This 2010 Academy Award-winning song is one of my favourite country ballads, and an unusual one at that. Typically, such songs are about love, heartbreak, or rural life. But The Weary Kind feels more like a piece of hard-earned advice – aimed at a cowboy who’s pushed his luck too many times and is about to be swallowed whole by the rough-and-tumble world (a world that doesn’t take any prisoners) if he doesn’t clean up his act. Since this song is the main theme of the movie Crazy Heart, it’s self-evident that it’s directed at the country singer Bad Blake, played by Jeff Bridges. He’s a man who has tried to bluff and out-cheat life too long by leaning on booze, risky living, and denial – and now stands on the precipice of collapse.
For most of my adult life, like the protagonist, I too succumbed to alcoholism, and so I related deeply not just to the film but to this song. Three lines in particular continue to leave their mark on me, perhaps more than almost any others:
And this ain’t no place for the weary kind
And this ain’t no place to lose your mind
This ain’t no place to fall behind
I live in Bogotá, Colombia, and I have two young kids to raise. I can’t afford to lose my footing the way Bad Blake does in the film, because here, if I fall apart, this place could swallow me whole – and my family along with me. There are no two ways about it. These lines are a constant reminder that I have to stay in top shape, mentally and physically, to face the harsh realities of what life here can bring. For a foreigner from the other side of the globe (Australia), Bogotá most definitely ain’t a place to lose your mind.
Learning to live without being enslaved to alcohol and nicotine has been a godsend. Ideally, I want to push my energy outward – to give up greed, give up lust, to let go, and surrender everything to the divine animating force that pervades all things: the Logos.
Crazy Heart is one of my favourite recent movies and earned Jeff Bridges his first Academy award after seven nominations. It was made for just 7 million dollars but grossed 47 million. As aforementioned the principal song from Crazy Heart is The Weary Kind which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The whole soundtrack is great (thanks in large part to T-Bone Burnett), and there’s another song which stood out for me and featured here recently called Fallin’ & Flyin’.
Your heart’s on the loose
You rolled them sevens with nothing to lose
This ain’t no place for the weary kind
You called all your shots
Shooting eight ball at the corner truck stop
Somehow this don’t feel like home anymore
And this ain’t no place for the weary kind
And this ain’t no place to lose your mind
This ain’t no place to fall behind
Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try
Your body aches
Playing your guitar, sweating out the hate
The days and the nights all feel the same
Whiskey has been a thorn in your side
It doesn’t forget
The highway that calls for your heart inside
And this ain’t no place for the weary kind
This ain’t no place to lose your mind
This ain’t no place to fall behind
Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try
Your lover’s warm kiss
Is too damn far from your fingertips
You are the man that ruined her world
Your heart’s on the loose
You rolled them sevens with nothing to lose
And this ain’t no place for the weary kind
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
I have to agree with you, Matt, this is a compelling song. The more music I hear, in which T Bone Burnett was involved, the more I like the man.
It’s also not hard to see why the lyrics have particular meaning to you. While I’ve never gotten hooked on alcohol, nicotine or other forms of addiction, I’m under no illusion it can happen to anyone, so I feel fortunate. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to deal with these challenges, so kudos to you for overcoming your addictions!
I loved this song from the very moment I first heard the fantastic guitar picking and moving melody, then the words penetrated so deeply, as I explained in the article. To me, the song is a flat-out ‘Warning’.
For lovers of music (especially country), I couldn’t recommend ‘Crazy Heart’ more highly. I agree with your admiration of T Bone Burnett’s contributions. His name pops up a lot!
Thanks for your encouraging words about my addictions. I’m glad you haven’t had to struggle with it. As they say, it’s just the next 24 hours. Then start again tomorrow.
I love the movie “Crazy Heart”.
Good for you, giving up alcohol & cigarettes. Most of my friends are dead because of those two drugs right there. I never smoked cigarettes but I have done a shitload of drinking & thank you Jesus, I don’t drink today. I do smoke weed but that’s really more medicinal than anything else ~ it works for easing my arthritis pain better than anything Big Pharma peddles & without any other side effect than wanting to cook something 🙂
Yeah, it’s one of my favourite music movies.
Thanks for your kind words about my vices and my recent abstinence (2 months). It’s sad what occurred to your friends. I have heard how smoking weed can be beneficial for reasons you explained and I’m glad it has alleviated your pain. This reminds me of a ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ episode where Larry seeks marijuana for his father’s pain.
On the topic, I had a pulmonary function examination the other day, since my father passed away very young from Lung cancer (58 years old). He smoked (pipe and cigars) and drunk regularly. The doctor asked me how long I had smoked and I told her nearly 30 years. I mentioned how my lungs felt fine and the Xray of my chest came back all clear. Her only response (And I’m not kidding) – ‘For now, you are fine’. Talk about ending on a sour note Haha.
I fucking love “Curb”! My son got me into it!