In 1963, Maffay and his parents emigrated from the Siebenbürgen region in Romania to Germany, like other Transylvanian Saxons. In the same year, he started his first band, The Dukes. After completing his education and spending some time working for Chemigraphics, an art manufacturer, Maffay worked in clubs, where he distributed his music.
Peter Maffay's career began in 1969 with the publication of his first single, "Du" (You in German). It was the biggest German hit in 1970 and brought Maffay instant fame. With the album Steppenwolf in 1979, Maffay became a major music star in Germany. The album sold 1.6 million copies, making it the best selling LP at that time. In 1980, the album Revanche (Revenge) broke his previous record, selling 2.1 million copies.
Maffay holds the German record for the most number one ranked singles in the single and album sales charts, including 12 albums. In addition, most of his studio albums reached the top ten. He also holds a German record for most albums to have sold over one million copies, with 14. His latest album ,Laut und Leise (Loud and Quiet), became the fourteenth.
Altogether, Maffay has sold over 35 million records. Since 1980, each of his 13 tours (roughly every 2 years) has ranked among the three most visited attractions each season in Germany, with nine of them ranked first in that category.
Maffay also created a string of fairy tales about a little green dragon named Tabaluga, which was spread out onto four albums. The piece was also turned into a musical. Maffay went on tour individually with Tabaluga & Lilli in Germany; he later released a live album, DVD and live TV broadcast. The tour included Peter Maffay, Alexis, Nino de Angelo, Rufus Beck, and Carl Carlton among others.
In 1998, Maffay collaborated to create an album with artists from all corners of the world, including Aboriginal singers and musicians from Israel.
He also starred in two films directed by Peter Patzak - The Joker in 1986, and Captured in Yemen in 1999. In addition, Maffay played a supporting role in the feature "The Polar Bear".
Burning Bridges
Peter Maffay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't make no sense anymore
Telephones and working girls
And jokers lyin' on the floor
Give me half an hour
Give me one time a day
Just can't seem to get my breath
Just get me out of this mess
I'm burnin' bridges
Little girl, we've got to move
Burning bridges
I got nothin' left to lose
Just open your eyes
Open the door
I don't wanna run anymore (anymore)
Every day in every way
One more fool goes down
But I don't care
I don't wanna play
I don't wanna be around
I'm burnin' bridges
Meet me down at the same old place
Burning bridges
I see questions in your face
Open you eyes
Open the door
I don't wanna run anymore (I don't)
I don't wanna be the one
To lie broken on the street
I gotta do it if I want it done
Got to get up on my feet (hey!)
I'm burnin' bridges
Meet me down at the same old place
Burning bridges
I see questions in your face
Open you eyes
Open the door
Don't wanna run anymore
Run
Run
I don't wanna run anymore
I'm burnin' bridges
I'm burnin' bridges
I don't wanna run anymore
I don't wanna run anymore, anymore
Hey!
Hey!
I'm burnin'
In Peter Maffay's "Burning Bridges," the singer expresses his desire to move on from his current situation and start over. He is feeling lost and restless in the big, bad world, where life seems to make no sense anymore. He references telephones and working girls, which could symbolize his hectic lifestyle and the pressures of his career, and jokers lying on the floor, which could represent those around him who are not serious or reliable.
The character in the song pleads for a break, asking for someone to give him just half an hour or one break a day to catch his breath. He is calling for blues power and yippee-yi-yay to help him get out of this mess. He is tired of being around fools who are going down and says that he doesn't care anymore about playing. He wants to leave and burn bridges, and he invites someone to meet him at the same old place.
The singer recognizes the questions in the other person's face, which could suggest doubts about the decision to move forward, but he insists that he doesn't want to run anymore. He doesn't want to be the one lying broken on the street because he needs to get up and do what he needs to do. In the end, he reiterates that he is burning bridges and that he wants to move forward and not run anymore.
Line by Line Meaning
All alone in a big bad world
Feeling lost in a harsh world, without anyone to rely on
Don't make no sense anymore
Things don't seem to add up or make sense
Telephones and working girls
Distractions and temptations that offer no real substance
And jokers lyin' on the floor
People who don't take anything seriously, making a mess of things
Give me half an hour
Asking for some brief respite from the situation
Give me one time a day
Asking for some consistency or predictability
Just can't seem to get my breath
Feeling overwhelmed and suffocated
Give me blues power, give me yippee-yi-yay
Asking for something to lift his spirits, to feel more alive
Just get me out of this mess
Desperate to escape the chaos and confusion
I'm burnin' bridges
Moving on and leaving behind what is no longer useful or relevant
Little girl, we've got to move
Addressing someone else, perhaps a partner or friend, to begin a new journey together
I got nothin' left to lose
Having already lost everything, there is nothing else to fear or risk
Just open your eyes
Encouraging someone else to see the possibilities and opportunities ahead
Open the door
Preparing to take a decisive step forward
I don't wanna run anymore (anymore)
Expressing a desire to stop avoiding problems, taking a stand
Every day in every way
Reflecting on how life seems to constantly present challenges
One more fool goes down
Acknowledging the self-destructive or foolish behavior of others
But I don't care
Maintaining a sense of detachment from the chaos around him
I don't wanna play
Refusing to participate in the negative cycle
I don't wanna be around
Preferring to remove himself from toxic situations or people
Meet me down at the same old place
Inviting someone else to share in a common plan or vision
I see questions in your face
Noticing hesitancy or uncertainty from someone else
I don't wanna be the one
Avoiding being a victim or being at someone else's mercy
To lie broken on the street
Being vulnerable to the world's harshness and cruelty
I gotta do it if I want it done
Taking control and responsibility for one's own destiny
Got to get up on my feet (hey!)
Refocusing on moving forward and taking action
Run
Emphasizing the importance of action, energy, and speed
I'm burnin'
Resolving to take action and leave the past behind
Hey!
Expressing an attitude of defiance and resilience
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Tony Carey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind