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Zach Bryan, Tourniquet: the song lyrics & their meaning

Jul 11, 2023Jul 11, 2023

The album released in 2023 by Zach Bryan really marked the imagination of the American people. Its songs can be romantic; his poetics passionately explores life, emotions, and intentions common to many human beings in the modern world. We already analyzed I Remember Everything in this article. Today, we discover the meaning of another popular song from that album: Tourniquet. You’ll find the complete lyrics and the full streaming at the end of this article.

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Tourniquet is a romantic song about taking care of our loved ones. Zach Bryan uses the metaphor of the tourniquet, the medical tool used to stop bleeding, as an image applied to himself: the girl mentioned in the song is metaphorically bleeding, and with his care, he will stop her pain.

The girl in the song is symbolically bleeding because someone stabbed her in the back. It’s a cruel world, and that’s why Zach Bryan impersonates her tourniquet: he wants to be her safety net, her protection in this complicated world. With his love, his care, and his presence, he will heal her.

You’ve been stabbed in the back and the rest of your bodyWon’t you tell me where you’re bleedin’ from?If you need a tourniquet or if you wanna turn and quitKnow that I’ll be by your side

The blood is what makes us alive. By taking care of the girl’s blood, Zach Bryan is trying to preserve her life, protecting her from the pain and the trouble this world brings.

I bandage up your body and your bones and your bad days tooTake care of the blood that your love runs throughI know all the damage that some days in this dark world does

The central verse of the song opens to a new interpretation: it mentions someone who’s been playing guitar for a long time, getting old. In this part of Tourniquet lyrics, Zach Bryan could be singing to himself. From this point of view, he could also be the one responsible for ruining the relationship with the girl mentioned before.

You’ve been playin’ your guitar from arenas to the barsSince you were old enough to rhyme a wordBut your face is gettin’ thinner and you’re prayin’ for the winterAnd I heard you f–ked it up with her

The meaning of the lyrics in Tourniquet is generally straightforward: I’m here for you; I can make you stop bleeding and cure your pain. Eventually, I am broken, too, and we both know what this world can do to us. A song about love, pain, and existentialism, perfectly expressing Zach Bryan’s poetry.

Read other popular song lyrics meaning on Auralcrave

There’s delays on the planes out of Eastern MontanaWhere you told me you were leavin’ fromYou’ve been stabbed in the back and the rest of your bodyWon’t you tell me where you’re bleedin’ from?If you need a tourniquet or if you wanna turn and quitKnow that I’ll be by your sideYou bled your whole soul into things you can’t controlIn a world you’ll never satisfy

I bandage up your body and your bones and your bad days tooTake care of the blood that your love runs throughI know all the damage that some days in this dark world doesYou were laughin’ last week at somethin’ I dreamed of

When you finally feel the blood you spill into everybody elseI’ll tourniquet your toes to the groundPull you in and hold you tight, love you through the heart of nightSpring your kind a– into townYou’ve been playin’ your guitar from arenas to the barsSince you were old enough to rhyme a wordBut your face is gettin’ thinner and you’re prayin’ for the winterAnd I heard you f–ked it up with her

I bandage up your body and your bones and your bad days tooTake care of the blood that your love runs throughI know all the damage that some days in this dark world doesYou were laughin’ last evenin’ at somethin’ I dreamed of

There’s delays on the planes out of Eastern MontanaWhere you told me you were leavin’ fromYou’ve been stabbed in the back and the rest of your bodyWon’t you tell me where you’re bleedin’ from

Auralcrave founder, web content creator since 2010, life coach, husband, father, fond of art, culture, society, psychology, economics, politics, games. He believes that every area of knowledge has stories worth to be told and he's sure that doing it makes the world a better place. View all posts by Carlo Affatigato

Tourniquet is a romantic song about taking care of our loved onesI’m here for you; I can make you stop bleeding and cure your painRead other popular song lyrics meaningon AuralcraveI bandage up your body and your bones and your bad days tooTake care of the blood that your love runs throughI know all the damage that some days in this dark world doesYou were laughin’ last week at somethin’ I dreamed ofI bandage up your body and your bones and your bad days tooTake care of the blood that your love runs throughI know all the damage that some days in this dark world doesYou were laughin’ last evenin’ at somethin’ I dreamed of