I am a massive Mitski fan, I have been for years. Over this past summer I got the privilege of seeing her perform live at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado. While she played a number of my favorite songs, she sadly did not play my all time favorite, ¨A Burning Hill.¨ This song is a perfect example of a short song packed full of meaning. I think song lyrics serve as their own form of poetry, with interpretation differing from person to person. So in honor of my favorite song I´d like to do a little lyric analysis with my personal interpretations.
The song begins with, ¨Today I will wear my white button-down, I’m tired of wanting more, I think I’m finally worn, For you have a way of promising things¨. I
personally love the symbolism of a white button-down, white button-downs are often seen in office wear, as a professional basic. We can see Mitski is almost saying that she´s worn her button-down enough times that the symbolism of it no longer holds. Shes tired of wanting to hold up to the standard of what she should be. She’s tired of holding out waiting for an unachievable goal that´s symbolized by this button.
In my opinion this next set of lines is the most meaningful and impactful lines from this song. ¨And I´ve been a forest fire, I am a forest fire, And I am the fire and I am the forest, And I am a witness watching it, I stand in a valley watching it, And you are not there at all.¨ I feel like this line perfectly encapsulates how it feels to watch yourself struggle, and at the same time not be able to do anything about it. Mitski is describing herself as a forest fire, and she is both the damage (¨And I am the fire..¨) and the victim (¨and I am the forest¨). And while this happens, while she burns herself down she experiences a third person view, where she is a witness. The last line makes another reference to this other person, mentioned previously in the line ¨For you have a way of promising things¨. There is some outside person or force who should intervene, someone who sees what´s happening and just watches, almost the same position she herself is in.
The song finishes with these final lyrics, ¨So today I will wear my white button-down, I can at least be neat, Walk out and be seen as clean, And I´ll go to work and I´ll go to sleep, And I´love the littler things, I´ll love some littler things¨. Mitski once again references her white-button down, but now as a symbolism of her put-togetherness. The white button-down serves as her trying, and with her wearing her button-down she will try to appreciate the little things in life.
All in all I think this song creates a beautiful meaning and listening experience for the listener.
