The Real Meaning Behind Kacey Musgraves' Slow Burn

A ballad played in coffee shops all over the world, "Slow Burn" has tugged at our heartstrings since its release in 2018. Chronicling a slow walk through her neighborhood and Kacey Musgraves' pondering of the morning routines of people all over the world, the track reminds listeners to enjoy the ride and find patience throughout the seasons of life.

As for how the fan-favorite song came to be, the country singer explained, "I was sitting on my porch one night [in Summer 2017]. I might have been in a little bit of an altered state, but I just had a little bit of an open mind and open heart, and the words 'slow burn' came to me," The Boot reports. "It's just an ode to the pace of something unfolding in a nice and slow way. I thought to myself, 'The best things in life are a slow burn — something you enjoy the journey of.'"

According to The New York Times, the substance she "might" have been under the influence of was LSD; the dreamy, ethereal nature of the song may have come from this experience. After the words "slow burn" came to her, she met with her producers and quickly recorded the song in Sheryl Crow's studio, the outlet reports. "Daniel started strumming that melody and it wrote itself really fast," she said.

A fan-favorite tune, the autobiographical song represents the tone of her Grammy-winning album and Musgraves' career as well.

With the release of her genre-bending album, Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves quickly gained new fans with her impressive vocals, heart-rending lyrics, and relaxed beats. As the album's breakout single, Slow Burn also conveyed an important message in the age of anxiety. "It doesn't always have to be about getting to the end, about what gets there the fastest; it's just kind of about enjoying the ride along the way," she told The Boot.

Musgraves added, "I can apply that to a lot of different areas of my life — like, my career, taking my time. Nothing's a race; do something that's right for you because it feels right. Relationships. Friendships. I was thinking, even in the drink in my hand — enjoy it, don't knock it back."

As for one of the song's most recognizable lyrics — "Born in a hurry, always late, haven't been early since '88" — Musgraves liked the idea of sharing a part of her life. "I am definitely poking a little bit of fun at myself, because I was born a month early, and I struggle with having a little bit of a time management issue sometimes. So it's me poking fun at myself in little ways," the singer noted. 

Golden Hour peaked at number four on the Billboard Top 200 Chart upon its 2018 release, Billboard reports, and spent four weeks there. After three years, Slow Burn still holds a special place in many fans' hearts.