This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
I'm gone to Detox Mansion
Way down on Last Breath Farm
I've been rakin' leaves with Liza
Me and Liz clean up the yard
Hey!
Left my home in Music City
In the back of a limosine
Now I'm doin' my own laundry
And I'm gettin' those clothes clean
Mmm
Growin' fond of Detox Mansion
And this quiet life I lead
But I'm dying to tell my story
For all my friends to read
It's tough to be somebody
It's hard to keep from fallin' apart
Here on Rehab Mountain
We gonna learn these things by heart
Hey!
Well, I'm gone to Detox Mansion
Way down on Last Breath Farm
I've been rakin' leaves with Liza
Me and Liz clean up the yard
Hot dog!
What goes on in Detox Mansion
Outside the rubber room
We get therapy and lectures
We play golf in the afternoon
Hey!
Yeah!
Well, it's tough to be somebody
And it's hard not to fall apart
Way up on Rehab Mountain
We learn these things by heart
Woo!
Ah!
Way down on Last Breath Farm
I've been rakin' leaves with Liza
Me and Liz clean up the yard
Hey!
Left my home in Music City
In the back of a limosine
Now I'm doin' my own laundry
And I'm gettin' those clothes clean
Mmm
Growin' fond of Detox Mansion
And this quiet life I lead
But I'm dying to tell my story
For all my friends to read
It's tough to be somebody
It's hard to keep from fallin' apart
Here on Rehab Mountain
We gonna learn these things by heart
Hey!
Well, I'm gone to Detox Mansion
Way down on Last Breath Farm
I've been rakin' leaves with Liza
Me and Liz clean up the yard
Hot dog!
What goes on in Detox Mansion
Outside the rubber room
We get therapy and lectures
We play golf in the afternoon
Hey!
Yeah!
Well, it's tough to be somebody
And it's hard not to fall apart
Way up on Rehab Mountain
We learn these things by heart
Woo!
Ah!
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The Night We Met
Lord Huron
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Hayalperest
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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.
Dreamwalker
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Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Well in 1984 in Minnesota Warren was in treatment, I happened to be in his group, some of the lyrics were about himself... left my home in music city (LA) and doing my own laundry and getting those clothes clean... other lyrics were about other group members me and Liz clean up the yard was a guy who knew Liza and talked about her, some were about what happened to me, I love golf and was able to go play a round after group with permission of counselor, i also had some mental health things going on with me and while in treatment was transferred for a few days to the psychiatric unit hence ... what goes on at rehab mountain outside the rubber room, we have therapy and lectures and play golf in the afternoon was about me
Just think these are some brilliant lyrics, especially the lines about "rakin' leaves with Liza/Me and Liz clean up the yard." Also like the part where he shouts "Hot dog!" That Zevon, whatta character!
Y'know what, mark36? Zevon's always wrote some oddball lyrics. But would you listen to that guitar? This song's great.
"Well, it's tough to be somebody And it's hard to keep from fallin' apart Up here on Rehab Mountain We gonna learn these things by heart"
What a great line. Warren is a great rhymer. There's nothing that can kill a song more Than a rhyme that is obviously a huge and unapologetic stretch, and Warren has never Allowed this kind of lazy approach into his music. His rhyming is impecable and brilliant
He will truly be missed.
Unbeatable: killer lyrics enhanced with excellent session musicians. Zevon seldom fell into the trap of cliched love song-style lyrics.
This song is just an amazing rocker by Zevon. Lyrically, this one is a great example of Zevon’s sarcastic wit. Talking about raking leaves with “Liza” (i.e. Liza Minnelli) and cleaning the yard with “Liz” (i.e. Elizabeth Taylor) and doing his own laundry - love the images of that. But, musically, this song rocks as hard or harder than any song in Zevon’s canon. The electric guitar playing is killer on this song. Does anyone know who is playing the electric guitar leads? And Zevon lets out the greatest rock n roll scream of his career at about the 2:45 mark of this song. Awesomeness.
@Rickvee David Lindley doing the lead guitar (his lap steel slide style, like in his hit version of Mercury Blues; he played on four or five of Zevon\'s albums) over what sounds like a Peter Buck Rhythm part.