Bloodlines
Male Kentucky Baritone
Description
A heart-wrenching Appalachian country ballad about breaking cycles of abuse and addiction. Sung from the perspective of a father determined to forge a better future for his son, 'Bloodlines' explores themes of generational trauma, redemption, and the enduring power of love in the face of hardship. The sparse instrumentation and intimate vocal delivery create a raw and deeply emotional listening experience, reminiscent of early Steve Earle or Townes Van Zandt.
Lyrics
[Intro] (Soft thumb-picked guitar, low coal-train hum, room-tone quiet) [Verse 1] That coal train’s hummin’ like a low, tired hymn Coffee’s gone cold by the sink again Moonlight crawls in through a curtain thin On dishes piled and a leaky tap’s slow drip within Your bottle’s rattlin’ in the trash out back His boots are gone again, that old worn track But you're curled up small in your second-hand crib Holdin' on to my finger like it's all you’ve got to live [Chorus] Bloodlines don’t have to be shackles or spines I can break what got handed down crooked in time Turn a curse into somethin’ that finally shines You’re more than his temper and the scars that are mine In these worn-out hands, I’m changin’ our bloodlines [Turnaround] (Simple guitar figure, small fiddle sigh) [Verse 2] Your granddad’s name rests on a cross of pine Where the hillside swallows up the end of the line That mine took him quick, left silence behind And I learned too young how men break what they find His daddy swung fists when the work ran out My daddy drank paydays thin with doubt Son, I’ve heard love wear a mean man’s face And I’ve prayed you’d never carry that taste [Chorus] Bloodlines don’t have to be shackles or spines I can break what got handed down crooked in time Turn a curse into somethin’ that finally shines You’re more than his temper and the scars that are mine In these tired eyes, I’m redrawin’ our bloodlines [Bridge] I laid down a name the world once shouted loud Traded bright lights for a life without a crowd Let ’em keep their gold and their velvet crown I just wanted one good branch that won’t fall down So if you feel that old fire risin’ hot Or hear ghosts in your veins like a drum you’re not Remember some fool woman loved you enough To stand between you and where you came from [Verse 3] The dust settles slow on this weary land Another empty promise from a calloused hand But your mama's hummin' a lullaby soft and low Plantin' seeds of hope where nothin' else will grow I’ll teach you to mend fences and to stand your ground To find your own music in the quiet sound Of the creek bed whisperin' secrets to the trees And know that kindness is a breeze to ease [Final Chorus] Bloodlines don’t have to be shackles or spines We ain’t nailed to the anger that trails behind I can break what got handed down crooked in time Leave the bottle and the belt in the dust behind You’re the hymn that heaven keeps tryin’ to rewind With these work-worn hands, I’m changin’ our bloodlines [Outro] (Guitar softens, coal train fades, one last warm chord)