From a family with a long history of military service, Bryan was born in Okinawa, Japan, in 1996, while his family was deployed overseas. Growing up in the small town of Oologah, Oklahoma, Bryan started playing music at 14, when his father and grandfather bought him a Takamine guitar for his birthday. After learning to play and write lyrics, Bryan began to create his own unique sound.
Bryan describes authenticity as essential to his music: “I’ll always tell the truth in whatever I’m playing or singing.Whether it’s one of the hopeless love songs I sing or a story I wanted to put into a tune, just know at one point in time I was putting all my heart and all my thought into how my feelings and thoughts might be understood by other people.”
Come as You Are
Zach Bryan Lyrics
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I've got some good friends with some loose ends that remind me of myself
They can drink as much as me and they can smoke me half to hell
And by the end of these songs when we bring our asses home
They'll all be thankin' God that they're not in this pain alone
And this world has been so cruel to me and it's been the same to them
With some boys who act just like me and a girl who does the same
I don't know how I got here but I'm glad as hell I came
Come as you are, however broken
And we will see if we can make you whole again
Come as you are, with your heart wide open
Bridges that you've burned they are still there just floatin'
Remember us in our bright eyed days too young to go inside
Sittin' drunk on curbs tryin' to get us ourselves a rise
Of the pretty girls who walk down there on Elgin Avenue
Oklahoma sure is quiet but it has itself a view
And how am I supposed to know the good times that I'm in
If the good is only seen when I'm lookin' back at them
The boys are gettin' off work and they're haulin' on home
If I am meant for anything it's to show you you're not alone
Come as you are, however broken
And we will see if we can make you whole again
Come as you are, with your heart wide open
Bridges that you've burned they are still there just floatin'
I've got some good friends with some loose ends that remind me of myself
They can drink as much as me and they can smoke me half to hell
And by the end of these songs when we bring our asses home
They'll all be thankin' God we're not in this pain alone
Come as you are, however broken
And we will see if we can make you whole again
Come as you are, with your heart wide open
Bridges that you've burned they are still there just floatin'
The lyrics to Zach Bryan’s song “Come as You Are” speak to the power of connection and shared experience. Bryan sings about his friendships with people who remind him of himself – people with “loose ends” who drink and smoke as much as he does. Despite the pain and cruelty that the world has dealt them, Bryan finds comfort and solace in being able to share his “sweet depression” with these friends. He speaks to the idea that in coming together, even in the midst of brokenness and pain, there is the possibility of healing and restoration.
The chorus of the song, “Come as you are, however broken / And we will see if we can make you whole again / Come as you are, with your heart wide open / Bridges that you've burned they are still there just floatin’”, reinforces this idea. Bryan invites others to show up exactly as they are, with their damaged and broken selves, and to trust that there is hope for restoration and redemption. Despite the bridges that may have been burned, there is still the possibility of reconciliation and a renewed sense of wholeness.
Overall, “Come as You Are” is a song that speaks to the power of connection and community, particularly in the face of pain, isolation, and brokenness. It recognizes that we all have our own “loose ends” and that those can be the very things that bring us together.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got some good friends with some loose ends that remind me of myself
I have friends who are similar to me in many ways and who share some of my shortcomings.
They can drink as much as me and they can smoke me half to hell
They can consume as much alcohol and drugs as I do, if not more.
And by the end of these songs when we bring our asses home
After the music stops and we leave the venue.
They'll all be thankin' God that they're not in this pain alone
They will be grateful that they have friends who can relate to their struggles.
And this world has been so cruel to me and it's been the same to them
We all have experienced the harshness of life.
But I don't mind sharin' my sweet depression
I am willing to open up about my struggles with depression.
With some boys who act just like me and a girl who does the same
With friends who share similar experiences and personalities.
I don't know how I got here but I'm glad as hell I came
I am unsure about the path that led me to where I am today, but I am grateful for it.
Come as you are, however broken
You are welcome to join us no matter your flaws and imperfections.
And we will see if we can make you whole again
We will try to help you feel complete and happier.
Come as you are, with your heart wide open
Be vulnerable and open to new experiences and friendships.
Bridges that you've burned they are still there just floatin'
The bridges that you may have destroyed in the past can still be repaired.
Remember us in our bright eyed days too young to go inside
Look back on our youthful times when we were full of energy and excitement.
Sittin' drunk on curbs tryin' to get us ourselves a rise
Sitting on the side of the street while drunk, trying to have fun and feel alive.
Of the pretty girls who walk down there on Elgin Avenue
Watching attractive women walk down Elgin Avenue in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma sure is quiet but it has itself a view
Although Oklahoma may be a quiet place, it still has its own unique beauty.
And how am I supposed to know the good times that I'm in
How can I appreciate the current good times when I'm only able to recognize them in hindsight?
If the good is only seen when I'm lookin' back at them
If I can only recognize the good times in retrospect.
The boys are gettin' off work and they're haulin' on home
The guys finish their jobs and are heading back home.
If I am meant for anything it's to show you you're not alone
If my purpose serves anything, it's to prove you that you have friends who understand and support you.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Zachary Lane Bryan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind