Hey, I ain't never coming home
Hey, I'll just wander my own road
Hey, I can't meet you here tomorrow
Say goodbye don't follow
Misery so hollow

Hey you, you're livin' life full throttle
Hey you, pass me down that bottle, yeah
Hey you, you can't shake me round now
I get so lost and don't know how, yeah
And it hurts to care, I'm going down

Forgot my woman, lost my friends
Things I'd done and where I've been
Sleep in sweat the mirrors cold
See my face it's growin' old
Scared to death no reason why
Do whatever to get me by
Think about the things I said
Read the page it's cold and dead

Take me home (5x)

Say goodbye Don't follow



Lyrics submitted by Ice

Track duration: 04:22


Don't Follow song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:''Hey, I ain't never coming home
    Hey, I'll just wander my own road''

    Is an addict in denial when confronted about a substance abuse problem...
    "I...I don't have a problem, I'm feeling good... so good that I feel immortal. Really, I got it in control... mind your own business anyway, I.. I'll be just fine, nothing could harm me... watch.''


    ''Hey, I can't meet you here tomorrow''

    Is the affected subject not being able to follow through with his obligations in life b/c of his increasing substance abuse problem.


    ''Say goodbye don't follow
    Misery so hollow''

    Are the thoughts and feelings of the narrator as he witnesses his close friend's substance abuse problem spiraling out of control.


    ''Hey you, you're livin' life full throttle''

    Is the narrator's repeated/follow up attempt to make contact with his substance abused friend... to no avail as the subject simply ignores his confrontational friend and says, "Hey you, pass me down that bottle, yeah''.
    (the ''yeah'' is all about the subject being in denial of his problem)


    ''Hey you, you can't shake me round now''

    FU, go away... stop preaching to me about my so called substance abuse problem... You know what? I don't f'in care about being in the band anymore if you're gonna look at me that way and talk behind my back.. ..



    ''I get so lost and don't know how, yeah''

    This is the subject finally coming to his senses one day with the realization that he does in fact have a monkey on his back, but he's still in denial about it when confronted by those who love him. (Again, ''yeah'' is masterfully used to depict the subject's denial of his problem)



    ''And it hurts to care, I'm going down''

    This is the narrator coming to grips with himself of the fact that his friend's substance problem has progressed to the point he can't possibly get said friend to see the light... it's a hopeless situation and said narrator knows it won't be a happy ending.


    ''Forgot my woman, lost my friends
    Things I'd done and where I've been
    Sleep in sweat the mirrors cold
    See my face it's growin' old
    Scared to death no reason why
    Do whatever to get me by
    Think about the things I said
    Read the page it's cold and dead

    Take me home (5x)

    Say goodbye Don't follow''


    This is the substance abused subject sitting all by himself...
    he finally comes to grips with the fact that his confronting friends were right all along, the drugs are/were killing him.
    Flag WhiskeyBoton February 22, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:to me this song is about addiction. A guy believes he has everything under control while he is using. the people that love him try and help so he pushes them away he's in denial. "never going home". the addiction begins to spin out of control and he has nothing left but the people who care for him. Im coming home.
    What i love about music is the meaning to certain songs can be so personal and take on different meanings for different people depending on what they are going through in life. Ienjoy reading others interpretations of songs that mean alot to me. it helps me cope.
    Flag bornNfoundon January 22, 2013   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I didn't hear this song until 2005. It really is imo AIC's best song. This song has a different sound then any other and the harmonica... OMG.

    OK the meaning:

    He didn't leave home with the intention of never returning but thats what happened. He decided 'fuck it', Ain't going back.

    He feels bad about leaving his girl behind but he's done too much to ever be with her again. Too much has happened and he believes it's too late. He's not the same person.

    He's lost into the dark void of drugs and he's empty.

    His only comfort (and ironically) his downfall are the drugs he has 'to get him by'

    Sleep in sweat, the mirrors cold' - His addiction has taken over and it's out of control. He wakes up one day and the realization of the things he lost to drugs and his lifestyle hits him and he full of regret.

    It's too late for him but he's telling others not to take the path he took. it's empty and cold.
    He's telling others not to follow his same path.

    He's afraid because he's out of control but he cannot stop.

    Take me home is a reference to 'leaving this world'

    Don't follow.
    Flag mschoenon August 04, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:I know I may be wrong but this song has a special meaning to me. My best friend committed suicide an hour after he had left me a voicemail in regards to not only a long battle with my anorexia but my healing surgery from hodgkins disease. He helped me through so much and suddenly he needed someone to talk to and i was not there for him. i believe that this song has helped me through and carried on what always was his wise words... "dont do anything stupid" but then he did... the song to me is about someone who is leaving a suicide note and telling someone not to follow and to be strong. This song is the reason i still am here today... he would have wanted that way. and wether or not the writers and singers of this song meant that exactly, it is a beautiful song.
    Flag amypowon May 25, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I always thought of this song as the anti-thesis to the prodical son. The prodical son leaves home and lives the high life. After he his life is pretty close to being spent he has nowhere else to turn and ends up coming home.

    AIC is always dark with their lyrics and make biblical references from time to time - I think this song is the prodical son who in similar fashion has left home- except when the song picks up the story turns dark in that the narrator gets so lost as they feel there is no turning back. They have forgotten their name, places, faces, and things they've done and said. Stare at the mirror and see they have transformed into a nightmarish looking monster too ashamed to go home.

    Take me home- repeated multiple times is the struggle between choosing the grave or going back home such a wreck. He in the end chooses to continue on his path of destruction not returning home.

    It is sad and haunting how the lyrics to the song fit the last decade of Layne's life- He struggled with the demon of addiction and instead of turning to loved ones- He chose the dark path of "Say Goodbye don't follow"

    He went it alone, and died alone -- with no one around for weeks to find his remains half decomposed at home. Poor guy.

    It is one of my favorite AIC songs - and a haunting one at the same time.
    Flag flipflopson November 28, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I always thought of this song as the anti-thesis to the prodical son. The prodical son leaves home and lives the high life. After he his life is pretty close to being spent he has nowhere else to turn and ends up coming home.

    AIC is always dark with their lyrics and make biblical references from time to time - I think this song is the prodical son who in similar fashion has left home- except when the song picks up the story turns dark in that the narrator gets so lost as they feel there is no turning back. They have forgotten their name, places, faces, and things they've done and said. Stare at the mirror and see they have transformed into a nightmarish looking monster too ashamed to go home.

    Take me home- repeated multiple times is the struggle between choosing the grave or going back home such a wreck. He in the end chooses to continue on his path of destruction not returning home.

    It is sad and haunting how the lyrics to the song fit the last decade of Layne's life- He struggled with the demon of addiction and instead of turning to loved ones- He chose the dark path of "Say Goodbye don't follow"

    He went it alone, and died alone -- with no one around for weeks to find his remains half decomposed at home. Poor guy.

    It is one of my favorite AIC songs - and a haunting one at the same time.
    Flag flipflopson November 28, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me this song is just letting me know that I should do what I want to do and not just follow soeone else's path. Basically just being your own person!!!!
    Flag MMxCon August 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:in the beginning he says he aint never coming home. and by the end he says take me home!

    he went somewhere or has been somewhere in his life that he wanted to go to
    and realized that he lost everything because of it.
    and he misses his old life, self, people, and his home.

    this song is most definitely about drugs. he lost his woman, and his whole life to them. he wakes up in sweats. the page is cold and dead. hes sick of running around strung out and on the road. he wants to come home.

    this song means a lot to me because i have been in this situation and it perfectly describes how i felt at the time.

    i love it. <3
    Flag girl22789on July 15, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think it is a testament to the legacy of Layne Staley that this thread has been consistent from 2002 - 2010. AIC will forever be one of the best bands ever.
    Flag flagg1975on September 24, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:BRILLIANT.BEAUTIFUL.SAD.SEDUCTIVE......Staley's part is orgasmic....saw them live in 93'...yes,yes I experienced the life-changing experience of hearing this beautiful man pour his painful soul into the mic.....your music and soul STAY ALIVE THROUGH ALL OF YOUR FANS!!....if your new to AIC get make sure Jar of Files and Unplugged and(well all of them) are apart of your music collection....oooops I mean Ipod ....so sad
    Flag imisslayneon August 06, 2010   Link

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