His songs are heart wrenching stories outlined by divine melodies, intelligent and hooky guitar lines set in subtly epic productions with Luke Pickett’s unique soaring vocals and signature falsetto. This young man has a way of spinning a classic love tale into an über-romantic twisted musical sonnet. Luke Pickett is the troubadour sent back from the future to wake us up from the banality of shoe-gazing retro hippies.
Citing Jeff Buckley, Michael Jackson, and Prince as influences, this 22 year old’s sound is somewhat hard to pin down. It’s labeled Acoustic/Alternative/R&B, but Luke Pickett’s music is clearly the result of a wide range of influences.
Luke has previously fronted post-hardcore band Her Words Kill.
Lay Down Your Cards
Luke Pickett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I don't know how or when I'm going to fall
I've been working hard for money
But you keep stealing from me
Why?
I don't know
Girl you've got me climbing up a ladder
I keep putting my foot in it
And you keep trying to make it on you own
You might need someone to blame
But I won't be guilty as charged
You might need someone to blame
But I won't be guilty as charged
Yeah, I'm charged, I'm charged, I'm charged, am I charged?
Now girl you've got me riding on a fast train
And with you driving we'll be derailed for sure
With every stop we pass
There's no chance of me getting home
You might need someone to blame
But I won't be guilty as charged
You might need someone to blame
But I won't be guilty as
You might need someone to blame
But I won't be guilty as charged
You might need someone to blame
But I won't be guilty as charged
Yeah, I'm charged, I'm charged, I'm charged, am I charged?
Yeah, I'm charged, no
Oh, if you keep it up, you'll lose me girl and all you've got
Oh, if you keep it up, you'll lose me girl and all you've got
Oh, if you keep it up, you'll lose me girl and all you've got
(Oh, if you keep it up, you'll lose me girl and all you've got)
Oh, if you keep it up, you'll lose me girl and all you've got
(Oh, if you keep it up, you'll lose me girl and all you've got)
The lyrics of Luke Pickett's song Lay Down Your Cards appears to be about a relationship that seems to be built on a lack of trust and communication, causing the singer to feel like he is constantly walking on eggshells. He compares the relationship to a tightrope, where any misstep could end up in a fall. Despite his efforts to make things work, the girl keeps taking things away from him, leaving him feeling cheated and unsure of why she acts the way she does. He goes on to liken the relationship to a ladder with each step bringing a new obstacle, and he keeps trying to fix things while the girl keeps trying to make it on her own. The final comparison he makes is to a fast train with the girl driving, risking their destruction at every stop, leaving him feeling like he has no chance of going home.
The chorus repeats the phrase "You might need someone to blame, but I won't be guilty as charged" showing the singer's frustration with being blamed for everything that goes wrong in the relationship. The repetition of the phrase "I'm charged" seems like it could be a play on words, implying that while he may be blamed for things, he is not at fault for the relationship's problems.
Overall, the lyrics of Lay Down Your Cards seem to paint a picture of a relationship that is on the brink of falling apart due to a lack of open communication and mutual understanding. The singer is doing all he can to make things work, but the girl is too focused on making things work for herself.
Line by Line Meaning
Girl you've got me walking on a tightrope
You are causing me to feel uncertain and unsteady in this situation
And I don't know how or when I'm going to fall
I am afraid of the consequences of this situation and when they will happen
I've been working hard for money
I have put in a lot of effort to earn my money and build my life
But you keep stealing from me
You are taking away the fruits of my hard work and causing me to lose what I have earned
Why?
I don't understand the reasons behind your actions
Girl you've got me climbing up a ladder
You are making me strive for success and climb higher in my life
And each step I take brings a different hole
As I try to succeed, there are obstacles and challenges that make it difficult
I keep putting my foot in it
I am making mistakes and causing problems for myself
And you keep trying to make it on you own
You are not working with me to succeed, but instead trying to do it alone
You might need someone to blame
You may be looking to assign responsibility for your problems
But I won't be guilty as charged
I am not responsible for the problems you are facing
Now girl you've got me riding on a fast train
You are making me move quickly and take risks in this situation
And with you driving we'll be derailed for sure
With your lack of care and responsibility, we are likely to fail
With every stop we pass
As we move forward, we are experiencing setbacks and difficulties
There's no chance of me getting home
There is little hope for me to succeed or find stability in this situation
Oh, if you keep it up, you'll lose me girl and all you've got
If you continue your harmful actions, you will lose me and any benefits you may have gained from this situation
Contributed by Brody E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.