In 1999, he released his first solo album, "Teenage Snuff Film", which he followed up with the album "Pop Crimes" a decade later. The second album was released in October 2009, only 2 months before his passing.
He passed away on December 30th, 2009 after a long battle with liver cancer.
I Burnt Your Clothes
Rowland S. Howard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was me I cut but you bled as well
How could I help my dear sweet pretty one?
When I could not put down the gun.
And I don't know your name
Sweet baby Jane.
I left you in the hospital,
and you don't have a stitch to wear
'cos the doctors cut the clothes right off your back
and guess what I don't care
about who or what or when or where
and Heaven knows;
I burnt your clothes.
That's it, there's no road left to run.
I spilt myself 'til I had none.
I grew thorns upon your path,
They struck not at your feet but at your heart.
Still don't know your name,
Sweet baby Jane.
You'll find it unbelievable,
I left you in the hospital,
and you don't have a stitch to wear
'cos the doctors cut the clothes right off your back
and guess what I don't care
about who or what or when or where
and Heaven knows;
I burnt your clothes.
I howled outside your door,
I was the wolf but I'll return no more.
This life is black, and running through a
heart that's cursed, I lost the best,
but can I lose the worst?
I'll soon know your name,
Sweet baby Jane.
You'll find it unbelievable,
I left you in the hospital,
and you don't have a stitch to wear
'cos the doctors cut the clothes right off your back
and guess what I don't care
about who or what or when or where
and Heaven knows;
I burnt your clothes.
I burnt your clothes
burnt your clothes
I know your name
Sweet baby Jane.
The song "I Burnt Your Clothes" by Rowland S. Howard has a haunting and melancholic tone, with lyrics that are both cryptic and emotionally charged. The song seems to be about a dysfunctional and destructive relationship in which the singer has hurt and abandoned the object of his affections. The lines "I had no knife but myself, It was me I cut but you bled as well" suggest that the singer is aware of the harm he has caused to both himself and his loved one. The reference to a gun also adds an element of danger and violence to the song.
The chorus repeats the line "You'll find it unbelievable, I left you in the hospital, and you don't have a stitch to wear" which suggests that the singer has not only caused emotional pain, but also physical harm to his partner. The repetition of the phrase "sweet baby Jane" adds a touch of irony and sadness to these lines. The final verse, with its reference to the singer as a "wolf," adds to the sense of danger and darkness in the song.
Overall, "I Burnt Your Clothes" is a powerful and evocative portrayal of a relationship gone wrong. The lyrics leave much open to interpretation, but the song's emotional impact is undeniable.
Line by Line Meaning
I had no knife but myself,
I didn't physically harm you, but my actions hurt you emotionally.
It was me I cut but you bled as well
I inflicted harm on myself, but you suffered too.
How could I help my dear sweet pretty one?
I couldn't protect you from the pain I caused.
When I could not put down the gun.
I couldn't stop myself from causing harm, despite knowing the consequences.
And I don't know your name
I don't truly know or understand you.
Sweet baby Jane.
You are a victim of my hurtful actions, regardless of your name or identity.
You'll find it unbelievable,
My behavior is shocking and difficult to understand.
I left you in the hospital,
I caused you physical harm and put you in a vulnerable position.
and you don't have a stitch to wear
You are left with nothing after your hospital stay.
'cos the doctors cut the clothes right off your back
You were stripped of your clothing for medical purposes.
and guess what I don't care
I am indifferent to your suffering.
about who or what or when or where
I don't care about any aspect of your identity or circumstances.
and Heaven knows;
Even a higher power acknowledges the harm I caused.
I burnt your clothes.
I destroyed the last physical remnants of your previously comfortable life.
That's it, there's no road left to run.
I have reached a point of no return and can't undo the damage caused.
I spilt myself 'til I had none.
I have depleted myself and can no longer give or receive love.
I grew thorns upon your path,
I intentionally made life difficult for you.
They struck not at your feet but at your heart.
I have caused emotional pain that goes beyond any physical suffering.
Still don't know your name,
I still don't genuinely know or understand you.
Sweet baby Jane.
You are a victim of my hurtful actions, regardless of your name or identity.
I howled outside your door,
I expressed my remorse and pain, but it was too late to undo the damage.
I was the wolf but I'll return no more.
I caused harm like a predator, but I won't do it again.
This life is black, and running through a
My life has been consumed by pain and darkness, and I can't escape it.
heart that's cursed, I lost the best,
My heart is filled with negativity and bad luck, and I lost the best thing in my life because of it.
but can I lose the worst?
I still have the potential to hurt others and cause more harm.
I'll soon know your name,
I will soon fully acknowledge and understand the harm I caused you.
Sweet baby Jane.
You are a victim of my hurtful actions, regardless of your name or identity.
I burnt your clothes
I destroyed the last physical remnants of your previously comfortable life.
burnt your clothes
I want to emphasize that I destroyed everything you had.
I know your name
I finally acknowledge and understand your identity and the harm I caused you.
Sweet baby Jane.
You are a victim of my hurtful actions, and I feel remorse for what I've done.
Contributed by London V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
ObeliskL10
@Sister B.C.
You can't really compare Nick and Rowland, they're both really great Artists in their own right, sure I can vouch Rowland didn't get the amount of credit he deserved as much as Nick, but their both still good, definitely Australia's Best Two Musicians IMO.
Pietro Tarantelli
That's it there's no road left to run
I spilled myself 'til I had none
I grew thorns upon your path
They struck not at your feet but at your heart
Bipolar-Polar-Bear- East
The best one so Far...
SERBON
Ingenious! Rowland is an rarely original and excellent artist.
munropete
ABC2's doco Autoilumiscent the other night reminded me of Rowland's brilliance.
TheBirthdayParty56
@munropete that documentary introduced me to Rowland, since then I havn't stopped listening.
worldbones
is there any way of getting the documentary in the UK???
Antonio Vallejo
bueno;)-
Sister Sister
Actual proof Nick Cave was over rated (in my opinion)
Samuel Squires
Sister Sister
Nick Cave is weird... he's a hard worker, which caters for whatever it is that's a bit off. And these little moments come out of nowhere, he just gets there, whereas Roland just lives there, walking around.
I don't know why but I think about Tom Cruise... seemingly bad but with his relentlessness he just puts himself at the centre... Nick and Roland are nothing alike, they both do/did good stuff, but they come from different planets, neither of which is called earth.