Numbers Game
Life's Numbers Game: Love, Loss, and Resilience in Ben de la Cour's Melody
Lyrics
Screen door's torn the sky is gray
Describes a worn-out screen door and a gray sky, setting a bleak atmosphere.
Four dirty little feet two more on the way
Indicates a family with four children and two more on the way, emphasizing their struggles.
Rock bottom baby, that's you and me
Refers to a point of extreme hardship, suggesting a low point in life.
Rents past due we got sixty-five dollars
Highlights financial difficulties with overdue rent and only sixty-five dollars.
So you head downtown and see Carlotta
Character visits someone named Carlotta downtown, possibly seeking help or a solution.
Some days I wish were was a tree
Expresses a desire for simplicity, perhaps longing for a different, less challenging existence.
Oh it's a numbers game
Introduces the theme of life as a "numbers game," where circumstances are determined by numerical factors.
You start out high, you get low down
Describes the fluctuating nature of life, starting high and eventually facing challenges.
There's broken down hearts all over this town
Mentions broken hearts throughout the town, highlighting the pervasive struggles of the community.
Oh it's a numbers game
Reiterates the idea that life is a "numbers game," emphasizing its unpredictable and challenging nature.
I was homecoming queen back in '96
Recalls a past glory as the homecoming queen in 1996, suggesting a contrast with the current difficult circumstances.
But I stuck around town when momma got sick
Explains the choice to stay in town when the speaker's mother fell ill, indicating loyalty and sacrifice.
By the time she checked out I was all alone
Shares the loneliness that followed the mother's passing, underlining the harsh reality of life.
Growing up poor means growing up quick
Reflects on the accelerated maturity that comes with growing up poor.
And you don't meet a lot of folks on a double shift
Points out the lack of social interaction due to long working hours and clinic visits, portraying isolation.
Or lined up waiting at the clinic on your methadone
References the struggles associated with methadone treatment, indicating additional challenges.
Don't tell me to hold on
Rejects generic words of encouragement, asking not to be told to hold on during tough times.
That its brightest before the dawn
Disregards optimistic clichés and expresses skepticism about a better future.
Like counting drops of falling rain
Compares hope to counting raindrops, emphasizing the futility of relying on vague assurances.
It's a numbers game
Reiterates the central theme that life is a "numbers game," emphasizing the role of chance and circumstance.
The sky is black my feet are wrecked
Describes a dark and challenging present, with a reference to damaged feet and a final cigarette.
I smoke one last cigarette out on the steps
Implies a sense of finality with the last cigarette, symbolizing a difficult moment.
The kids are sleeping in a bed they've long outgrown
Depicts children sleeping in inadequate conditions, emphasizing the harsh reality of their lives.
I walk past the kitchen to say goodnight
Shares a moment of parental care, saying goodnight despite challenging circumstances.
And I see your empty face in the TV light
Highlights the emptiness and struggles, symbolized by the partner's face seen in the TV light.
I love you baby, more than you could ever know
Expresses deep love, possibly as a source of strength amidst adversity.
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