Socialburn originated in the mid-'90s around high-school pals Neil Alday (v… Read Full Bio ↴Socialburn originated in the mid-'90s around high-school pals Neil Alday (vocals/guitar), Dusty Price (bass), and Brandon Bittner (drums). After forming on the fly in their tiny central Florida hometown, the group expanded into the scene in nearby Tallahassee. Listeners took a liking to their straightforward post-grunge growl, and Socialburn was soon a hit at local radio. By 2000, guitarist Chris Cobb had been added and a self-released CD had dropped. SB branched out with gigs in Jacksonville and Orlando, hoping to generate label interest in an area already buzzing with the success of Creed. Another self-released disc followed, and by 2002 Socialburn's work had paid off with a deal on Elektra. They debuted in February 2003 with Where You Are, a workmanlike slice of post-grunge hard rock heavily influenced by Nirvana. Extensive touring followed, with the band joining types like Blue October, Default, and Seether out on the road.

Ashes
Socialburn Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here I sit
Waiting for you with a cold cup of coffee
And a burnt cigarette
That has fallen like ashes
Slowly from me
I search myself alone
Here I sit
Waiting for you with a suitcase packed

And an eight by ten
That reminds me of ashes
It's grey and faded
I search myself alone

[Chorus]
Cause there's always somebody
Who's out there waiting for someone to take them away
If I search long enough I might find that someone
Waiting to take me away:::..yeah but not today

Here I sit
Waiting for you the sun has gone down
On a perfect day
Oh I've waited for hours
Please send someone
I search myself alone

[Chorus]

[Lead break]
[Chorus x2]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Socialburn's song "Ashes" convey the feeling of waiting for someone who may never come. The singer is waiting for a lover with a cold cup of coffee and burnt cigarette, watching the ashes slowly fall from their grasp. The suitcase packed and the eight by ten picture that reminds the singer of ashes, the grayness and fading - all of this adds to the sad and despondent feeling of the song. Despite the fact that there is always someone out there waiting for someone to take them away, the singer acknowledges that it may not happen for them today. As the sun goes down on a perfect day, the singer waits for hours, alone with their thoughts and their desires.

The song touches upon the universal feeling of waiting for someone, for something, for a change, while also painting a bleak outlook, as if hopelessness and disappointment are looming over the horizon. It's an introspective song, where the singer is searching within themselves while they wait. The lead break does not provide a resolution to this wait, instead, the last repetition of the chorus adds to the notion that waiting could go on indefinitely. Overall, the lyrics of "Ashes" convey a sense of emptiness, loss, and longing, yet the hope remains that someone will finally come and take the singer away.

Line by Line Meaning

Here I sit
The singer is currently alone and waiting for someone.

Waiting for you with a cold cup of coffee
The singer has been waiting for a while and their coffee is now cold.

And a burnt cigarette
The singer has been smoking and the cigarette has burned down to ashes.

That has fallen like ashes
The ashes from the cigarette have fallen onto the ground.

Slowly from me
The ashes fell gradually and the artist watched them fall.

I search myself alone
The singer is reflecting on their current situation and feels isolated.

Waiting for you with a suitcase packed
The singer is ready to leave and waiting for someone to join them.

And an eight by ten
The artist has a photo that reminds them of something or someone from their past.

That reminds me of ashes
The photo is grey and faded, like ashes.

It's grey and faded
The photo is old and worn, similar to the feeling of something that has turned to ashes.

Cause there's always somebody
The singer recognizes that there is always someone out there waiting for love.

Who's out there waiting for someone to take them away
There is likely someone out there waiting for the artist to take them away from their current situation.

If I search long enough I might find that someone
The singer knows that if they keep looking, they may find someone to take them away.

Waiting to take me away:::..yeah but not today
The singer is still waiting for that person, but knows that it won't be today.

Waiting for you the sun has gone down
The singer has been waiting for a long time and the day has turned to night.

On a perfect day
The day had started out well, but has turned sour due to the waiting.

Oh I've waited for hours
The artist has been waiting for a very long time.

Please send someone
The singer is pleading for someone to come and take them away.

[Lead break]
Instrumental break in the song.

[Chorus x2]
Repeats the idea that there is always someone out there waiting for love and for the artist to take them away, but that it won't happen today.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN KURZWEG, THOMAS NEIL ALDAY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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