Wishes bounce me weightless
The infrared scope of pointlessness
The bulls are sedated and this fights fixed

Don't feel bad for the suicidal cats
Gotta kill themselves nine times before they get it right
The P.A. system keeps my hard heart beating tonight

(Oh hell yes)
I'm a nervous wreck
(Oh hell yes)
The drugs just make me reset

[Chorus]
Knock once for the Father
Twice for the Son
Three times for the Holy Ghost

Come on in, the water's warm
Come on like I sugared you, but with a kick in the head
Like putting wings on lead
Your eyes are black in my starlight
I'm the last of my kind
(And as always I'm not addicted to you)

Follow the disorganized religion of my head
And we'll never get through customs
Let's just take off again instead

Got my degree in the gutter
My heart broken in the dorms of the Ivy League

(Oh hell yes)
I'm a nervous wreck
(Oh hell yes)
The drugs just make me reset

[Chorus: x2]

I'm a nervous wreck [Repeat: x3]
I'm a n-n-nervous wreck
(I'm a nervous wreck)
I'm a nervous wreck
(Oh hell yes)
The drugs just make me reset

[Chorus]

(Three times)
Three times for the Holy Ghost
(Three times)
Three times for the Holy Ghost



Lyrics submitted by blinxbcr

Track duration: 02:46

"West Coast Smoker" as written by Peter Wentz, Patrick Stump, Joseph Trohman, Andrew Hurley

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


West Coast Smoker song meanings
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41 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Am I the only one who thinks of Bullet With Butterfly Wings by Smashing Pumpkins (the one that goes "despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage") when the line "like putting wings on lead" comes on?
    Seriously.
    Flag JimmyArmstrongon July 01, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:"Knock one for the father, twice for the son, three times for the holy ghost" may be alluding to Dante's Divine Comedy in which the first part, the Inferno, shows the power of the Father, the second, Purgatory, the Wisdom of the Son, and finally the third, Paradise, the Love of the Holy Spirit.
    Flag paroe829on April 11, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Religion. Or loss of. "heart broken in the dorm of the ivy league" Sciences kill religion
    Flag Bays1ckon March 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I always felt that this song was about mental illness. Which is why it's my favorite off the album.

    wishes bounce me weightless (Wishing to get better, to the point of it being pure fantasy.)
    the infrared scope of pointlessness (Looking for the cause under the surface and finding nothing.)
    the bulls are sedated (Being medicated after flying off the handle.)
    and this fight's fixed (Can't beat mental illness, it's already predetermined.)
    don't feel bad for the suicidal cats
    gotta kill themselves nine times before they get it right (So pathetic, you can't even kill yourself properly.)
    the PA system keeps my heart, heart beating tonight (could be music keeping them going, or a voice over a hospital intercom)
    yeah.

    oh hell yes
    i'm a nervous wreck
    oh hell yes
    the drugs just make me reset (The medicine doesn't help. It just prepares you to start the battle with your sickness again.)
    knock once for the father
    twice for the son
    three times for the holy ghost. (Counting on religion to help you.)

    come in the water's warm (Try to get better. Nurses and doctors pushing you forward.)
    come on like a sugar cube (Recovery is sweet.)
    but with a kick in the head (a major setback)
    like putting wings on lead (pointless, you crash)
    and your eyes are blockin my starlight (Turning away from people who are trying to help you towards fantasy.)
    i'm the last of my kind (Believing you're unique or alone, because you're crazy.)
    that's all that should matter to you (Your semi content, everyone should back off.)
    follow the disorganized religion of my head
    and we'll never get through customs (Your way isn't working, because it doesn't make sense or is dangerous.)
    let's just take off again instead (Run from the problem)

    got my degree in the gutter (Lost all sense of personal pride.)
    my heart broken in the dorms of the ivy league (Couldn't keep up or assimilate with advanced society.)

    oh hell yes
    i'm a nervous wreck
    oh hell yes
    the drugs just make me reset
    knock once for the father
    twice for the son
    three times for the holy ghost.

    knock once for the father
    twice for the son
    three times for the holy ghost.

    i'm a nervous wreck

    i'm a nervous wreck
    oh hell yes
    the drugs just make me reset
    knock once for the father,
    twice for the son
    three times for the holy ghost
    (3 times)
    three times for the holy ghost
    (3 times)
    three times for the holy ghost
    Flag SparkleNShineon August 29, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Wow I really don't hear "that's all that should matter to you" I hear "And as usual I'm not addicted to you" which fits perfectly with the drug theme. I don't care much for politics so I purely read this as a drug song, and any real FOB fan knows the lyrics are done so that they can mean anything to each individual person. That is why I love this band. So here's my analysis of the lyrics:

    "wishes bounce me weightless
    the infrared scope of pointlessness
    the bulls are sedated
    and this fight's fixed"
    The drugs are winning, the person is under their spell

    "don't feel bad for the suicidal cats
    gotta kill themselves nine times before they get it right
    the PA system keeps my heart, heart beating tonight
    yeah."
    The first two lines suggest the person s not concerned about overdosing, they're attitude says they won't die from the first overdose (love that metaphor by the way!) I think the PA system is in the airport, which is referenced again later. I think they are wanting to go to another place where there are more/better drugs

    "oh hell yes
    i'm a nervous wreck
    oh hell yes
    the drugs just make me reset
    knock once for the father
    twice for the son
    three times for the holy ghost."
    These lyrics make it clear that a lot of drugs are involved, I think they're playing on the religion part, it's actually being mocked. The knocks are secretive knocks on the door of a drug dealer so they know what you want.

    "come in the water's warm
    come on like a sugar cube
    but with a kick in the head
    like putting wings on lead"
    They are trying to convince others to take drugs and they are saying nothing can help them now, the 'putting wings on lead' metaphor is great. They may have been unable to pay a dealer money, resulting in the kick in the head, but they don't care.

    "and your eyes are blockin my starlight
    i'm the last of my kind
    that's all that should matter to you/and as usual I'm not addicted to you
    follow the disorganized religion of my head
    and we'll never get through customs
    let's just take off again instead"
    These lyrics seem to truly be gibberish strung together, of course each line does have meaning, but it's purposely not really related to each other. This shows how disorientated the drug addict is. Now they realize they not going to get onto the plane so they run off some where else. I assume they have also spent this whole night with no drugs, which explains the mixed up lines.

    "got my degree in the gutter
    my heart broken in the dorms of the ivy league"
    Again illustrating how screwed up they are.

    The screaming at the end, and in fact the tone of the whole song sounds chaotic. It really makes you imagine the drugs pumping in the persons veins while saying these words. (not saying FOB does drugs, they are just an outlet to make a situatiom known, in this case a drug addicts story.)

    I may be right or wrong, but with FOB it's impossible to ever really be correct, there are supposed to be various interpreations.
    Flag MsUnsolvedMysteryon August 22, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:NO! Pete does ALLLLLLL the screamo. Patrick may sometimes do screamo in the backround if you REALLY listen...i think idk but Patrick doesn't do screamo it better fits Pete :)
    Flag ihartFallOutBoyon August 06, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i LOVE this song. My fave part was "OH HELL YES!" super awesome!
    Flag ihartFallOutBoyon August 06, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I love that lyric, "Knock once for the father, twice for the son..." because near the end, they do one guitar and drum beat for the first line, two for the second, and three for the holy ghost so it sounds like they're knocking. I'm amazed I didn't notice that until now, I've listened to this song so much :p
    Flag GagaforBleachon November 25, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Anyone notice when he says knock once for the father the drum beats once
    twice for the son the drum beats twice
    three times for the holy ghost the drum beats 3 times

    right before the screaming part

    idk if that was on purpose but i love it (:
    Flag Carmelover727on September 03, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm PRETTY sure taht the lines are:
    "but with a kick in the HEAD,
    like putting wings on LEAD"

    anyway, pretty good song
    Flag lethaleggplanton April 22, 2009   Link

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