3rd Degree Burns Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Sabotage the good, self-destruction's safe
I'll build the perfect life and throw it all away
Forget the ones that love me, left 'em all for dead
'Cause having all control's the only constant left
Burn every single bridge, push 'em all away
Throw a pity party when nobody stays
The real me's armageddon, am I just insane?
Afraid of happiness in ways I can't explain
[Pre-Chorus]
People think I'm too emotional
Taking everything too personal
[Chorus]
I don't wanna be this fragile
There's not a lot that I can handle
Feeling means falling apart
With third degree burns on your heart
I don't wanna be this damaged
Isolation is the only bandage
Feeling means falling apart
With third degree burns on your heart
[Verse 2]
Assumptions of the worst in insecurity
Like everyone is backing 'til the day I leave
When I'm splitting black and white are all that I can see
So I'm sleeping restless, self-fulfilling prophecy, ah
Invalidate myself over apologies
Can't trust my own intentions or reality
Would all our lives be better, if they weren't with me?
'Cause being way too much is my identity
[Pre-Chorus]
People think I'm too emotional
Taking everything too personal
[Chorus]
I don't wanna be this fragile
There's not a lot that I can handle
Feeling means falling apart
With third degree burns on your heart
I don't wanna be this damaged
Isolation is the only bandage
Feeling means falling apart
With third degree burns on your heart
[Post-Chorus]
Burns on your heart
[Bridge]
I'm quiet 'cause it's prettier than rage
And the ugly things I don't know how, how not to fake
I filter 'cause I doubt that you can take
The parts of me I don't how, how not to hate
[Chorus]
I don't wanna be this fragile
There's not a lot that I can handle
Feeling means falling apart
With third degree burns on your heart
I don't wanna be this damaged
Isolation is the only bandage
Feeling means falling apart
With third degree burns on your heart
[Outro]
Burns on your heart
Burns on your heart
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3rd Degree Burns Song Meaning [Citizen Soldier]
"3rd Degree Burns" marks a powerful new chapter in the evolving soundscape of Citizen Soldier, this time in collaboration with rising rock outfit BLANK ERA. Citizen Soldier, a Salt Lake City-based band formed in 2016 by frontman and clinical therapist Jake Segura, has spent years channeling deep emotional themes into hard rock and post-grunge influences rooted in personal battles with mental health and resilience. Their music is explicitly designed to give voice to internal struggles that often go unspoken, creating a community of listeners who see themselves in the raw emotional intensity of the lyrics and sound. Segura’s dual identity as both songwriter and therapist has shaped the band’s mission to create music that feels therapeutic and human.
BLANK ERA, emerging from the Nashville rock scene with nu-metal and grunge influences, brings a gritty, visceral energy to the collaboration, strengthening the song’s emotional weight. While BLANK ERA’s broader recognition is still developing, their presence adds a contemporary edge that complements Citizen Soldier’s introspective style.
3rd Degree Burns uses its sonic and lyrical intensity to explore psychological vulnerability, self-sabotage, and the paradox of emotional walls built as both defense and prison.
Song Meaning:
In the opening section of "3rd Degree Burns", the narrator confronts a pattern of self-destruction that undermines every achievement and connection. Rather than celebrating success, they dismantle it, propelled by a fear of happiness and the vulnerability it demands. This sets up the fundamental tension of the song: emotional intimacy feels like an unbearable risk. The mood here reflects a universal struggle with self-esteem and control—one most listeners can recognize but few articulate so vividly.
As the song progresses into its next emotional pivot, the narrator acknowledges how outsiders perceive them: overly emotional and intensely sensitive. Rather than a self-pitying admission, this becomes a moment of self-awareness. The protagonist is not denying their feelings; instead, they are naming how those feelings have become a burden so heavy it isolates them. This introspective complexity is where the song finds its emotional truth—there’s no simple redemption, just raw, unfiltered confrontation with inner turmoil.
The central refrain serves as the song’s emotional anchor. At its core, it juxtaposes two painful realities: an intense desire to feel deeply and the fear that those feelings will shatter the self. By framing emotional openness as a kind of burn, the song gives listeners an image for how deeply pain and sensitivity can wound. The chorus is not a plea for escape; it’s a stark declaration of what happens when emotional defenses become as damaging as the hurts they are meant to prevent.
In the bridge, the narrative shifts slightly from self-critique toward reflection on self-presentation. Here, the singer admits that stillness and restraint are not freedom but carefully rehearsed disguises. The fear of rejection has led to layers of performance—an attempt to hide the parts of oneself that feel too raw to share. This moment deepens the song’s emotional honesty, revealing that isolation is as much adopted as imposed.
The final repetition of the chorus reinforces the cycle: even as awareness deepens, the fear of vulnerability persists. There’s no triumphant resolution but a relentless drive to articulate the paradox of wanting connection while fearing its cost.
Emotional Core and Themes:
At its heart, "3rd Degree Burns" explores emotional fragility and self-imposed isolation. Instead of simply mourning hurt, the song maps how fear of pain can become self-fulfilling, pushing away support and anchoring the narrator in solitude. It’s not about blaming others or glibly overcoming adversity; it’s about recognizing how deeply internal conflict can shape behavior and relationships.
The collaboration between Citizen Soldier and BLANK ERA amplifies this emotional core with sonic weight and urgency. Their combined energies underscore a theme familiar to listeners of Citizen Soldier’s earlier work: confronting internal battles not with denial but with unflinching honesty.
Connection with Listeners:
For many, the song will resonate because it names a common but often hidden experience—the way people protect themselves and in doing so, cut themselves off from joy. Fans of emotionally driven rock, especially those familiar with Citizen Soldier’s catalog of mental health-oriented lyrics, will find 3rd Degree Burns continues the band’s tradition of making internal struggles audible and visceral. Those facing their own emotional defenses may hear in the song not just pain but permission to acknowledge it.
Conclusion:
"3rd Degree Burns" is an intense, introspective exploration of what it feels like to hurt from within rather than from external wounds. By crystallizing the fear of vulnerability as something that burns deepest at the heart, Citizen Soldier and BLANK ERA craft a narrative that is both personal and profoundly relatable. Listeners are invited not just to hear but to feel, helping transform private emotional battles into a shared rock experience that resonates long after the final note.
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Music Video
Song Details
Song Name: 3rd Degree Burns
Artists: Citizen Soldier, BLANK ERA
Lyricist: Jake Segura
Producers: Kile Odell
Genre: Rock
Language: English
Released: January 28, 2026
[Disclaimer: Lyrics are for educational and entertainment purposes only. All rights belong to the original owners.]
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