I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Johnny was a Pyro
by Patty Larkin
Johnny Was A Pyro and he acted like a baby
Wanted all of this attention I couldn't give
Drink a bottle of hard stuff, say I love you now save me
Just a big guy with a big sense of sin
And the neighbor down the block in his underwear and socks
Keeping track of the losses and wins
With his wife hanging out the window wondering which way the wind blows
As I fumble the key in the lock again, singing
Oh me
What am I doing with this ring on my hand
Oh me
If this is the good life who's choosin it
Oh me
Mama's best woman and daddy's best man
Oh me
I'm highly in danger of losin it
Johnny Was A Pyro and he acted like a baby
Got a phone call from wild almost every night
Well he loved me but he really loved looking past me to the ladies
He was much too good looking for his height
We were a couple of kis crawling out of the crib
Talking about the positives and the negatives of wine
Living our lives just like Hemingway did
But he was lucky, he was a genius most of the time
Oh me
What am I doing with this ring on my hand
Oh me
If this is the good life who's choosin it
Oh me
Mama's best woman and daddy's best man
Oh me
I'm highly in danger of losin it
He was sideswiped by the clue bus when it came to talking two of us
And the while thing ended ugly I guess
You can put your cards out on the table but if nobody wants to play
Well, you haven't got a game you've got a mess
I was looking at the judge leaning on my lawyer like a crutch
And the judge said what happened and why
I said, Johnny Was A Pyro and he acted like a baby
Now there's nothing like the sound of good bye
Oh me
What am I doing with this ring on my hand
Oh me
If this is the good life who's choosin it
Oh me
Mama's best woman and daddy's best man
Oh me
I'm highly in danger of losin it
by Patty Larkin
Johnny Was A Pyro and he acted like a baby
Wanted all of this attention I couldn't give
Drink a bottle of hard stuff, say I love you now save me
Just a big guy with a big sense of sin
And the neighbor down the block in his underwear and socks
Keeping track of the losses and wins
With his wife hanging out the window wondering which way the wind blows
As I fumble the key in the lock again, singing
Oh me
What am I doing with this ring on my hand
Oh me
If this is the good life who's choosin it
Oh me
Mama's best woman and daddy's best man
Oh me
I'm highly in danger of losin it
Johnny Was A Pyro and he acted like a baby
Got a phone call from wild almost every night
Well he loved me but he really loved looking past me to the ladies
He was much too good looking for his height
We were a couple of kis crawling out of the crib
Talking about the positives and the negatives of wine
Living our lives just like Hemingway did
But he was lucky, he was a genius most of the time
Oh me
What am I doing with this ring on my hand
Oh me
If this is the good life who's choosin it
Oh me
Mama's best woman and daddy's best man
Oh me
I'm highly in danger of losin it
He was sideswiped by the clue bus when it came to talking two of us
And the while thing ended ugly I guess
You can put your cards out on the table but if nobody wants to play
Well, you haven't got a game you've got a mess
I was looking at the judge leaning on my lawyer like a crutch
And the judge said what happened and why
I said, Johnny Was A Pyro and he acted like a baby
Now there's nothing like the sound of good bye
Oh me
What am I doing with this ring on my hand
Oh me
If this is the good life who's choosin it
Oh me
Mama's best woman and daddy's best man
Oh me
I'm highly in danger of losin it
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Johnny Was a Pyro Lyrics as written by Patty Larkin
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.