Sick of this life
Not that you'd care
I'm not the only one
With whom these feelings I share

Nobody understands
Quite why we're here
We're searchin' for answers
That never appear

But maybe if I looked real hard I'd
I'd see your tryin' too
To understand this life
That we're all goin' through
(Then when she said she was gonna like wreck my car
I didn't know what to do)

Sometimes I feel like I'm beatin' a dead horse
And I don't know why you'd be bringin' me down
I'd like to think that our love's worth a tad more
It may sound funny but you'd think by now
I'd be smilin'
I guess some things never change
Never change

I met an old cowboy
I saw the look in his eyes
Somethin' tells me he's been here before
'Cause experience makes you wise
I was only a small child
When the thought first came to me
That I'm a son of a gun and the gun of a son
That brought back the devil in me

But sometimes I feel like I'm beatin' a dead horse
I don't know why you'd be bringin' me down
I'd like to think that our love's worth a tad more
It may sound funny but you'd think by now
I'd be smilin'
I guess some things never change
Never change

I ain't quite what you'd call an old soul
Still wet behind the ears
I been around this track a couple o' times
But now the dust is startin' to clear
Oh yeah

Sometimes I feel like I'm beatin' a dead horse
I don't know why you'd be bringin' me down
I'd like to think that our love's worth a tad more
It may sound funny but you'd think by now
I'd be smilin'
Ooh yeah, I'd be smilin'
No way I'd be smilin'
Ooh smilin'

Sick of this life
Not that you'd care
I'm not the only one
With whom these feelings I share


Lyrics submitted by mike

Dead Horse Lyrics as written by Izzy Stradlin Saul Hudson

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Dead Horse song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

17 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +3
    General Comment

    apparently no one grasps the idea of nihilism. Axl isn't looking for acceptance in life, and its not about trying enough times till you succeed either. that's not nihilism, Axl is a true nihilist, he was saying he sees it in people in their eye, saw it in the eye of a stranger when he was a child, what is it he saw. He saw the utter pointlessness of life when compared to death. A true nihilist doesn't get depressed about shit not working out, they don't care. It's just that when things don't work out, that's when people look harder and see what he's been hiding even when he was "happy." This song is about how he finally realized himself a nihilist, and he speaks to the audience when he says "It may sound funny but you'd think by now; I'd be smilin'" he's saying that if by now he's not seeing a point in life he never will, and by stating that it "might sound funny" he puts emphasis into "not that you care" This statement and tone is expecting YOU the audience, and the rest of the world not to understand him or the "others" he's run into.

    coldcomfort87on September 18, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    @kasey: what stuff are you on? I would like to try it ... well, maybe.

    It's about how sometimes you feel like you are trying to make it ... in life ... in love but there's no result. You just don't feel it's worth even trying any more. But then if you try enough (times) you just might succed (... I been around this track a couple o' times, But now the dust is startin' to clear). This song has a great powerfull drive. I like it.

    locutuson February 18, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    agree with gunnergirl, think its fitting it runs fluidly into coma, a song which i think is a suicide attempt

    mikeythingson July 31, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I like how it starts off like a quiet number but then gets nice and loud. Then it slips back to Mono quietness.

    AeroLed286on April 07, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i agree, its great at the beginning with some nice acoustic and vocals and then goes into riproaring electric an shouting. great contrast GREAT song!

    hattieon May 08, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is definetly one of my favoritest Guns N Roses song. It rocks.

    cougar10on December 11, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is clearly about Axl's ever struggling relationships and his struggles for acceptance in life. If you look at the time line in which the song was released it was when GNR took its first real turn for the worst and its also when Axl's second marriage failed. It is also when he was diagnosed with depression and all that stuff I mean he's suicidal at that point in his life. "Sick of this Life, Not that You'd care. I'm not the only one with whom these feelings I share"

    gunnergirl89on February 19, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    AXL PLAYING GUITAR ??????!!!!!!!!!! FUNNY JOKE !!!! HA... HA... HA...

    ColdenScenceon February 28, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's obviously a recorded suicide note. Listen to the ending- the song finishes, then he stops the tape and rewinds it.

    Regos the Saneon June 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This WHOLE album runs so fluidly together..especially the last two songs. I like how Axl sings that he's "still wet behind the ears" yet the band now is one of the better bands in history.

    deafmusicloveron August 07, 2006   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Album art
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.