'Weight of Your World' by Chris Stapleton - Lyrics & Meaning

The penultimate song on Stapleton's 2023 album Higher, 'Weight of Your World' was inspired by Bill Withers' 'Lean on Me', its message echoing the same sentiment of offering a safe place and helping hand to the one you love.

In terms of texture, 'Weight of Your World' is one of the most instrumentally layered songs on Higher, featuring electric, acoustic, 12-string acoustic and bass guitars, plus piano, Hammond B-3 organ, synthesiser, Wurlitzer, pedal steel, drums and shakers to support Stapleton's vocals.

Generally its mellow, easy-going and slow-building song, the melody of the verse also very subtly hinting at that of 'Lean on Me'.

I want you to know wherever your road wants to go
I'll never be far, I'll always be right where you are
If you lose your way, if your hope is gone
I'll be the light that leads you home

Stapleton is offering with true sincerity that he'll always be around for whatever his loved one might need. He hopes they follow their path and declares he'll be there for them to rely on no matter where they go.

Give me your darkest hour
Give me your deepest fear
Just give me a call and I'll be here
Give me the balls and chains that won't set you free
Give me the weight of your world
And lay it on me

There will come a time when all the words don't seem to rhyme
Please lean on me until you find the harmony
When it's hard to breathe, when the right seems wrong
I'll be the hand that helps you along

His message of selflessness and offer of dependence extends even to the hardest struggles and darkest times. When his loved one is at their weakest, he's offering his strength to help carry them through.

Give me your darkest hour
Give me your deepest fear
Just give me a call and I'll be here
Give me the balls and chains that won't set you free
Give me the weight of your world
And lay it on me

Wherever you go, wherever you've been

Anytime you need a friend

Give me your darkest hour
Give me your deepest fear
Just give me a call and I'll be here
Give me the balls and chains that won't set you free
Give me the weight of your world
And lay it on me

Lay it on me, lay it on me (give me the weight of your world)

Lay it on me

In conversation with Apple Music about the song, Stapleton shared, "I had been listening to a lot of Bill Withers when we wrote that, and I walked into the room thinking about ‘Lean on Me’ and what a great vibe that song is, what a great message it has. I think a lot of that song is probably derivative of that. Nobody quote me on saying that I think it’s ‘Lean on Me’ - I don’t. I’m not Bill Withers, and you can only hope to write standards like that. But he had a lot of songs with wonderful messages, and that was one of them. And that was our attempt at that that day."

I want you to know wherever your road wants to go
I'll never be far, I'll always be right where you are
If you lose your way, if your hope is gone
I'll be the light that leads you home

Give me your darkest hour
Give me your deepest fear
Just give me a call and I'll be here
Give me the balls and chains that won't set you free
Give me the weight of your world
And lay it on me

There will come a time when all the words don't seem to rhyme
Please lean on me until you find the harmony
When it's hard to breathe, when the right seems wrong
I'll be the hand that helps you along

Give me your darkest hour
Give me your deepest fear
Just give me a call and I'll be here
Give me the balls and chains that won't set you free
Give me the weight of your world
And lay it on me

Wherever you go, wherever you've been

Anytime you need a friend

Give me your darkest hour
Give me your deepest fear
Just give me a call and I'll be here
Give me the balls and chains that won't set you free
Give me the weight of your world
And lay it on me

Lay it on me, lay it on me (give me the weight of your world)

Lay it on me

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