Burning Bright by Shinedown

Album: Leave A Whisper (2003)

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

Shinedown lead singer Brent Smith wrote "Burning Bright" after his grandmother was killed in a car accident. They were very close, and he was devastated when he heard the news.

"It was the first time I experienced death to someone that I was so close to," he told the radio station WRIF. "She was a huge part in raising me, and I wrote 'Burning Bright' about her.
"Burning Bright" is part of Shinedown's debut album, Leave A Whisper, which was released in May 2003, but the song wasn't issued as a single until July 2004. That's because after releasing "45," which became one of their most popular songs, Shinedown did a radio show where they played an acoustic cover of "Simple Man" that went over so well they recorded it and put it out as a single. "Burning Bright" followed, and by then they were at work on their next album, Us And Them, released in 2005. The lead single from that one was "Save Me."
Smith wrote the song with an outside writer, Tony Battaglia, who contributed to many of Shinedown's early songs. He also wrote with Puddle Of Mudd, including their song "Psycho."

Comments: 9

Q from TennesseeI don't want to talk about it
You don't want the answers to the question you're asking
I would rather let you see me than to tell you what's going on inside
Sometimes I just want to tell somebody

The more you see of me
I pretend there's nothing to see
The deeper into myself I fall
I pretend everything's fine

I'm tired of doing things just to fit in
I feel the world would be better off if I wasn't in it
Think I'm ready to talk now
You wanted to know

Everything's screwed up and nobody sees it
I don't know what to do with that
I let it get this way, because I couldn't make a clear decision to fix it

They keep telling me different ways to deal
None seem to be the right one for me
Maybe talking is pointless

(The ending line)
I don't want to talk anymore

This is my interpretation of this song. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2016 while battling extreme late stage 4 cancer. I never had a reason to think I was anxious or depressed. I've loved this song and understood it since I bought the album the day it hit the shelves. Listening to it for the last few years I see where my diagnosis comes from. This song describes me almost perfectly and until my diagnosis and my wife sitting me down and making me bring everything to light I didn't see just how truly powerful this song is. I still have my days that I simply don't want to talk. I don't want the world around me to see inside. I will say this. I've learned to deal with those days without professional help. My wife and my love for music like this gets me through my roughest days.
Nevada S. from MississippiThis song always represemted how depression feels for me. "The more the dark consumes me, I pretend I'm burning bright" the deeper I sink into my own self loathing the more I pretend everything is ok.
Melissa from North Liberty IowaLove Shinedown and every song. Can't get enough.
Misty from GeorgiaI believe this song can be interrupted in many ways. I first heard this song and learned its lyrics in 2013 I was beginning to discover that my marriage was slowly changing. And not for the better!!!
To me the lyrics, the more the light shines through me i pretend to close my eyes, says the more someone's secrets and or demons come to light I PRETEND to close my eyes... if you pretend to close your eyes your hiding hoping you are not revealed.
The more the dark consumes me, says the more your secrets or demons consume you. Then once again, I PRETEND I'm burning bright. Says I'm pretending you dont notice so i dont have to address or answer your suspensions.
And I had rather reveal myself than my situation says to me they had rather reveal how far they will go to keep this secret, lying, denying, and ignoring your pain to keep there secret a secret...
I feel like there is no need for conversation well that's self explanatory... saying no need to have another conversation they are never going to reveal themselves. NOT EVEN FOR YOU!!!
Zero from The Abyss, NjOh and "The more the light shines through me, I pretend to close my eyes," that could mean the more attention is put on him, the more he tries to shoot it down/retreat from the spotlight/ignore people because he doesn't want to deal with anything. That's how I interpret it.
Zero from The Abyss, NjI agree with James just one below me. To add to that, I think the line "I would rather reveal myself than my situation," means revealing his true colors, like snapping on people or even ignoring people, rather than telling them he's depressed/going through a bad time. Just my 2 cents.
James from Kansas City, MoI think this song has more to do with being depressed. The more the dark consumes me, meaning the deeper in depression I go. Then I pretend I'm burning bright. Meaning you're acting like everything is ok. And when he say's I feel like there is no need for conversation, I think he means he doesn't want to talk about. And he also says, I would rather reveal myself than my situation. I think he means he would rather tell about himself rather than what he'd like to do in his situation. I could be wrong, but I listened to this song a lot when I was pertty depressed and it just seemed to fit.
Jamey from Lutherville, Md"the more the dark consumes me" could be interpreted as society corrupting ones life.. "i pretend i'm burning bright" pretending to be someone your not to fit into this corrupt society, so your not seen as an outcast perhaps? its really deep, i just started performing this song acoustically, i think people will like it
Mel!ssa from Pittsburgh, PaI love this song, but the way he sings "conversation" it reminds me of STPs "Big Empty"

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Take Me Out To The BallgameNora Bayes

The guys who wrote "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" had never been to a baseball game but knew it was a good song topic.

The Sound of SilenceSimon & Garfunkel

The first release of "The Sound Of Silence" was acoustic, and went nowhere. It became Simon & Garfunkel's first hit when a producer at their label overdubbed it with electric instruments.

Like A PrayerMadonna

Madonna's hit "Like A Prayer" debuted in a Pepsi commercial, but Pepsi pulled the ad the next day when the controversial video appeared. Madonna got to keep her $5 million endorsement money.

The House Of The Rising SunThe Animals

"The House Of The Rising Sun" is a traditional folk song, either about a brothel or a prison.

Sir Mix-A-Lot says he's earned over $100 million from "Baby Got Back." He wrote the song and owns the publishing rights, so he can authorize its use in movies, TV shows and commercials, which he often does.

Cat's In The CradleHarry Chapin

Harry Chapin's wife Sandy wrote the lyrics to "Cat's In The Cradle," which were actually about her first husband.