People here are taking the first verse too literally. The "passive" person acts almost "dead" because of how he has become due to something. I don't know what, probably insecurity. The person avoids confrontation, and Maynard is wondering if the person is "better off this way", or better off alone.
The first verse is about maybe a friend (the "doctor") saying that the person is "dead" or useless and depressed, and that Maynard should give up on the person. However, Maynard is "ever the optimistic one" and knows what the person "could and might have been". He still believes in the person at this point and wants to continue to help him even though the person won't "wake up and face [him]".
He continues to contemplate whether or not to leave the person when he repeats "maybe you're better off this way". Then Maynard says "you fuckin' disappoint me". I think that he is saying that he has given up on the person. At first, Maynard says the in explicate "you disappoint me" softly like he can still forgive the person and keep trying to help, but this time he yells it and is clearly upset to leave the person because he loves them and wants them to do well.
-The song is so powerful, and the climax after all the build up is truly amazing. I think the song is somewhat overlooked because of the arguably terrible album that it was released on. Passive will always be one of my favorite songs in the world.
@shnoogums my EXACT thoughts I'd be literally singing it to my drunk husband as he was sitting drunk as shit, and I'd play this song and literally sing it right to his face because it helped me get my frustration out at that time. And as a matter of fact I knew he was better than that, but before I understood addiction as the disease it is I couldn't understand why he kept doing it and feel and look so guilty and upset, and then I would think he's weak! U r better off this way! Needless to...
@shnoogums my EXACT thoughts I'd be literally singing it to my drunk husband as he was sitting drunk as shit, and I'd play this song and literally sing it right to his face because it helped me get my frustration out at that time. And as a matter of fact I knew he was better than that, but before I understood addiction as the disease it is I couldn't understand why he kept doing it and feel and look so guilty and upset, and then I would think he's weak! U r better off this way! Needless to say he's now 7 months sober 3 years later, but I always thought I was alone in thinking that the song was referring to situations like these. : ) thanks
People here are taking the first verse too literally. The "passive" person acts almost "dead" because of how he has become due to something. I don't know what, probably insecurity. The person avoids confrontation, and Maynard is wondering if the person is "better off this way", or better off alone.
The first verse is about maybe a friend (the "doctor") saying that the person is "dead" or useless and depressed, and that Maynard should give up on the person. However, Maynard is "ever the optimistic one" and knows what the person "could and might have been". He still believes in the person at this point and wants to continue to help him even though the person won't "wake up and face [him]".
He continues to contemplate whether or not to leave the person when he repeats "maybe you're better off this way". Then Maynard says "you fuckin' disappoint me". I think that he is saying that he has given up on the person. At first, Maynard says the in explicate "you disappoint me" softly like he can still forgive the person and keep trying to help, but this time he yells it and is clearly upset to leave the person because he loves them and wants them to do well.
-The song is so powerful, and the climax after all the build up is truly amazing. I think the song is somewhat overlooked because of the arguably terrible album that it was released on. Passive will always be one of my favorite songs in the world.
@shnoogums my EXACT thoughts I'd be literally singing it to my drunk husband as he was sitting drunk as shit, and I'd play this song and literally sing it right to his face because it helped me get my frustration out at that time. And as a matter of fact I knew he was better than that, but before I understood addiction as the disease it is I couldn't understand why he kept doing it and feel and look so guilty and upset, and then I would think he's weak! U r better off this way! Needless to...
@shnoogums my EXACT thoughts I'd be literally singing it to my drunk husband as he was sitting drunk as shit, and I'd play this song and literally sing it right to his face because it helped me get my frustration out at that time. And as a matter of fact I knew he was better than that, but before I understood addiction as the disease it is I couldn't understand why he kept doing it and feel and look so guilty and upset, and then I would think he's weak! U r better off this way! Needless to say he's now 7 months sober 3 years later, but I always thought I was alone in thinking that the song was referring to situations like these. : ) thanks