Bingham dropped out of school at 17 and was introduced to rodeo bull riding. He learned the emotional aspect of pain early in life, when shuttling between small towns and family members in the hardscrabble ranching communities of West Texas and Hobbs, New Mexico -- and became well-acquainted with the physical facets of pain during his years on the Southwestern rodeo circuit.
That ache is palpable in the grooves of Mescalito, Ryan Bingham’s Lost Highway debut, but what’s even more plain is the steely strength needed to overcome it -- a tenor that’s evident in both the singer-songwriter’s preternaturally wizened voice and his remarkably poignant songs, which resonate with roadhouse wisdom and rough-and-ready border-town piquancy.
The Beg For Broken Legs Songfacts reports that Bingham's fourth album, Tomorrowland, was recorded in Malibu, California with producer Justin Stanley and self-released through Bingham's new independent record label Axster Bingham Records on September 18, 2012.
He has won an Oscar for the best film song (Crazy Heart - The Weary Kind) in 2010.
Influences include Bob Dylan among others.
Self-Righteous Wall
Ryan Bingham Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause the sure shot's done passed
You walk along straight and narrow
But you're barefoot in broken glass
You sleep a lot where the sunlight
Stays locked up in a hole
You can't stand to let the light in
You're tellin' me
I've lost it all
You're tellin' me
I've hit the wall
Your eyes melt to the windshield
As your soul runs on tired
Swervin' on the bad side of luck
Waitin' on a sign of sunrise
You can't help but wonder
How you lost all control
I guess you just couldn't keep up
With the wild horse that you stole
You're tellin' me
That I've lost it all
You're tellin' me
I've hit the wall
You set yourself on the back steps
And you feel yourself grow old
Your gray hair start runnin' back
To a place you left so cold
Well, put yourself another piece of wood
On the fire down below
'Cause you can bet it's gonna be hot
When you get to where you're gonna go
You're tellin' me
I've lost it all
You're tellin' me
I've hit the wall
The lyrics of Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses's "Self-Righteous Wall" are a commentary on the struggle of a person who is down on their luck, feeling hopeless, and disconnected from the world around them. The song highlights the idea that life is a constant gamble and that sometimes we have to bet on the long shot, even when the sure thing has passed. The singer in the song is walking along the straight and narrow, but their journey is painful because they are walking barefoot on broken glass. They are longing for a sense of stability and desperately trying to cling to their beliefs, but they are unsure of where they stand. The lyrics suggest that they are trapped in a cycle of self-doubt, unable to open up and let the light in because they are afraid of what might happen if they do.
The lyrics go on to describe the singer's journey, which is filled with turmoil and uncertainty. They are lost, wandering along the bad side of luck, waiting for a sign of sunrise. They are haunted by the sense that they have lost control of their life, and that they are unable to keep up with the wild horse that they have stolen. Despite their struggles, they are determined to press on, and the song ends with the singer sitting on the back steps, feeling themselves grow old, and preparing for the heat of the fire that awaits them.
Overall, "Self-Righteous Wall" is a powerful commentary on the human experience, and it speaks to the struggles that we all face as we try to navigate the ups and downs of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Bettin' on another long shot
Taking another risk that has a low probability of success
'Cause the sure shot's done passed
Because the opportunity for success has already passed
You walk along straight and narrow
You live your life with honesty and integrity
But you're barefoot in broken glass
But you're constantly facing pain and suffering
You sleep a lot where the sunlight
You spend a lot of time in dark, isolated places
Stays locked up in a hole
Where the light cannot reach
You can't stand to let the light in
You find it difficult to expose yourself to new experiences
'Cause your heart may wanna roam
Because you fear that your desire for freedom may take over
You're tellin' me
You're insisting that
I've lost it all
I've failed completely
You're tellin' me
You're insisting that
I've hit the wall
I've reached a point of complete defeat
Your eyes melt to the windshield
You stare blankly ahead
As your soul runs on tired
As your spirit grows weary
Swervin' on the bad side of luck
Struggling to find good fortune
Waitin' on a sign of sunrise
Hoping for a sign of hope or new beginnings
You can't help but wonder
You can't stop yourself from thinking
How you lost all control
How you lost your ability to make things happen
I guess you just couldn't keep up
I suppose you weren't able to maintain the pace
With the wild horse that you stole
With the intense passion that you took on
You set yourself on the back steps
You've retreated to a less active position
And you feel yourself grow old
And you feel like you're aging prematurely
Your gray hair start runnin' back
Your signs of aging are receding
To a place you left so cold
To a negative experience that you thought you had left behind
Well, put yourself another piece of wood
Add another problem to the ones you already have
On the fire down below
On the stress and challenges that you're facing
'Cause you can bet it's gonna be hot
Because you know that things are about to get more difficult
When you get to where you're gonna go
When you arrive at your final destination or goal
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE RYAN BINGHAM, RYAN BINGHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Elliott P
on Western Shore
"Loud on the Western shore, you're no longer brave"
You used to be scared, but now you are bravely living your life out loud
Think you missed this one
More than once
Significant I think that he ended the song with "you are no longer brave".
Think it was easy for him to have been brave previously because he had nothing to lose as he also points out in What would I've become. He does now and that's changed him