging the fact that I have made foolish decisions
You'd find a picture of me
The realization of how foolish I have been is very much evident
You'd say now this ole boy
If someone ever looked at me with the definition of the word ‘fool’ in mind, it would fit me like a glove
Ain't too smart wearing his heart on his sleeve
I have a tendency of exposing my emotions and giving love too quickly
I'm a sucker for love, oh I'm a true romantic
Despite the pain and heartbreak I have endured, I have not given up on love
I've been the fool before
The same process of looking for love and getting heartbroken has happened to me before
But girl that's ever known me, has gone and left me lonely
Every woman that I have ever given my heart to has left me feeling alone
And I kept comin' back for more
Despite the hurt and pain, I keep repeating the same pattern and making the same mistakes to feel loved
'cause I'm hellbent for a heartache
I am conditioned to think that love comes with pain and hurt
I keep fallin' over and over again
I have not learned from my mistakes but instead keep falling for the wrong women
It's a lesson in love I can't get the hang of
I don't understand why love has to come with pain and heartache
It's the game of chance I ain't ever gonna win
I have come to accept that I am not very lucky when it comes to love
Well my heart's at stake
I am always taking a risk when it comes to love
But that's the chance I'll take
Despite the pain that comes with it, I still put my heart out there
Now all my life I've been mistreated
I have been hurt more times than I can count
A little good lovin' is all I ever needed
All I ever wanted and needed is to be loved
To keep me alive, keep me hangin' on
Love is what keeps me going even though it breaks me time and time again
Oh for once it'd sure feel nice
It would be nice to experience love without pain
Not to be singing these blues
I don't want to keep singing the same sad love song
I never learn, I just keep on believing
I have a hard time learning from my mistakes and instead keep hoping for a different outcome
Til one day these people come true
Until the day I finally find the right person for me
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Luz V
This is the best!!
Luke Skywalker
Hell yeah Kevin