The Bridge
The Casket Lottery Lyrics

Uncle Jack, when I look back, sent a lot down to me.
Uncle Jack had a significant impact on the singer's life.

my mom would say we both seemed to be the life of the party.
The singer and Uncle Jack were both lively and outgoing individuals.

he was a picker, and a drinker.
Uncle Jack was a musician and an alcoholic.

he took one step over the edge.
Uncle Jack went too far with his drinking and behavior.

a drinker, and he ended up with some debt I guess.
Uncle Jack's drinking may have led to financial issues.

nobody knows what really happened.
The circumstances surrounding Uncle Jack's death are unclear.

the river was swollen when they found him in it, and it rained all weekend on the bridge leaving town.
The weather conditions at the time of Uncle Jack's death may have played a role.

this is how I see it. this is not something I was told.
The artist has formed their own interpretation of what happened based on limited information.

I envisioned it to be dark, wet, and cold.
The artist imagines the circumstances of Uncle Jack's death to be grim and unpleasant.

if he jumped, or if he fell, no one knows.
The specifics of how Uncle Jack ended up in the river remain a mystery.

but I've got a different picture for each one of those.
The singer has imagined various scenarios for Uncle Jack's death.

I was a baby. and we never really met, its really sad, I guess.
The artist never had a chance to really know Uncle Jack, which they find unfortunate.

he was a musician, just like his nephew and if he couldve I wouldve wanted him to teach me.
The singer has a shared interest in music with Uncle Jack and wishes they could have learned from him.

but all I ever got from him, Uncle Jack, was his need to stop drinking.
The only thing the singer inherited from Uncle Jack was a cautionary lesson about the dangers of alcoholism.