Heartbreak Dreamer
Mat Kearney Lyrics

I was turning nineteen, on a cold December night
I was about to become an adult and it was during a cold December night

Burning like kerosene for nearly half of my life
I have been consumed by something which could be compared to the flammable liquid kerosene for nearly half of my life

And I barely had the GPA to make it out of Eugene
I struggled academically and almost didn't make it out of Eugene

You can blame it on me with an ADHD while I'm falling asleep during the SATs
My attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affected my academic performance, and I even struggled to stay awake during important tests like the SATs

And as I pack my bags and headed to a foreign land
I got ready to leave for a foreign country

One way ticket on a one way plane
I chose to take a one way ticket on a plane that would only fly in one direction

Laying my head down on each night
Every night when I lay my head down

The same devil's calling and that same old fight
I face the same struggles and fight against the same inner demons every night

'Cause this one's for middle sons living in the middle love
This song is directed towards middle children who are often overlooked and stuck in the middle of their family's love

Where they coming from and a halfway rush of blood
They often struggle with their identity and have a lack of direction or focus in life, leading to an incomplete or rushed feeling

This one's for those first prayers to heaven on a road that seems never ending
This song is also for those who are struggling to find their way in life and hoping for guidance from a higher power

For all the heartbreak dreamers waiting for the light
This song is a message of hope for all those who have been heartbroken and lost, waiting for a beacon of light to guide them

Looking for just one reason to get through the night
They continue to search for a reason to keep going and survive each night

Every long lost believer caught in the fight
Those who have lost their faith but are still struggling to fight for it are included in this message of hope

All the heartbreak dreamers gonna be alright
Despite everything, those who have suffered heartbreak and loss will be okay in the end

And I was turning twenty five in a city that don't sleep
Years later, I found myself in another city that never slows down

Was feeling only half alive to the dreams that I keep
Despite all the excitement and possibility of this city, I still feel unfulfilled and stuck in only half of my dreams

And I kept on waiting only she's waiting for me
I wait for the right person to come along, but it feels like I am stuck in limbo until that happens

You burning down Maine on a quarter tank of pain with soles off your feet
I am barely getting by, struggling through life with nothing left to give

And you've been waiting and praying for the right one to come
Just like me, others are also waiting and praying for the right person to walk into their lives

Watch the rise and the falling of another setting sun
We wait and watch as each day passes by, with nothing changing or getting better

Nobody seems quite good enough for you except the wrong one you keep running back to
We often cling to the wrong people or things because they seem better than nothing at all, even if they are not right for us

So this one's for Mike still waiting for his wife
This song includes those like Mike, who are still waiting for their soulmate to come into their life

This one's for grandma losing the love of her life
It is also dedicated to those who have lost their loved ones and are still trying to cope with the loss

And this one right here ah, this is for the fat girls
This stanza is a shoutout to those individuals who are often marginalized or mistreated by society, like overweight women

This one is a, is for the little brothers
It is also for the little brothers who feel overshadowed or ignored by their siblings

This is for the schoolyard wimps, for the childhood bullies who tormented them
This stanza is for anyone who has suffered from bullying or been a bully to others in their past

To the former prom queen and to the no crate ball players
This message of empowerment is for all, regardless of social status or success in life

For the nighttime cereal eaters and the retired elderly Wal-Mart store front door greeters
It is for those who enjoy a late-night snack or those who have retired from jobs others may view as unimportant

Shake the dust
The phrase 'shake the dust' inspires listeners to shake off any negativity or self-doubt they may be carrying

This is for the benches and the people sitting upon
It is a reminder that there is beauty and importance in even the most mundane objects, like public benches

For the bus driver's driving a million broken hymns
It pays tribute to those who have to work tirelessly, sacrificing their dreams for the sake of survival

To the men who have to hold down three jobs simply to hold up their children
It also acknowledges the struggles that many must go through to provide for their families

For the nighttime schoolers and for the midnight bike riders trying to fly
This phrase is for those who work hard and dream of a better life, often going to great lengths to try and achieve it

This is for the two year olds who cannot be understood because they speak half English and half God
It even includes children who may not be completely understood due to language barriers or innocent naivete

For the boys with the beautiful, beautiful sisters
It includes those who may feel inferior or underestimated compared to their siblings

For the girls with those brothers who are going crazy
It also encompasses girls who may have difficult or problematic brothers in their lives

Those gym class wallflowers and the twelve year-old afraid of taking public showers
It empathizes with those who may feel shy or awkward, especially in school settings

For the kid who is always late to class and forgets the combination to his lockers
It is for anyone who may often feel forgetful or scatterbrained

And the girl who loved somebody else
It is for those who have suffered through heartbreak and unrequited love

This is for the hard men who want love but know that it won't come
It includes those who may feel tough or guarded, yet secretly long for love and acceptance

For the one's amendments who not stand up for
It highlights those who may be forgotten or not given a voice in important issues or injustices

For the ones who are forgotten
This phrase encompasses anyone who may feel unseen or neglected

For the ones who are told to speak only when you are spoken to
It is for those who are oppressed or restricted in their freedom of expression

And then they are never spoken to speak
Even when they are invited to speak, they are still not heard or listened to

Every time you stands you do not forget yourself
This phrase inspires listeners to stand up for themselves and not forget their own worth and value

Do not let one moment go by that doesn't remind you
It is important to always be reminded of one's own worth and value, even in small moments of life

That your heart beats hundred thousand times a day
This is a reminder of the constant, life-giving power of one's own heart

And that they have gallons of blood making every one is an Oceans
Each person's blood may not seem like much, but combined with the blood of others, it makes up something as vast and powerful as an ocean