Victim Of The Game
Trisha Yearwood Lyrics


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It took a little time
But I guess you finally learned
That promises get broken
And bridges do get burned
You've been siftin' through the ashes
Just tryin' to find a flame
Holdin' on to nothin'
You're a victim of the game

You were standin' way too close
To see it fall apart
And there were things you couldn't hear
'Cause you were listenin' with your heart
You can't say I didn't warn you
Now there's no one else to blame
There's no one quite as blind
As a victim of the game

And it don't matter who you are
It treats everyone the same
And all you need's a heart
To be a victim of the game

You know it's really gettin' to you
When you take to tellin' lies
You can try to fool your friends
But you can't look 'em in the eye
There ain't no standin' tall
In the shadow of the shame
When everybody knows
You're a victim of the game

And it don't matter who you are
It treats everyone the same
And all you need's a heart
To be a victim of the game

When I look into your eyes
I can really feel the pain




Starin' in the mirror
At a victim of the game

Overall Meaning

Trisha Yearwood's "Victim of The Game" is a song about the aftermath of a relationship gone wrong, where one partner tried too hard to make things work despite the warning signs, ultimately leading to their demise. The singer is singing to her former partner, who has become embittered by their failed relationship. The lyrics draw imagery to card games to illustrate how one party ends up being the victim while playing. The song conveys a lot of self-blame and heartache and highlights the devastating effects of loving someone way too much.


Yearwood sings "that promises get broken, and bridges do get burned," implying that the relationship breakdown was probably due to unfulfilled promises or betrayals. The phrase "you were listening with your heart" suggests that the partner ignored red flags because they were too focused on their feelings, emphasizing the self-blame. Yearwood also sings that "there ain't no standing tall in the shadow of the shame," which conveys that the partner's shame has caused a loss of self-esteem and self-worth.


Overall, the lyrics of the song highlight the dangers of interpreting relationships through rose-tinted glasses, as this can lead to feelings of helplessness and emotional harm. The song also highlights the need to take responsibility when things go wrong and avoid blaming anyone.


Line by Line Meaning

It took a little time
Things took some time to work themselves out


But I guess you finally learned
You've come to realize something important


That promises get broken
People fail to keep their word


And bridges do get burned
Relationships can be destroyed beyond repair


You've been siftin' through the ashes
You've been looking for something that's been reduced to nothing


Just tryin' to find a flame
Looking for any hope that can be found


Holdin' on to nothin'
Trying to cling on to what is no longer there


You're a victim of the game
You're someone who's been taken advantage of


You were standin' way too close
You were too involved with the situation


To see it fall apart
To notice it breaking down


And there were things you couldn't hear
You failed to listen to important information


'Cause you were listenin' with your heart
Because you were too emotionally invested


You can't say I didn't warn you
You were made aware of the risks beforehand


Now there's no one else to blame
There's nobody else responsible


There's no one quite as blind
Nobody is more oblivious


As a victim of the game
Than someone who's been manipulated


And it don't matter who you are
This can happen to anyone


It treats everyone the same
It affects all people equally


And all you need's a heart
All you need is to care for someone


To be a victim of the game
To be exploited and hurt by someone


You know it's really gettin' to you
You're struggling with the emotions associated with this


When you take to tellin' lies
You're resorting to deception


You can try to fool your friends
You can pretend that everything is okay


But you can't look 'em in the eye
You feel too guilty to face them directly


There ain't no standin' tall
It's impossible to feel proud of yourself


In the shadow of the shame
Because of the embarrassment you feel


When everybody knows
When everyone is aware


You're a victim of the game
That you've been taken advantage of


When I look into your eyes
When I really see how you're feeling


I can really feel the pain
I can sense how much you're hurting


Starin' in the mirror
Looking at yourself


At a victim of the game
As someone who's been exploited and hurt by someone




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Mark Sanders, Troyal Brooks

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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