“Dawns” by Zach Bryan featuring Maggie Rogers is a raw confession about the pitfalls of love and life. The song dissects heartbreak, loss, and the need for small victories in a world full of battles. Wrapped in poetic lines, the lyrics hint at complex relationships and the struggle to find something to believe in. The word “dawn” here symbolizes new beginnings, while emphasizing how easily those new starts can be wasted. Written after a personal loss, the song feels like a cathartic release for the artists.
Craving some musical wisdom about life, love, and loss? Don’t miss our breakdown of Zach Bryan and Maggie Rogers’ soul-stirring song, “Dawns.”
“Dawns” Lyrics Meaning
The song kicks off with Zach Bryan singing, “Wake me up when the season’s gone, ‘Cause I’ve wasted all my dawns on you.” The season represents a chapter in life, perhaps a relationship, that’s best left behind. The idea of “wasting dawns” could mean spending too much time on something (or someone) who doesn’t deserve it.
He goes on to say, “Love’s just another drug I have grown a victim to.” Love, painted as addictive and destructive, feeds into his confusion and desperation. It’s a sentiment that echoes in many of us, where love becomes less about connection and more about dependency.
Maggie Rogers adds another layer of depth when she sings, “And by the time he wakes, I’ll be halfway to my best friend’s home.” She’s putting distance between herself and the source of her pain, realizing life is “as fleeting as the passing dawn.” For her, the dawn is a metaphor for the brevity and fragility of life and relationships.
The recurring line, “Give me my dawns back,” is a plea to reclaim time and opportunities lost. Both artists emphasize the need for “one small victory,” showing that sometimes we just need a win, however small, to keep going.
The song also explores deeper themes of spirituality and faith. Lines like “It was my mistake ’cause she never said a thing about Jesus,” and “I believe in something bigger than both of us,” hint at a search for higher meaning amidst life’s chaos.
Interestingly, the song closes the way it opened, emphasizing the cyclical nature of love and pain. “What do I do?” they ask, leaving us all pondering the same question.
The Story Behind “Dawns”
Zach Bryan and Maggie Rogers collaborated on “Dawns” during a vulnerable period in both of their lives. Zach had recently suffered a personal loss, which is directly addressed in the lines “I lost her last July in a heart attack.” For him, this song was an outlet to express not just the pain of romantic failure but also the devastation of losing someone irreplaceable.
Maggie Rogers, on the other hand, had been exploring the challenges and complexities of love in her own life. Her vocals bring in a female perspective, making the song an intersection of both artists’ emotional landscapes.
The song also comes as an artistic departure for Zach Bryan, known for his simpler, more straightforward lyrical themes. Here, he dives into existential questions, grappling with life, death, and everything in between.
For Maggie, who has often tackled themes of nature and spirituality in her music, “Dawns” is another exploration into human existence’s vulnerabilities. Her participation amplifies the universality of the song’s themes, making it relatable across gender lines.
“Dawns” is less about finding answers and more about asking the right questions. It’s a mirror for anyone who’s loved deeply and lost painfully, providing a musical catharsis that resonates on multiple levels. Whether you’re looking to reclaim your “dawns” or find that “small victory,” this song lets you know you’re not alone on that journey.