Dodie first uploaded “Burned Out” on her YouTube channel on December 1st, 2017. The video was the first time she had uploaded an original song on her main channel doddleoddle, that didn’t already feature on an EP, since June. She explained in the description that this was because she felt pressure to make every song she posted “perfect”:
"'I feel like everything I put on this channel must be for production which sends me into a spiral of “it’s not good enough to be recorded! once I upload it that’s IT, it’s finished and cannot be changed! I can’t set this in stone!'"
burned out
dodie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So was I
There was comfort in her sighs,
Dreams and ideas should not be the same thing
You waited smiling for this
Oh, she'd want it
If she knew
Be careful be cautious, but you just wished harder
You waited smiling for this
But they love you, over and over
They love you
Thousands and thousands of eyes just like mine
Aching to find who they are
Oh they love you
Oh you can feel how they love you
Coated and warm, but that's all they can do
Words only get through if they're sharp
Oh how fitting for one so fake
Make me a fairy whatever it takes
And just like her tale my dream was a scam
You waited smiling for this
I am burnt out I smell of smoke it seeps through her cracks and so I start to choke
Sentences sit in her mouth that are templated
You waited smiling for this
But they love you, over and over
They love you
Thousands and thousands of eyes just like mine
Aching to find who they are
Oh they love you
Oh you can feel how they love you
Coated and warm, but that's all they can do
Words only get through if they're sharp
Maybe I'll talk about it
I can just talk about it
I'll never talk about it
No, I cannot talk about it
Don't build hope on something broken
I am not cartoon
Cry for help, I am not joking
I might just leave soon.
The song "Burned Out" by dodie is a reflection on the difference between dreams and reality and the pain that can come from realizing that they are not the same thing. The opening lines "He was certain, so was I" suggest that the singer and someone else (perhaps a partner or friend) had a shared hope or dream. But as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer's hope has been misplaced. She sings about the comfort she found in a woman's sighs, but acknowledges that dreams and ideas should not be confused with reality. Despite this, the singer persists in her fantasy, hoping that she might be able to achieve her desires.
The refrain of the song, "But they love you, over and over, they love you," is a bittersweet reminder of the singer's popularity and the adulation that she receives from fans. The crowds that follow her are "thousands and thousands of eyes just like mine, aching to find who they are." This lines suggest a degree of empathy and shared experience, but they also hint at the superficial nature of the singer's popularity. The love that she receives is "coated and warm, but that's all they can do." As the song progresses, the singer becomes more and more disillusioned, and by the end, she seems to be at the end of her rope. She says that she is "burnt out" and that she "smells of smoke." She acknowledges that she is "not cartoon" and that she is "not joking" when she cries for help. She says that she might leave soon.
Overall, "Burned Out" is a powerful reflection on the intersection of hope and reality. It is a reminder that dreams can be powerful, but they can also be dangerous if they are not tempered with realism. The song is a testament to the pain that can come from realizing that the people who love and support you are not always enough to save you from yourself.
Line by Line Meaning
He was certain
He was convinced of something
So was I
I too believed in what he believed
There was comfort in her sighs,
Her sighs made us feel at ease
Dreams and ideas should not be the same thing
Dreams and ideas are not equivalent
You waited smiling for this
You were anticipating this with pleasure
Oh, she'd want it
She would desire it
If she knew
If only she could know
She could take it, I thought too
I believed she would have the ability to handle it
Be careful be cautious, but you just wished harder
Although you should be careful, you had a strong desire for this to happen
But they love you, over and over
They continue to love you
Thousands and thousands of eyes just like mine
Many people, like me, are watching
Aching to find who they are
They want to discover themselves
Oh you can feel how they love you
You can sense their love for you
Coated and warm, but that's all they can do
Their love may be comforting, yet it is not enough
Words only get through if they're sharp
Words can only penetrate if they are precise and powerful
Oh how fitting for one so fake
It is appropriate for someone who is fake
Make me a fairy whatever it takes
Do whatever it takes to make me into a fairy
And just like her tale my dream was a scam
My dream, like hers, was a fraud
I am burnt out I smell of smoke it seeps through her cracks and so I start to choke
I am exhausted, I smell of smoke that penetrates my cracks and makes me cough
Sentences sit in her mouth that are templated
Her words are scripted and lack authenticity
Maybe I'll talk about it
I may discuss it
I can just talk about it
I have the ability to talk about it
I'll never talk about it
But I will never talk about it
No, I cannot talk about it
I am unable to discuss it
Don't build hope on something broken
Do not have high expectations for something that is already damaged
I am not cartoon
I am not fictional
Cry for help, I am not joking
I am not kidding when I ask for help
I might just leave soon.
I may depart soon
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Dorothy Clark
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind