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"
The ashtray says
You were up all night
When you went to bed
With your darkest mind
Your pillow wept
And covered your eyes
And you finally slept
While the sun caught fire
You've changed
We fell in love
In the key of see
We walked along
Down by the sea
You followed me down
The neck to D
And fell again
Into the sea
You changed
Oh, you've changed
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Something in my veins bloodier than blood
Something in my veins bloodier than blood
Something in my veins bloodier than blood
Something in my veins bloodier than blood
The ashtray says
You were up all night
When you went to bed
With your darkest mind
You changed
Oh, you've changed
What you once were isn't what you want to be any more
What you once were isn't what you want to be any more
What you once were isn't what you want to be any more
What you once were isn't what you want to be any more
What you once were isn't what you want to be any more
You were up all night
When you went to bed
With your darkest mind
Your pillow wept
And covered your eyes
And you finally slept
While the sun caught fire
You've changed
We fell in love
In the key of see
We walked along
Down by the sea
You followed me down
The neck to D
And fell again
Into the sea
You changed
Oh, you've changed
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Something in my veins bloodier than blood
Something in my veins bloodier than blood
Something in my veins bloodier than blood
Something in my veins bloodier than blood
The ashtray says
You were up all night
When you went to bed
With your darkest mind
You changed
Oh, you've changed
What you once were isn't what you want to be any more
What you once were isn't what you want to be any more
What you once were isn't what you want to be any more
What you once were isn't what you want to be any more
What you once were isn't what you want to be any more
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i just like the first two lines, such a way to say them
contrary to many peoples idea of a sort of heroin addiction theme, a "Shot in the arm" can also mean a spot of encouragement or a pep talk. What he may have been thinking is that he needs encouragement, now, to love the woman, even though she has drastically changed from the girl he fell in love with to the restless, more guilty, and nervous woman that she is now. This song always makes me think of "I'm Looking Through You" by the Beatles, which is also about a girl who changed, perhaps this song gave some inspiration to Wilco's "A Shot in the Arm?"
I agree with Kid.
I love the line "We fell in love/to the key of C" The Key C is natural-- there aren't any sharps or flats. I guess the only other natural key is A minor, and... that's minor. It's sad sounding, so... I guess they wouldn't have fallen in love to A minor.
Great images. "And you finally slept/While the sun caught fire."
Um- if it's not about drugs explain the "something in my veins, bloodier than blood." Heroin would be something in your veins bloodier than blood, sort of. But actually maybe that works with couldBanyone's idea. Like she's so changed even her blood is different. Maybe?
This song about what it's like just to be a kid. You should have fun as a kid.
I've always thought this song was about two people in a relationship who are addicted to drugs, then one of them (her) wants to get clean, so she is getting ready to leave him. The references to walking by the sea and falling into the sea seem pretty clear to me, that is often how heroine addicts describe the feeling of getting high.
About a herion addiction. The repetition of the phrases really emphasizes the severity of the addiction. The song ends on the lines
' What you once were isn't what you want to be anymore '
Seems like he's trying his hardest to overcome the addiction and move on.
Such a damn good song though!
very good song. but Jeff Tweedy never did heroin. plus that is such a surface level interpretation. give him a little bit more credit than that as a songwriter...
You should all download the live version from Kazaa. Search for Jeff Tweedy. He plays it with such passion, solo acoustic.
I think it's odd that someone thinks this is about addiction. The 'shot in the arm' stuff seems to be more metaphor than straight truth. I don't know, just my opinion. Great song though.
Imajar is correct, this isn't about heroin addiction. Think a little deeper: What exactly does he want "shot in his arm." Yes it conjures images of drugs, but what he wants is some kind of substance injected into his system that will allow him to love this woman again. She has changed from her previous self. He cannot love this changed person without help from some fantasy injection. The first stanzas simply articulate how this woman feels terrible about what has happened.