Ruston Kelly is an American singer-songwriter based in Nashville, TN. He wa… Read Full Bio ↴Ruston Kelly is an American singer-songwriter based in Nashville, TN. He was married to Kacey Musgraves from 2017 to 2020.

Kelly writes and performs the kinds of songs that inspire novels and movies. You could call him a bastard disciple of Kurt Cobain and Townes Van Zandt, and he’d be totally cool with that. He’s just as comfortable wearing a cowboy hat as he is in a Slayer t-shirt. His story so far twists and turns through heartbreak and triumph, an overdose and rehab, empty dive bars and packed venues, living everywhere from South Carolina to Brussels, and as he puts it, “finally getting my shit together and proposing to the love of my life.” It’s this unbelievable experience that informs his singular style—a gravelly patchwork of folk lyricism, grunge attitude, country heart, Americana spirit, and rock energy. Not only has he penned songs for Tim McGraw (“Nashville Without You”), Josh Abbott Band (“Front Row Seat”), and more, but his independent solo debut EP Halloween earned acclaim from KCRW, Consequence of Sound, RELIX, Apple Music, and more. “Poison” racked up over 516K Spotify streams, while “Black Magic” soundtracked the Season Finale of the CBS series Scorpion. He logged countless miles on the road sharing the stage with the likes of The Lumineers and Robert Earl Keen in addition to performing at Bonnaroo and Wakarusa. Signing to Washington Square Music / Razor & Tie and he recorded his full-length debut in 2017.

Blackout
Ruston Kelly Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hello again, how have you been?
You never seem to have much to say
I've been awake for a week
I'm trying not to sleep
And you drain every little bit of me away

And you know I ain't doing too well
But I've found a few things that help

I black out in a bar
I get high in my car
I drive 'round in circles
'Till I'm seeing stars
I get so fucked up to forget who you are
I dumb down my head so I can't feel my heart pound
And I black out
Black out

I think it through the day
That I ain't suffocating
And argue Lebron with my friends
And when I polish off a handle
I laugh and I ramble
'Bout anything other than what I been holding in

And most of the time it hurts
But I've found a few things that work

I black out in a bar
I get high in my car
I drive 'round in circles
'Till I'm seeing stars
I get so fucked up to forget who you are
I dumb down my head so I can't feel my heart pound
And I black out
I black out

You know I ain't doing too well
But I've found a few things that help

I black out in a bar
I get high in my car
I drive 'round in circles
'Till I'm seeing stars
I get so fucked up to forget who you are
I dumb down my head so I can't feel my heart pound

And I black out
Black out

Overall Meaning

In "Blackout," Ruston Kelly sings about dealing with heartbreak and trying to cope with the pain. The song's lyrics reveal that the singer is trying to escape the emotional turmoil he is experiencing from a broken relationship. The opening verse highlights how disconnected the singer is from the person he is talking to, possibly his former partner. He shows little interest in having a conversation with them, and their presence seems to drain him further. The second verse shows the singer's means of coping with his pain. He drinks excessively, smokes marijuana, and drives around aimlessly. He talks about losing himself in self-destructive behaviors and "dumbing down" his head to forget the pain in his heart.

Line by Line Meaning

Hello again, how have you been?
The singer greets someone who they haven't talked to much and asks about their well-being.

You never seem to have much to say
The singer notes that the other person usually doesn't contribute much to their conversations.

I've been awake for a week
The singer hasn't slept in a week.

I'm trying not to sleep
The artist is intentionally avoiding sleep.

And you drain every little bit of me away
The other person is emotionally exhausting the artist.

And you know I ain't doing too well
The singer acknowledges that they are struggling.

But I've found a few things that help
The singer has discovered some coping mechanisms that provide temporary relief.

I black out in a bar
The artist drinks until they lose consciousness in a bar.

I get high in my car
The artist uses drugs in their car to alter their state of mind.

I drive 'round in circles
The artist aimlessly drives as a means of escaping their problems.

'Till I'm seeing stars
The singer's actions result in them experiencing hallucinations.

I get so fucked up to forget who you are
The artist uses substances to erase thoughts of the person who is causing them pain.

I dumb down my head so I can't feel my heart pound
The singer numbs themselves to avoid feeling emotional pain.

And I black out
The singer loses consciousness.

I think it through the day
The singer tries to confront their problems during the day.

That I ain't suffocating
The artist is trying to convince themselves that they aren't being overwhelmed.

And argue Lebron with my friends
The artist engages in trivial debates with their friends as a distraction.

And when I polish off a handle
The singer drinks an entire bottle of alcohol.

I laugh and I ramble
The singer becomes talkative and giggly when drunk.

'Bout anything other than what I been holding in
The artist talks about anything other than what's been bothering them.

And most of the time it hurts
The artist admits that their situation is painful.

But I've found a few things that work
The artist has discovered some coping mechanisms that work for them, even if they're not healthy.

Blackout in a bar
Repetition of earlier lyrics.

I get high in my car
Repetition of earlier lyrics.

I drive 'round in circles
Repetition of earlier lyrics.

'Till I'm seeing stars
Repetition of earlier lyrics.

I get so fucked up to forget who you are
Repetition of earlier lyrics.

I dumb down my head so I can't feel my heart pound
Repetition of earlier lyrics.

And I black out
Repetition of earlier lyrics.

Contributed by Hudson O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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TRACKS

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01Cover My Tracks3:28

02Mockingbird4:37

03Son of a Highway Daughter3:37

04Paratrooper's Battlecry4:00

PT4M26S

10Just for the Record3:42

11Trying to Let Her3:28

12Jericho2:54

13Dying Star5:26

14Brightly Burst Into the Air1:33

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Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Hello again, how have you been?
You never seem to have much to say
I've been awake for a week
I'm trying not to sleep
And you drain every little bit of me away

[Pre-Chorus]
And you know I ain't doing too well
But I've found a few things that help

[Chorus]
I black out in a bar
I get high in my car
I drive 'round in circles
'Till I'm seeing stars
I get so fucked up to forget who you are
I dumb down my head so I can't feel my heart pound
And I black out
Black out

[Verse 2]
I think it through the day
That I ain't suffocating
And argue Lebron with my friends
And when I polish off a handle
I laugh and I ramble
'Bout anything other than what I been holding in

[Pre-Chorus]
And most of the time it hurts
But I've found a few things that work

[Chorus]
I black out in a bar
I get high in my car
I drive 'round in circles
'Till I'm seeing stars
I get so fucked up to forget who you are
I dumb down my head so I can't feel my heart pound
And I black out
I black out

[Pre-Chorus]
You know I ain't doing too well
But I've found a few things that help

[Chorus]
I black out in a bar
I get high in my car
I drive 'round in circles
'Till I'm seeing stars
I get so fucked up to forget who you are
I dumb down my head so I can't feel my heart pound
And I black out
Black out