Burn by Juice WRLD Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking the Emotional Inferno
Lyrics
I can’t take one Percocet, start tonight off, I just took a 60
Burberry on me, shoot you in your back, you just got Pretty Ricky
I tie the Chanel runners, then I get back to running the city
And I know that it’s hell coming, I ain’t worried, my niggas, they with me
Gotta put the narcotics down, I can feel ’em fuckin’ up my kidney
And punching my liver, if I let it kill me, my mama’ll never forgive me
Ain’t numbing my feelings, if I let it kill ’em, my baby will never forgive me
This remind me of hell, sometimes I wonder if that’s where God really sent me
Hands up in the fire, burn, burn, burn, burn
Hands up in the fire, burn, burn, burn, burn
I pray to God for some water to wash down these Percs
I been cursed since birth, guess I never learn
Hands up in the fire, burn, burn, burn, burn
Hands up in the fire, burn, burn, burn, burn
I pray to God for some water to wash down these Percs
I been cursed since birth, guess I never learn
The truth hurts, let it bleed out, if they hurt you, let ’em leave
My heart hurtin’, let me bleed out, only way I’ll find peace
I’m tryna get set free, but these chains on me
Choke me, I can’t breathe, what’s reality?
Uh, detached from myself, uh-huh, numb the pain with my wealth
Uh, a bag from Chanel match the double C on my belt, uh
Bands in my pants, I barely be holdin’ my pants up
But the money ain’t the answer
I’m just tryna reach some new highs
Mix this with that, bet it feel nice
Codeine, only sip if I got ice
Look my girl in her eyes, tell her I won’t die
I fell asleep too deep that one time
Woke up to your cry, girl, I’m fine
But I lied
Had a dream I wasn’t gon’ wake up this time
Hands up in the fire, burn, burn, burn, burn
Hands up in the fire, burn, burn, burn, burn
I pray to God for some water to wash down these Percs
I been cursed since birth, guess I never learn
Hands up in the fire, burn, burn, burn, burn
Hands up in the fire, burn, burn, burn, burn
I pray to God for some water to wash down these Percs
I been cursed since birth, guess I never learn
In the pantheon of modern hip-hop melancholy, Juice WRLD held a torch that illuminated the darkest corners of the human psyche. ‘Burn,’ a track that finds itself nestled within his posthumous discography, is no exception. The song weaves an intricate tapestry of pain, substance abuse, and existential dread—a trifecta that Juice navigated with a unique blend of lyrical dexterity and raw emotiveness.
Despite the upbeat tempo and hypnotic rhythms, ‘Burn’ harbors a depth that transcends its surface level appeal. The track is essentially Juice WRLD’s soul turned inside out, its lyrics a confessional that resonates with anyone who’s doused their demons in lighter fluid, praying the flames would purify rather than consume. Let’s delve into the smouldering narrative that Juice WRLD left behind.
A Dance with Percocets: Substance as a False Protagonist
Juice WRLD’s references to Percocets—potent prescription opioids—are not merely braggadocio. Instead, they serve as a symbol of a misplaced panacea, a way to combat the encroaching darkness with chemical warfare. The ’60’ milligrams, while staving off emotional pain momentarily, ultimately contribute to a physical and spiritual breakdown, with his organs bearing witness to a silent protest.
To Juice, narcotics are a Burberry-clad assailant he welcomed into his home, only to realize the friend he turned his back to had become his executioner. It’s a vicious cycle of addiction where the city he rules comes at the high cost of his wellbeing. The dichotomy of luxury and self-destructive tendencies paints a picture of a man crowned in chains.
Embers of Guilt: Family, Love, and Legacy in the Inferno
The visceral fear of disappointing loved ones breathes fire into ‘Burn.’ Juice’s mention of his mother and loved one underlines a dual sense of accountability. His actions aren’t contained within the vacuum of his personal experience; they ripple outwards, threatening to drown the very people who anchor him to life.
Here, Juice grapples with the gravity of his choices. He desperately seeks to avoid leaving a legacy of sorrow and brokenness. The burden of potential regret casts long shadows over the transient euphoria provided by the narcotics. Each line doesn’t just scratch the surface of remorse; it plunges into deep, festering wounds.
Hellish Verses: A Dive into the Song’s Hidden Meaning
At the core of ‘Burn’ lies a purgatorial theme, with Juice WRLD standing at the crossroads of damnation and redemption. His introspection reveals a sense of being cosmically forsaken, raising questions that tiptoe around theodicy—why do the good suffer, and where is God in the midst of anguish?
The recurring plea for water, a basic element of purification and life, contextualizes his torment. It’s not just a physical thirst but a spiritual craving for absolution, for something to douse the metaphysical flames he finds himself engulfed in. The heat of the fire becomes a transformative force, one that could either refine or obliterate.
Unshackling the Soul: Juice WRLD’s Quest for Transcendence
The chains that Juice WRLD speaks of are more than justl metaphorical. They represent the ingrained habits, societal expectations, and personal traumas that keep one tethered to a state of existential suspension. His struggle against these restraints echoes throughout the song, painting a picture of a man yearning to breathe without the chokehold of his past and present.
His battle isn’t lost on material wealth and worldly achievements, seen through the insignia of Chanel and burly cash wads failing to hold up the weight of his existence. It’s a morose acknowledgment that despite reaching new heights, he remains haunted by a fear so deep-rooted that even love cannot fully extinguish it.
Echoes in the Void: Memorable Lines that Capture the Heart
‘I pray to God for some water to wash down these Percs / I been cursed since birth, guess I never learn.’ These lines hit like a sledgehammer, encapsulating the essence of Juice WRLD’s plight. There’s poetic grace in the way he marries his internal conflict with his mortality—a struggle as rhythmic as it is tragic.
It’s Juice WRLD’s musical confession booth, with each bar holding the weight of a sinner’s prayer. ‘I fell asleep too deep that one time / Woke up to your cry, girl, I’m fine / But I lied’ serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of human connection in the face of self-destructive tendencies. Together, these lines form a narrative so touching it linger in the soul long after the track ends.
