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Nothin' Lyrics

Hey Mama when you leave
Don't leave a thing behind
I don't want nothin' - I can't use nothin'
Take care into the hall
And if you see my friends
Tell 'em I'm fine - Ain't usin' nothin'
Almost burned out my eyes
Threw my ears down to the floor
I didn't see nothin' - I didn't hear nothin'
Stood there like a block of stone
Knowing all I had to know
And nothin' more - And man, that's nothin'
These brothers our troubles are
Locked in each others arms
You'd better pray that they never find you
Cos your back ain't strong enough
For burdens doublefold
They'll chase you down - down into nothin'
Bein' born is goin' blind
And bowin' down a thousand time
The echoes strong of pure temptation
Sorrow and solitude these are the precious things
And the only words worth remembering
Song Info
Submitted by
karma Sutured On Apr 27, 2006
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Cover art for Nothin' lyrics by Townes Van Zandt

"They'll crush you down - down into nothin'"

Cover art for Nothin' lyrics by Townes Van Zandt

Line 13 - should be "As brothers", not "These brothers"

4th and 3rd to last lines - should be "And bowin' down a thousand times, To echoes strung on pure temptation", not "And bowin' down a thousand time, The echoes strong of pure temptation"

Unbelievable song.

Lyric Correction
Cover art for Nothin' lyrics by Townes Van Zandt

I feel like this song has two timelines. The first one is Townes in a hospital bed after something really messed up and traumatic happened, maybe he saw a friend die of an overdose and he was so stunned (and high) he didn't know what to do, he stood there watching, his eyes burned and all that... He doesn't want his mom's help nor his friends', he is reckless and feels like he knows what he is doing, everything is gonna end up alright.

The second timeline starts in "as brothers our troubles are..." - Here it feels like an old Townes, who has been through a lot of stuff in his life and is now clean. He is doing the same as his mom did in the begining of the song, he is giving advice and checkin someone he really loves who is doing dope.

"As brothers our troubles are Locked in each others arms And you better pray They never find you"

He is saying this person's problems will affect him too, because he loves this person. He went throught it and he guarantees what's up next it's not a good experience... no one is prepared to live that.


"Being born is going blind And buying down a thousand times To echoes strung On pure temptation"

You'll cast aside those who care about you, and you will use it more and more and more... and even after you are clean and you acknowledge all the mess your life was when you were doing it, the temptation of using again is always there.


"Sorrow and solitude these are the precious things And the only words worth remembering"

This is my favorite poetry line ever, it's almost like a mantra, whenever you feel the temptation of escaping this void in your life by using dope, remember that this is precious, life is precious, you have to embrace all that sorrow and solitude.

By far my favorite song, just hoped Townes was still around.

Cover art for Nothin' lyrics by Townes Van Zandt

There are a lot moments that sound like drug references, it could be about how they can crush you, etc, and the desire to not let the people you love see the destruction. But I also feel like it could be about seeing someone you love and respect do something completely heinous, which you can't tell anyone about, but which shakes everything you thought you knew about a person. "Didn't see nothin" " brothers our troubles are Locked in each others arms" the line about temptaion could refer to the overwhelming desire to speak of it.

Cover art for Nothin' lyrics by Townes Van Zandt

Feels to me as though the two verses starting with "As brothers" and "Your back ain't strong enough" are his addiction speaking to him; telling him that their fates are tied together and he's not strong enough to stand up to life without it.

Every time I hear this song I come up with different ways to understand the lyrics. Phenomenally beautiful piece of writing.

@midnightcarousel Yeah, I've always thought "Echoes strung on pure temptation" is an exact description of how an addict feels when his/her poison of choice comes floating past.

And I kind of disagree about it being primarily about drugs. It's more about depression and the burden of life. Addiction is only one of many problems. It's an almost Puritanical message about life being full of snares and pitfalls from the minute you're born.

"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Cover art for Nothin' lyrics by Townes Van Zandt

Sounds like its about a junkie. The "mama" he mentions could be trying to help him get clean but he doesn't want help, "Take care into the hall", but tell my friends im fine, and not usin nothin. As far as him burning out his eyes, maybe he's referring to the feeling of his first hit, or maybe saw a friend o.d. but was too high to do anything about it, standing like "a block of stone" knowing nothin. "Brothers" are the other junkies, and none of em feel they're strong enough to kick the habit. Oh and "being born" turned on to the drugs.

Cover art for Nothin' lyrics by Townes Van Zandt

It has a clear drug addiction reference, he's talking about being all the way down on drugs. Also he's talking about the problems of the life itself, and how the troubles always come doublefold, when it rains it pours and all that. And of course, the living itself, the whole race makes you think things you kinda have to, to get by. bowing down to your temptation, and after you've lost "mama", there remains sorrow and solitude.

sounds like he's complaining, in other songs he acknowledges all the burdens yet still hopeful. But it's an effort to stay hopeful, here he's really down. Brilliant Legend.