'Burning Love' by Hudson Westbrook - Lyrics & Meaning

Country music's most buzzed about newcomer, Hudson Westbrook, has had a whirlwind last 14 months or so dating back to the release of his breakout, debut single, 'Take It Slow.'

Soaking in the limelight from one release to the next ever since–including his debut radio single, 'House Again,' and the viral offerings of 'Sober,' '5 to 9,' 'Dressed Down' and more–the burgeoning artist is finally releasing his debut record, Texas Forever, on July 25.

Carving his place as one of country music’s most promising new voices, the project features 17 tracks, all co-written by the North Texas native, showcasing the depth and charm of a young artist raised on country tradition but unafraid to push its boundaries. Created alongside close collaborators like Neil Medley, Lukas Scott, Reid Haughton, Beau Bailey and more, the record explores themes of hard work, family, love and personal battles.

At the exact midpoint of the record sits the fiery 'Burning Love.' Chronicling the aftermath of a breakup, the song pours gas on Westbrook's broken heart as he laments all that's lost and all that she left behind, too.

Written alongside Neil Medley & Summer Overstreet, the 2025 offering from the native Texan serves up the same general sound that has quickly become his signature calling card, seamlessly blending neotraditional and red dirt country with a sleek mainstream sheen.

Clocking in at just over three minutes, the moody tune opens with a warm and rich acoustic guitar picking alongside a bright acoustic guitar. As the band comes in, 'Burning Love' almost takes on the sound of a southern rock song with a prominent bass line plucking its way through as booming drums and guitars come in to elevate the whole thing.

Revitalizing the organic country-rock of red dirt, the rough-around-the-edges singer-songwriter first picked up a guitar in just 2020, effectively teaching himself how to play while enrolled in high school. In 2023, during his time at Texas Tech, he started playing around with melodies, penning what would be the first of many songs to his name, including the sprawling list of tracks that found their way onto Texas Forever.

"Well burning love burns you to the bone
It keeps you warm then leaves you cold
Lonely and departed
Wondering why you ever started

Burning love burns you alive
Keep ya tossing turning up all night
Knew that when I touched it
Something that hot you should never trust it"

We find our singer in the midst of a breakup. Explaining that this broken relationship was one that hinged on a deep, passionate love that he likens to burning, he notes that when you love someone like that, there's a good chance that it'll end up burning you, too.

While their relationship felt so strong and solid while they were together, it's left him cold and empty now that she's gone.

"Cause ooo, all that’s left is ashes and dirt
Couple pictures and your Turnpike shirt
Whiskey don’t work
Only makes it worse
Damn love burns"

In the aftermath of their split, he's left in the wreckage of what they burned down together, as well as the polaroids and Turnpike Troubadours t-shirt that she happened to leave in her wake.

Regardless of what he tries to numb the pain–namely his trusty friend, Jack Daniels–nothing seems to ease the sting of this heartbreak.

"Back seat heat on an August night
It can get high and take you for a ride
Break you down as the tail lights drive away

I wish somebody would’ve warned me about
Blonde hair walking in is the devil walking out
Same blue eyes that had a hold on you
Cut you like a knife when it’s all through"

Flashing back to that one wild night in August where they made some memories in her back seat, he's also brought back to the moment where that same car tore down his driveway, leaving him in a tail light haze.

In hindsight, our narrator wishes that someone could've given him a heads up about how this would all play out and how the blond-haired blue eyed girl of his dreams could also become the person who shattered his heart and left him in the dust.

"Ooo, all that’s left is ashes and dirt
Couple pictures and your Turnpike shirt
Whiskey don’t work
Only makes it worse
Damn love burns"

In the build up to the release of Texas Forever, Westbrook has been popping out one instantly beloved hit after another.

While he hasn't said anything specific about 'Burning Love' at this point, the budding talent has noted just how important this long-awaited debut project is to him and all the work that went into bringing it to life.

“I’m so proud of this record,” Westbrook says. “I love Texas, it’s shaped so much about who I am. We wrote 50-60 songs for this project and narrowed it down to 17 that I think really represent where I am in my life right now and what I love making as an artist: songs that sound like where I grew up, but read like something that just about anyone could relate to.”

Well burning love burns you to the bone
It keeps you warm then leaves you cold
Lonely and departed
Wondering why you ever started

Burning love burns you alive
Keep ya tossing turning up all night
Knew that when I touched it
Something that hot you should never trust it

Cause ooo, all that’s left is ashes and dirt
Couple pictures and your Turnpike shirt
Whiskey don’t work
Only makes it worse
Damn love burns

Back seat heat on an August night
It can get high and take you for a ride
Break you down as the tail lights drive away

I wish somebody would’ve warned me about
Blonde hair walking in is the devil walking out
Same blue eyes that had a hold on you
Cut you like a knife when it’s all through

Ooo, all that’s left is ashes and dirt
Couple pictures and your Turnpike shirt
Whiskey don’t work
Only makes it worse
Damn love burns

Burning love burns like gasoline
Then twice as much when she up and leaves
Guess you could say that the high ain’t worth the fall

Ooo, all that’s left is ashes and dirt
Couple pictures and your Turnpike shirt
Whiskey don’t work
Only makes it worse and worse

Ooo, all that’s left is ashes and dirt
I burnt the pictures and the Turnpike shirt
Whiskey don’t work
Only makes it worse
Damn love burns

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