Buffalo
McKinley Lyrics


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(McKinley & Brian Cutler)
There is no surgery for this.
You won't wake up neatly stitched.
You have to break it off and burn it shut,
Half the arrow still in your chest.
When you put your arms around someone else,
It will not curve
But tap at your bone and flirt with your softer parts.
Cupid's shooting with evil, rusty darts.
He doesn't know he's being cruel,
Just hunting for sport
Leaving us littered like buffalo.
On the prairie I'm down there dying watching clouds.
They look like my dog, my pillow, my teapot, my frown.
Until I'm ready to spin up in a wisp, because I can't
Get up and walk away like this.
But if I lay here and collect the clouds back I can make a
Heart out of nothing.
A clean steam pump steeping details
Having dumped the valves of stone in Cupid's
Bloody, pudgy hands I can travel light, travel light.
Cupid's shooting with evil, rusty darts.
He doesn't know he's being cruel,
Just hunting for sport
Leaving us littered like buffalo
Leaving us littered like buffalo,




My teapot my pillow
My God. My God. My God.

Overall Meaning

The song "Buffalo" by McKinley talks about the pain caused by love and how people continue to suffer even when the relationship is over. It uses the metaphor of a buffalo hunt to express this idea. The first stanza illustrates how love can hurt us deeply and leave us with half an arrow in our chest. The second stanza speaks of the aftermath of a breakup, the feeling of being down and dying, and how we try to hold on to anything that can help us heal. The third stanza talks about dumping the excess baggage of a failed relationship, allowing us to "travel light."


One of the intriguing things about "Buffalo" is the use of similes and metaphors. The clouds represent different things that are dear to the singer, making them appear real to her. This is evident when she says, "They look like my dog, my pillow, my teapot, my frown." These are things that matter to her, and she draws comfort from them.


Another notable aspect of "Buffalo" is the use of repetition. The phrase "Leaving us littered like buffalo" is repeated several times throughout the song. This repetition emphasizes the pain caused by love and how it can leave us feeling broken and scattered. The line "Cupid's shooting with evil, rusty darts" is also repeated throughout the song, further reinforcing the idea that love can be painful and cruel.


Additionally, the song has a strong emotional resonance. McKinley's vocals are incredibly emotive, and they convey the pain and longing embedded in the lyrics. The song's structure, with its repetition and use of metaphors and similes, further heightens the emotional impact.


Line by Line Meaning

There is no surgery for this.
There is no quick-fix procedure to heal a broken heart.


You won't wake up neatly stitched.
The pain of heartbreak cannot be easily cured.


You have to break it off and burn it shut,
To move on from a broken heart, you must cut ties and seal the wound.


Half the arrow still in your chest.
Even after a relationship ends, the pain and memories remain.


When you put your arms around someone else,
Moving on and finding love with someone else may not be as easy as it sounds.


It will not curve
Love may not be as perfect as it once seemed.


But tap at your bone and flirt with your softer parts.
Love can be both painful and pleasurable at the same time.


Cupid's shooting with evil, rusty darts.
Love can be cruel and unfair, symbolized by Cupid and his rusty arrows.


He doesn't know he's being cruel,
Love is not always intentional or self-aware of its effects on people.


Just hunting for sport
Love can sometimes be more about the thrill of the chase than genuine emotions.


Leaving us littered like buffalo.
After heartbreak, we are left feeling lost and abandoned like dead buffalo on the prairie.


On the prairie I'm down there dying watching clouds.
The artist is feeling hopeless and alone in their pain.


They look like my dog, my pillow, my teapot, my frown.
The singer is finding comfort in familiar objects during their grief.


Until I'm ready to spin up in a wisp, because I can't
The singer longs to escape their pain and emotions.


Get up and walk away like this.
Moving on from a broken heart is not as simple as just walking away from it.


But if I lay here and collect the clouds back I can make a
Taking the time to heal and reflect can help to rebuild oneself and find hope for the future.


Heart out of nothing.
The artist can find love and happiness again even after heartbreak.


A clean steam pump steeping details
The process of healing and self-improvement can be difficult and intricate.


Having dumped the valves of stone in Cupid's
Letting go of hurt and negative emotions is necessary for healing.


Bloody, pudgy hands I can travel light, travel light.
After healing, the artist can let go of the weight of their past and move forward with a lighter heart.


My teapot my pillow
The objects of comfort previously mentioned show that even in pain, there can be moments of peace.


My God. My God. My God.
The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the artist's desperation and feeling of being alone in their pain.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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Comments from YouTube:

@HumanBeanbag

I can't stop thinking about it all the time tbh

@dc1313drc

Actually, from what I've read in books, William McKinley was indeed being guarded by his usual Secret Service agent, George Foster, as well as two additional ones. There were also Buffalo police and detectives stationed at the Temple of Music. In fact, immediately after being slammed to the ground by a crowd member named James Parker (preventing the assassin from firing again), the guards and crowd proceeded to nearly beat Czolgosz to death. McKinley himself had to call them off, allegedly saying, "Go easy on him, boys."

@kathrynb4683

It's so important to know our history. So evident in events taking place today. Only in the last year or so are members of the Black community learning of a history covered up since 1963. Unless you lived then you would not know MLKJr was Republican. You also would not know LBJ had carried out the beginning of what we are dealing with today. The victim dependent community voting being bought by Democrats by providing a plantation of government programs to contain and control them. Getting out of the hood is getting off that plantation. People are getting free and independent for the forst time in their lives and three generations from that time. Even facts the KKK being Democrat run and Republicans being the abolishnists fighting to free slaves was lost.
A story of all that history should be highlighted. We need to come clean to have clarity in the present.

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