I'm sorry, but this song is most definitely about cocaine. I understand people's concerns about how Elliott's songs "aren't ALWAYS about drugs," but what they fail to understand is the mind of an addict, which Elliott most definitely was. What I mean by this is that the brain of an addict is always thinking about drugs. An addict loves drugs the way that normally functioning people love other people; they have a real relationship with whatever their drug of choice might be. This is why so many people here are interpreting his song as a simple love song about his feelings for a "cold woman." That is the beauty of music: no matter how it was originally written or intended, it is the interpretations of the listeners which give it its power.
The song is about Elliott's, and thousands of others', love/hate relationship with the powdered drug: cocaine. The first verse is easily comprehended as being about the preparation for doing cocaine: "a perfect angel in the snow" refers to his girlfriend, his angel, which is in fact the "snow" itself. The second lines backs this up: "all crushed out the way you are." Cocaine is first crushed up into fine powder before being snorted or injected. "Better stop before it goes too far," only furthers the proof of what this song is truly about: cocaine overdosing comes as the result of "going too far," as the cocaine addict, once high on the drug, often has trouble controlling how much of the drug they will continue to use. Any cocaine addict will tell you that they will continue to use until either it's all gone, or until they decide to face the intense drawbacks of the depressing come down.
I believe that the rest of the song refers to the infatuation with cocaine. "Don't you know that I love you," is obvious: he loves the drug, but he wonders at times if it knows this, or if it even loves him back (which it doesn't). He loves this drug, he feels like he was a "cold still life that fell down here to lay beside" it. He's a cold human being, he cares about very little, he's often depressed (as is the primary indication of a coming down cocaine user), but despite these things, he still loves the drug, and he feels he was meant to be with it, no matter how cold and still its made him.
And that verse repeats itself, such is the way of the addict's love for cocaine.
something just doesnt ring true about this. i'm sure elliott knew some people would think that though. elliott often layered metaphors in his songs. further more, elliott was not a cold human being, a cold human being wouldnt slip $100 bills into homeless peoples shoes, set up charities for abused kids, write the songs that he wrote, etc.
something just doesnt ring true about this. i'm sure elliott knew some people would think that though. elliott often layered metaphors in his songs. further more, elliott was not a cold human being, a cold human being wouldnt slip $100 bills into homeless peoples shoes, set up charities for abused kids, write the songs that he wrote, etc.
He's using cocaine and addiction as a metaphor for love more generally. Drugs are just the vehicle bro. It both is and isn't about drugs, like most of his songs.
He's using cocaine and addiction as a metaphor for love more generally. Drugs are just the vehicle bro. It both is and isn't about drugs, like most of his songs.
I'm sorry, but this song is most definitely about cocaine. I understand people's concerns about how Elliott's songs "aren't ALWAYS about drugs," but what they fail to understand is the mind of an addict, which Elliott most definitely was. What I mean by this is that the brain of an addict is always thinking about drugs. An addict loves drugs the way that normally functioning people love other people; they have a real relationship with whatever their drug of choice might be. This is why so many people here are interpreting his song as a simple love song about his feelings for a "cold woman." That is the beauty of music: no matter how it was originally written or intended, it is the interpretations of the listeners which give it its power.
The song is about Elliott's, and thousands of others', love/hate relationship with the powdered drug: cocaine. The first verse is easily comprehended as being about the preparation for doing cocaine: "a perfect angel in the snow" refers to his girlfriend, his angel, which is in fact the "snow" itself. The second lines backs this up: "all crushed out the way you are." Cocaine is first crushed up into fine powder before being snorted or injected. "Better stop before it goes too far," only furthers the proof of what this song is truly about: cocaine overdosing comes as the result of "going too far," as the cocaine addict, once high on the drug, often has trouble controlling how much of the drug they will continue to use. Any cocaine addict will tell you that they will continue to use until either it's all gone, or until they decide to face the intense drawbacks of the depressing come down.
I believe that the rest of the song refers to the infatuation with cocaine. "Don't you know that I love you," is obvious: he loves the drug, but he wonders at times if it knows this, or if it even loves him back (which it doesn't). He loves this drug, he feels like he was a "cold still life that fell down here to lay beside" it. He's a cold human being, he cares about very little, he's often depressed (as is the primary indication of a coming down cocaine user), but despite these things, he still loves the drug, and he feels he was meant to be with it, no matter how cold and still its made him.
And that verse repeats itself, such is the way of the addict's love for cocaine.
something just doesnt ring true about this. i'm sure elliott knew some people would think that though. elliott often layered metaphors in his songs. further more, elliott was not a cold human being, a cold human being wouldnt slip $100 bills into homeless peoples shoes, set up charities for abused kids, write the songs that he wrote, etc.
something just doesnt ring true about this. i'm sure elliott knew some people would think that though. elliott often layered metaphors in his songs. further more, elliott was not a cold human being, a cold human being wouldnt slip $100 bills into homeless peoples shoes, set up charities for abused kids, write the songs that he wrote, etc.
He's using cocaine and addiction as a metaphor for love more generally. Drugs are just the vehicle bro. It both is and isn't about drugs, like most of his songs.
He's using cocaine and addiction as a metaphor for love more generally. Drugs are just the vehicle bro. It both is and isn't about drugs, like most of his songs.