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.”
Crooked Teeth
Zach Bryan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down past the Texas line, to make sure he's not alive
They dumped him off of a river bridge in the Fall of '84
Word got around that he climbed out of that muddy red river floor
I lost my bride to the finest man, she claims to have ever known
When she got to the parking lot, his knees were already blown
Love is such a mighty drug, a mightier disease
Floatin' past the barge with one eye and crooked teeth
One eye and crooked teeth
One eye and crooked teeth
One eye and crooked teeth
Your crooked teeth been floatin' and my ladies resting fine
Seven miles out of Bismark, next to backin' all the lines
I laid her down so softly, and so kindly reassured
Lovin' ain't for tamin' a disease that can't be cured
And I would ride through Colorado on a rocky stretch of road
With no one who loves me as far as telephone poles go
I wish I was a trusted man, but a trusted man is weak
The only thing worth trusting is some brass through crooked teeth
Some brass through crooked teeth
Some brass through crooked teeth
Your crooked teeth been floatin' and my ladies resting fine
Seven miles out of Bismark, next to backin' all the lines
I laid her down so softly, and so kindly reassured
Lovin' ain't for tamin' a disease that can't be cured
I lost my bride to the finest man, she claims to have ever known
When she got to the parking lot, his knees were already blown
Love is such a mighty drug, a mightier disease
Bet he misses her,
Floatin' past the barge with one eye and crooked teeth
The song "Crooked Teeth" by Zach Bryan tells a story of heartbreak, loss, and revenge. The opening verse talks about the singer's intention to drive down to Texas to confirm the death of a man who was dumped off a river bridge in the fall of 1984. Rumors had it that the man somehow survived and escaped the muddy red river floor. The next verse reveals the singer's pain and heartbreak as he lost his bride to another man she claims to have ever known. The bride found the new man with his knees already blown in a parking lot, a possible indication of a violent confrontation or gang activity.
The chorus of the song makes use of vivid imagery, comparing the crooked teeth of the rumored survivor with the idea of loving someone like a mighty drug, an addiction that can never be cured. The third verse reflects on the singer's loneliness as he rides through a rocky stretch of road in Colorado. He wishes he was a trusted man, but based on his experiences with love and heartbreak, he believes that the only thing worth trusting is brass, symbolizing bullets through crooked teeth.
Overall, "Crooked Teeth" is a song that tells a story about the different forms of pain that love and heartbreak can cause. From losing a loved one to seeking revenge, the song expresses a range of emotions and experiences that are poignant and relatable to many.
Line by Line Meaning
If two fill-ups is all it costs, I guess I'll make the drive
I am willing to travel any distance, as long as it only takes a small amount of fuel.
Down past the Texas line, to make sure he's not alive
I will go to the ends of the earth to make sure he is no longer living.
They dumped him off of a river bridge in the Fall of '84
He was thrown from a bridge into the river during the autumn of 1984.
Word got around that he climbed out of that muddy red river floor
People say he managed to survive and climb out of the muddy, red riverbed.
I lost my bride to the finest man, she claims to have ever known
My wife left me for the best man she ever met, or so she thinks.
When she got to the parking lot, his knees were already blown
Once she arrived at the parking lot, he had already injured his knees.
Love is such a mighty drug, a mightier disease
Love is a powerful force, yet it can also be more destructive than any ailment.
Bet he misses her, Floatin' past the barge with one eye and crooked teeth
He is likely reminiscing about her while he drifts by the barge with his one eye and crooked teeth.
Your crooked teeth been floatin' and my ladies resting fine
Although his teeth are askew, they are floating in the water while his lady is at peace.
Seven miles out of Bismark, next to backin' all the lines
His teeth are seven miles from Bismark, near the back of all the fishing lines.
I laid her down so softly, and so kindly reassured
I placed her gently on the ground and provided comforting words to ease her mind.
Lovin' ain't for tamin' a disease that can't be cured
Love cannot be tamed, nor can it be cured like a sickness.
And I would ride through Colorado on a rocky stretch of road
I would be able to ride through Colorado's rugged terrain without anyone who cares for me.
With no one who loves me as far as telephone poles go
To the extent of telephone poles, no one loves him.
I wish I was a trusted man, but a trusted man is weak
He desires to be trusted but believes that being trustworthy renders one vulnerable.
The only thing worth trusting is some brass through crooked teeth
He believes the only dependable thing is assurance by putting metal in a crooked-mouthed person's teeth.
Contributed by Benjamin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.