Burning Photographs
Ryan Adams Lyrics


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I finally see the lights
Down on the east side
Wasted like a memory
If I had a car I'd drive
Straight off the bridge into the river, it would empty me

Pretty pictures in a magazine
Everybody is so make believe, it's true
I used to be sad
Now I'm just bored with you
You're doomed to repeat the past
'Cause nothing is gonna last
I burned all your photographs

Traffic sings the songs
Inviting me in to dodge the bullets from an empty gun
If I had a car I'd drive straight into the window of a bank I owed money to

Pretty pictures in a magazine
Everybody is so make believe, it's true
I used to be sad
Now I'm just bored with you
You're doomed to repeat the past
'Cause nothing is gonna last
I burned all of your photographs

And all the time you're so unhappy
And everything to you's so heavy
But oh my word, ain't you so pretty now
There's nothing to make up now
No one to wake up now
She's starting to break up
Wow

Pretty pictures in a magazine
Everybody is so make believe, it's true
I used to be sad
Now I'm just bored with you
You're doomed to repeat the past




'Cause nothing is gonna last
I burned all your photographs

Overall Meaning

The song Burning Photographs by Ryan Adams appears to be a melancholic reflection on lost love, missed opportunities, and the desire for catharsis. The opening lines, "I finally see the lights / Down on the east side / Wasted like a memory," imply that the singer has finally gained some clarity from a dark and confusing time. The reference to driving straight off a bridge and into a river suggests a contemplation of self-destruction and a desire for an end to the pain. The repetition of the line, "If I had a car I'd drive," highlights a sense of disillusionment and a feeling of being trapped or powerless.


The lyrics "Pretty pictures in a magazine / Everybody is so make believe, it's true" suggest a criticism of the culture of superficiality and inauthenticity in popular media. The lines "You're doomed to repeat the past / 'Cause nothing is gonna last / I burned all your photographs" imply that the singer has made a deliberate effort to move on from a relationship and break the cycle of repeating past mistakes. The repetition of the phrase "pretty pictures in a magazine" and the use of the word "make believe" may also suggest a longing for something more genuine and real.


The chorus, "You're doomed to repeat the past / 'Cause nothing is gonna last / I burned all your photographs," is a powerful and poignant statement about the transience of relationships and the importance of letting go. The final lines, "She's starting to break up / Wow," suggest that the singer is experiencing some emotional release and relief.


Line by Line Meaning

I finally see the lights
I realized what I was missing


Down on the east side
In a part of town that's not glamorous


Wasted like a memory
I feel drained and tired as if I've been remembering something for too long


If I had a car I'd drive straight off the bridge into the river, it would empty me
I feel so empty that I would end my life in a violent manner


Pretty pictures in a magazine, everybody is so make believe, it's true
People in magazines appear perfect, but they're really just role-playing


I used to be sad, now I'm just bored with you
I'm not happy with my life and my relationship has lost its excitement


You're doomed to repeat the past
You'll keep making the same mistakes over and over again


'Cause nothing is gonna last
Things don't stay the same forever


I burned all your photographs
I destroyed all the physical proof of our relationship


Traffic sings the songs
The sounds of the city provide a soundtrack to my life


Inviting me in to dodge the bullets from an empty gun
I feel like I'm dodging danger that's not there


If I had a car I'd drive straight into the window of a bank I owed money to
I feel so financially desperate that I would commit a crime to get out of debt


And all the time you're so unhappy
You're always unhappy, even though it seems like you have everything


And everything to you's so heavy
You let the smallest things weigh you down


But oh my word, ain't you so pretty now
Even though you're unhappy and struggling, you still look beautiful


There's nothing to make up now
Our relationship is beyond repair


No one to wake up now
I'm alone and don't have someone to wake up next to


She's starting to break up, wow
My emotions are overwhelming me and I'm falling apart




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Fintage House Publishing
Written by: JOHNNY T., RYAN ADAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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