Burning Bright by Shinedown

Album: Leave A Whisper (2003)

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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: 8

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"

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