Formed at Georgia Tech in 1998, Painful Reminder played some half-dozen shows around campus, solicited to do so by friends and strangers alike who had heard recordings shared over the campus network. With only word of mouth, they managed to sell more than 90 copies of their self-released CD, "One Way Ticket: Songs To Slit Your Wrists By".
Indiana
Painful Reminder Lyrics
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Truckers and single moms pulling their heavy loads
A bunch of rednecks, maybe a cow or two
A couple of roadkill, and absolutely nothing to do
Indiana, you wretched place
Are you so lonely you've got to steal from our state?
Indiana, what an empty place
You took the only one I cared about away
I'm just driving through to see what's so god damn important here
And I just can't seem to sort it out without another beer
So I'm throwing all my bottle caps along the empty road
Hoping some poor cop will pull me over just so I can unload
Bunch of cornfields and shitty roads
Truckers and single moms pulling their heavy loads
A bunch of rednecks, maybe a cow or two
A couple of roadkill, and absolutely nothing to do
Indiana, you wretched place
Are you so lonely you've got to steal from our state?
Indiana, what an empty place
You took the only one I cared about away
I'm not bitter but I'll have to say I'm losing hope pretty fast
And I hate myself for mourning things I knew could never last
I can be pretty romantic sometimes when I'm acting dumb
Much as I talk trash to Lady Love, I'm sure under her thumb
Sure under her thumb
Bunch of cornfields and shitty roads
Truckers and single moms pulling their heavy loads
A bunch of rednecks, maybe a cow or two
A couple of roadkill, and absolutely nothing to do
Indiana, you wretched place
Are you so lonely you've got to steal from our state?
Indiana, what an empty place
You took the only one I cared about away
In "Indiana" by Painful Reminder, the singer sings about his experience driving through the state of Indiana. He describes the landscape as "a bunch of cornfields and shitty roads" with "absolutely nothing to do." He goes on to express his bitterness and sadness over the fact that Indiana "took the only one I cared about away." He poses the rhetorical question, "Are you so lonely you've got to steal from our state?" suggesting that the state of Indiana robbed him of something important.
The song seems to be about a broken heart and the sense of loss that comes with it. The singer is driving through Indiana as a way of trying to escape his pain, or perhaps in search of something to fill the void. He tosses bottle caps along the empty road, hoping for a confrontation with the police that might provide some temporary relief. The song is filled with vivid imagery that captures the loneliness and emptiness the singer feels.
Overall, "Indiana" is a poignant and emotional song that captures the feeling of heartbreak and loss. The lyrics are honest and raw, and the music is haunting and melodic. It's a song that many people can relate to, whether they've experienced a similar loss or simply appreciate the power of good songwriting.
Line by Line Meaning
Bunch of cornfields and shitty roads
There are fields of corn and terrible roads.
Truckers and single moms pulling their heavy loads
Truckers and single mothers are struggling to carry heavy things.
A bunch of rednecks, maybe a cow or two
There are a lot of rednecks and some cows around.
A couple of roadkill, and absolutely nothing to do
There is roadkill and nothing to do in this place.
Indiana, you wretched place
Indiana is a terrible place.
Are you so lonely you've got to steal from our state?
Indiana must be so lonely that it feels the need to steal from another state.
Indiana, what an empty place
Indiana is an empty place.
You took the only one I cared about away
Indiana took away the only person that mattered to me.
I'm just driving through to see what's so god damn important here
I am driving through Indiana to see what is so important about this place.
And I just can't seem to sort it out without another beer
I need another beer to figure out what is going on in Indiana.
So I'm throwing all my bottle caps along the empty road
I am throwing my bottle caps on the empty road.
Hoping some poor cop will pull me over just so I can unload
I hope a police officer pulls me over so I can vent to them.
I'm not bitter but I'll have to say I'm losing hope pretty fast
I am not bitter, but I am quickly losing hope.
And I hate myself for mourning things I knew could never last
I feel foolish for mourning things that I knew would end.
I can be pretty romantic sometimes when I'm acting dumb
I can be a romantic idiot sometimes.
Much as I talk trash to Lady Love, I'm sure under her thumb
Despite talking poorly about love, I am sure I am under its spell.
Sure under her thumb
I am sure that I am under love's spell.
Contributed by Katherine P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.