Let me carry your burden
If something’s not right I will let you know
Like the paint that’s drying on a heart that’s broke
Let me carry your burden
Get you back on a high when you’re feeling low
When the weight’s too heavy but you won’t let go
Come to me my brother and I will sit with you awhile
Pretty soon I’ll see you smile
And you know you will
No matter how much you are hurting right now
You know that everything will change in time
So let me carry your burden
Let me carry your burden
When your mouth’s on fire but your mind is cold
And you’re fanning flames that won’t keep you warm
Come to me my brother and I will sit with you awhile
Pretty soon I’ll see you smile
And you know you will
No matter how much you are hurting right now
You know that everything will change in time
Let me carry your burden, O brother mine
Let me carry your burden
Come tomorrow you’ll be right as rain
It’ll quench your fire
Wash away your stains
Come to me my brother and I will sit with you awhile
Pretty soon I’ll see you smile
And you know you will
No matter how much you are hurting right now
You know that everything will change in time
Oh I just might see it in another light
Got no dog here in the fight
I could carry your burden
O brother mine
If something’s not right I will let you know
Like the paint that’s drying on a heart that’s broke
Let me carry your burden
When the weight’s too heavy but you won’t let go
Pretty soon I’ll see you smile
And you know you will
No matter how much you are hurting right now
You know that everything will change in time
So let me carry your burden
Let me carry your burden
And you’re fanning flames that won’t keep you warm
Pretty soon I’ll see you smile
And you know you will
No matter how much you are hurting right now
You know that everything will change in time
Let me carry your burden, O brother mine
Let me carry your burden
It’ll quench your fire
Wash away your stains
Pretty soon I’ll see you smile
And you know you will
No matter how much you are hurting right now
You know that everything will change in time
Got no dog here in the fight
I could carry your burden
O brother mine
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This is a song about connecting with someone who is lonely and perhaps socially isolated from what many of us take for granted with pillars around us like a spouse or close family. Vance sings this like he can identify with who the song is directed at and with a soulfulness that seems to really care about the individual who is in the ‘slough of despond’ and feels they have no one to share their dark experience.
The song starts with an invitation into that person’s world offering not just sympathy but empathy and to go deeper with them and work together to make things better. There is the offer to spend time with who is carrying the burden with an optimistic note that a problem shared really can take someone into a brighter place. The language progresses intimately referring to him as a ‘brother’ and that in time things can change but that progress is conditional on them agreeing to the invitation to let him in to carry the burden. There is a recognition that the problem is real and not imaginary and collectively by working together a smile will emerge from the darkness.
A great song which also encourages us all to be burden bearers and be on the lookout for those in our social circle who are hurting and are open to sharing that deep hurt they feel and where the outcome can even be just a smile where without your intervention wouldn’t happen.