Burnout Lyrics — The Warning

Album: Keep Me Fed

Burnout by The Warning

Wasted, never catching up
Still you think you're good enough
You're so blissfully unaware
Drag me down like you never cared

[Pre-Chorus]
You lost all your ambitions in a flood of bad decisions, you know
Oh
You're making it too easy, best believe you're gonna reap what you sow
Woah

[Chorus]
Say you've got it so bad, baby, yeah, that's all you talk about
There ain't even a spark inside you left, nothing to put out
The smoke around you splits us in two
You're just a burnout

[Post-Chorus]
(You're just a burnout)

[Verse 2]
Breaking empty promises
Talk is cheap when no one's listening

[Pre-Chorus]
You plan your demolition with a list of self-inflictions, you know
Woah
[Chorus]
Say you got it so bad, baby, yеah, that's all you talk about
There ain't evеn a spark inside you left, nothing to put out
The smoke around you splits us in two
You're just a burnout

[Post-Chorus]
(You're just a burnout)
(Hey)
(You're just a burnout)
(You're just a burnout)

[Bridge]
You'll find out sooner or later
You're always one step behind
The world just moves on without you
A waste of everyone's time (Hey)
You'll find out sooner or later
You're always one step behind
The world just moves on without you

[Chorus]
Say you got it so bad, baby, yeah, that's all you talk about
There ain't even a spark inside you left, nothing to put out
The smoke around you fills up the room
Everything you do, it splits us in two
You're just a burnout
[Post-Chorus]
(You're just a burnout)
(Hey)
(You're just a burnout)

Song Facts

Genre: Rock
Album: Keep Me Fed (2024)
Producer: Anton DeLost
Writers: Alejandra Villarreal, Anton DeLost, Daniela Villarreal, Paulina Villarreal, Sam Hollander
Mastering Engineer: Ted Jensen
Label: Republic Records
Release Date: May 17, 2024

Song Annotations

The Warning's "Burnout" explores issues of unrealized potential, stagnation, and frustration at witnessing someone waste their life. The song expresses the disappointment and disillusionment that comes with watching someone you care about become a "burnout," a phrase used to characterize someone who has reached their full potential and is now aimlessly wandering through life.
Annotations and Meaning
. The song begins with a harsh appraisal of the subject's situation: they are "wasted" and "never catching up," yet are foolishly confident in their own abilities. The words "drag me down like you never cared" expresses the emotional impact their actions have on those around them. In the pre-chorus, the performer emphasizes how the subject has lost their aspirations, blaming "a flood of bad decisions." This sense of inevitability in reaping what one sows sets the tone for the chorus, in which the vocalist questions the subject's complaints about their problems, implying that they have no flame left to reignite. The chorus stresses the stark reality that the subject's presence is oppressive, causing a schism ("the smoke around you splits us in two"). The post-chorus reinforces the term "burnout," emphasizing that this person's behaviors have led to their current situation. In the second verse, the singer discusses the futility of hollow promises and unspoken words. The phrase "talk is cheap when no one's listening" emphasizes the subject's lack of credibility as a result of their repeated failure to follow through. The bridge reveals a stark reality: the world passes on without those who cannot keep up. The expression "always one step behind" suggests that someone is constantly out of sync with progress and growth, wasting everyone's time. The concluding chorus and post-chorus echo the subject's opening feelings, underlining the futility and stagnation that define his existence. The recurrence of "you're just a burnout" serves as a sharp reminder of their unrealized potential.
Personal Reflection
\cite>Burnout by The Warning explores the difficulties and emotional toll of witnessing someone squander their potential. The song speaks to anyone who has experienced the disappointment of watching a loved one fail to live up to their potential and the resulting impact on relationships. Burnout is a riveting story about the consequences of bad actions and unmet objectives, with the band's forceful delivery and descriptive lyrics emphasizing the emotional seriousness of the situation.

A-Z Lyrics Universe

Lyrics / song texts are property and copyright of their owners and provided for educational purposes only.