Thank Me for That
Tyler Braden Lyrics

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Blame this messed up knee on a cross
Country team in the friday night lights
Blame the scar on my chin for getting mixed up
In that "you don't mess with my best friend" fight
And the yes sir, yes ma'am,
Never quit give a damn was handed down from my old man
Blame it all on my momma
For my tendency to wanna bow my head and say amen

But when it comes to holdin' on to a long
Gone lonely at last call, wanna call her up
And that messy side of me takes a Whitley side beam
Drops a needle on it, back to front
And that pissed off part of me
Is hanging on a memory of me
Walking out on what ain't ever comin' back
Yeah, you can thank me for that
You can thank me for that

Wish I could point a little blame
But there ain't one thing that she did wrong
Just one lie about some other guy would put some move in my movin' on
And all I can pin on that girl
Is that she took my world and made it better with her in it
Now there ain't no other way to spin it

But when it comes to holdin' on to a long
Gone lonely at last call, wanna call her up
And that messy side of me takes a Whitley side beam
Drops a needle on it, back to front
And that pissed off part of me
Is hanging on a memory of me
Walking out on what ain't ever comin' back
Yeah, you can thank me for that

You can thank me for the messed up head
And that part that won't let me stop missin' her
When I go to point a finger I just aim it at the man in the mirror
Yeah...

But when it comes to holdin' on to a long hone lonely at last call
Wanna call her up
And that messy side of me takes a Whitley side beam
Drops a needle on it, back to front
And that pissed off part of me
Is hanging on a memory of me
Walking out on what ain't ever comin' back
Yeah, you can thank me for that
You can thank me for that

Oh...
You can thank me for that

Overall Meaning

The first verse of "Thank Me for That" by Tyler Braden speaks about blaming some aspects of his personality or physical appearance on certain events in his life. He references a messed-up knee from playing on a country team in high school, a scar on his chin from defending his best friend, and his tendency to say "yes sir" and "yes ma'am" from his father. He also attributes his religious beliefs and inclination to bow his head and say "amen" to his mother. Braden then admits to his messy side, which takes him back to his ex-girlfriend when he is feeling lonely late at night. He acknowledges that he is still holding on to her memory and the anger associated with their breakup.

In the second verse, Braden wishes he could blame his ex-girlfriend for their breakup, but he admits that nothing she did was wrong. He explains that a lie about another guy was enough to push him to move on from the relationship, and he knows that he would not be the person he is today without her influence. The chorus repeats the idea that his ex-girlfriend might not have been the one for him, but he still holds on to her memory, and he takes responsibility for that.

The song seems to be an introspective look at the aftermath of a breakup and the difficulty of moving on. Braden recognizes the importance of taking responsibility for his feelings and actions, even if they are painful. He seems to be grateful for the experience of the relationship, even though it did not work out in the end.

Line by Line Meaning

Blame this messed up knee on a cross
I attribute my knee injury and pain to my participation in high school football games that were played under the Friday night lights.

Blame the scar on my chin for getting mixed up In that 'you don't mess with my best friend' fight
I account the scar on my chin to the scuffle I got into defending my best friend's honor.

And the yes sir, yes ma'am, Never quit give a damn was handed down from my old man
My father instilled in me the values of hard work, respect, and obedience, which I still uphold today.

Blame it all on my momma For my tendency to wanna bow my head and say amen
My mother is responsible for my inclination to pray and show reverence to God.

Wish I could point a little blame But there ain't one thing that she did wrong Just one lie about some other guy would put some move in my movin' on And all I can pin on that girl Is that she took my world and made it better with her in it Now there ain't no other way to spin it
My ex-girlfriend did not do anything wrong; it was just a lie about another guy that served as an impetus for my decision to move on. However, I cannot place any blame on her since my life was undoubtedly better when she was in it.

You can thank me for the messed up head And that part that won't let me stop missin' her When I go to point a finger I just aim it at the man in the mirror Yeah...
My emotional state and inability to move on from my ex-girlfriend are entirely my fault, and I take responsibility for it.

Oh... You can thank me for that
In spite of the pain and emotional turmoil that I have had to endure, I fully accept responsibility for my actions and the consequences that followed. You can thank me for that.

Writer(s): Shane Minor, Adam Craig, Ray Fulcher

Contributed by Bentley J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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