I'm No Good
Heartache and Whiskey: Brooks & Dunn's Tale of Temptation and Longing
Lyrics
I got whiskey to keep me warm when the sun goes down
I rely on whiskey to cope with loneliness when the day ends
And this God forsaken honky tonk ain't likely to run out
The honky-tonk is a desolate place, unlikely to run out of whiskey
So won't you come on home and save me
A plea for the listener to come home and rescue from a destructive path
Stop me before I drown
An urgent request to intervene before succumbing to negative influences
'Cause I'm no good, pretty mama
Expressing one's inadequacy when the significant other is absent
When you're not around
A confession of moral weakness in the absence of a loved one
And there's women in this town whispering in my ear
Acknowledging the presence of other women tempting the speaker
Saying things a man in my condition likes to hear
Describing the alluring words that appeal to the speaker's current state
So won't you come on home and stop me
A plea to return home and prevent the speaker from making a mistake
Before I step on out
Asking for intervention before engaging in regrettable actions
'Cause I'm no good, pretty mama
Reiterating personal flaws when the significant other is not present
When you're not around
Highlighting the speaker's struggles with morality and behavior
Well I'm helpless when I'm tempted
Admitting vulnerability when faced with temptation
And I'm headed straight for hell
Anticipating negative consequences and a path leading to trouble
Oh I've got no resistance
An admission of lacking the strength to resist undesirable influences
The Devil knows me well
Recognizing a familiarity with negative influences or vices
So won't you come on home sweet darlin'
Expressing a desperate need for the significant other to come home
Oh Lord I need you now
Reiterating personal shortcomings in the absence of the loved one
'Cause I'm no good, pretty mama
Emphasizing the impact of the loved one's absence on the speaker's behavior
When you're not around
[Refrain]
Now there's a southbound
Referring to a southbound train as a metaphor for a tempting, destructive path
Callin' me further down the track
Feeling drawn toward a detrimental direction in life
And if I get on board that train
If the speaker takes that path, there's no returning from it
Well I'm never coming back
Expressing a commitment to a destructive course of action
So won't you meet me at the station
Asking for intervention and restraint from the loved one at the train station
And tie my boot heels down
A plea for the loved one to prevent the speaker from making a regrettable choice
Cause I'm no good, pretty mama
Reiterating personal flaws and moral struggles in the loved one's absence
When you're not around
Highlighting the negative impact of the loved one's absence on the speaker's behavior
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