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.
Sunrise
Ryan Bingham Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hock my guitar out of a pawn shop jail
If I quit, I'm just rolling the dice
Couldn't pass up the red beans and rice singin'
Oh, my, my, see them girls shake their ass
Underneath the sunrise
Oh, my my, taste the sugar on their lips
Well, I've never met a devil with a one-eyed dog
Well, you could lead a blind man out of Vietnam
Cause everybody's beggin', well, everybody wants a chance
Stuck in a storm, we'll do a rain dance
Oh, my, my, see them girls shake their ass
Underneath the sunrise
Oh, my my, taste the sugar on their lips
Underneath that moonlight, ooh
Well, I'm taking my chances, I'm taking my sins
Throwin' 'em down the hill and I'll watch 'em come around again
Watched them fall, watched 'em rise up to the sky
Hundred miles an hour across the river to the other side
Oh, my, my, see them girls shake their ass
Underneath the sunrise
Oh, my, my, taste the sugar on their lips
Underneath that moonlight
Well, I've never met a devil with a one-eyed dog
Well, you could lead a blind man out of Vietnam
Cause everybody's beggin', well, everybody wants a chance
Stuck in a storm, do a rain dance
In the lyrics to Ryan Bingham's "Sunrise," the singer seems to be a musician on the road, living out of motels and pawning his guitar when he needs some cash. He acknowledges that quitting and giving up would be risky. Despite his hardships, he finds joy in the small things, like a plate of red beans and rice and the sight of girls dancing. He also reflects on the idea that everyone is seeking something - a chance, a break from the storm, or just a little bit of sugar.
The repeated refrain of "Oh my my, see them girls shake their ass underneath the sunrise" creates a sense of joy and energy, as though the simple experience of watching people dance and enjoy themselves is enough to sustain the singer. He also references a one-eyed dog and a blind man in Vietnam, suggesting that there is something larger at play than just his own struggles. Ultimately, the song conveys a sense of resilience and endurance in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I go again straight up out the motel
Starting yet another day, leaving the unremarkable place he slept in
Hock my guitar out of a pawn shop jail
Getting his instrument back from a pawn shop where he had to leave it temporarily
If I quit, I'm just rolling the dice
Choosing to continue with his current way of life instead of risking something different
Couldn't pass up the red beans and rice singin'
Stopping for a meal and entertaining others while doing so
Oh, my, my, see them girls shake their ass
Amused by the sight of women dancing
Underneath the sunrise
Happening early in the morning
Oh, my my, taste the sugar on their lips
Enjoys the experience of being with these women
Underneath that moonlight
Happening late at night
Well, I've never met a devil with a one-eyed dog
Making an observation that he has yet to witness an unlikely or impossible scenario
Well, you could lead a blind man out of Vietnam
Suggesting that anything is possible with enough persistence and determination
Cause everybody's beggin', well, everybody wants a chance
Acknowledging the competitive nature of life and how everyone is trying to get ahead
Stuck in a storm, we'll do a rain dance
Willing to make the best of a bad situation and find enjoyment in it
Well, I'm taking my chances, I'm taking my sins
Accepting the risks and consequences associated with his choices
Throwin' 'em down the hill and I'll watch 'em come around again
Seeing his past mistakes and experiences as something that will inevitably come back to him in some way
Watched them fall, watched 'em rise up to the sky
Reflecting on the ups and downs of his life and how they all lead to where he is now
Hundred miles an hour across the river to the other side
Going through life with a sense of urgency and not looking back
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE 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