Broadripple Is Burning

Margot & The Nuclear So And So's song 'Broadripple Is Burning' paints a vivid and melancholic picture of disillusionment, addiction, and the decay of youthful dreams. The song opens with a stark image of a neighborhood in decline, where children are metaphorically burning, and young girls are succumbing to substance abuse. This sets the tone for a narrative steeped in despair and lost innocence. The mention of 'huffing glue' and 'boyfriends picking up chicks' highlights a sense of aimlessness and moral decay among the youth.

The lyrics then shift to a more personal reflection, with the narrator expressing feelings of being lost and drunk, both literally and metaphorically. The reference to 'love inside the basement' suggests a past relationship that was once a source of comfort but has now turned into a haunting memory. The imagery of 'trashed-filled streets' and 'sleeping bags' evokes a sense of transient, unstable living conditions, further emphasizing the theme of decay and disillusionment.

As the song progresses, the narrator's despair deepens, culminating in a chilling contemplation of suicide. The repeated lines 'I'm wasted, you can taste it' and 'I'll be hanging from a rope' convey a sense of hopelessness and a cry for help. The song also touches on themes of loss and the fleeting nature of happiness, as seen in the lines about a woman who 'burns out before I wake' and the realization that 'everything you thought you had has gone to shit.' The final verses, written from the perspective of someone on an airplane, add a layer of detachment and existential reflection, as the narrator looks down on the world and contemplates the impermanence of life and love.