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.
When he was seeing her you could see he had his doubts
And now he's missing her because he knows he's missing out
And now it's haunting him, her memory's like a ghost
And he's so terrified 'cause no one else even comes close
He's the guy that you should feel sorry for
He had the world but he thought that he wanted more
I owe it all to the mistake he made back then
I owe it all to my girl's ex-boyfriend
So then along comes me, this undeserving mess (undeserving mess)
Who would believe my life would be so blessed? (Life would be so blessed)
Two years ago when he left all that debris (left all that debris)
Who would have known he would leave everything I need?
He's the guy that you should feel sorry for
He had the world but he thought that he wanted more
I owe it all to the mistake he made back then
I owe it all to my girl's ex-boyfriend
If it wasn't for him
I would still be searching
If it wasn't for him
I wouldn't know my best friend
If it wasn't for him
He would be able to see that
If it wasn't for him he'd be as happy as me
When she and I settle down you can bet
That he is gonna have to settle for less
He's someone I would hate to be
I got the girl and he's left with just a memory
He's the guy that you should feel sorry for
He had the world but he thought that he wanted more
I owe it all to the mistake he made back then
I owe it all to my girl's ex-boyfriend
If it wasn't for him
I would still be searching
If it wasn't for him
I wouldn't know my best friend
If it wasn't for him
He would be able to see that
If it wasn't for him he'd be as happy as me
And now he's missing her because he knows he's missing out
And now it's haunting him, her memory's like a ghost
And he's so terrified 'cause no one else even comes close
He's the guy that you should feel sorry for
He had the world but he thought that he wanted more
I owe it all to the mistake he made back then
I owe it all to my girl's ex-boyfriend
So then along comes me, this undeserving mess (undeserving mess)
Who would believe my life would be so blessed? (Life would be so blessed)
Two years ago when he left all that debris (left all that debris)
Who would have known he would leave everything I need?
He's the guy that you should feel sorry for
He had the world but he thought that he wanted more
I owe it all to the mistake he made back then
I owe it all to my girl's ex-boyfriend
If it wasn't for him
I would still be searching
If it wasn't for him
I wouldn't know my best friend
If it wasn't for him
He would be able to see that
If it wasn't for him he'd be as happy as me
When she and I settle down you can bet
That he is gonna have to settle for less
He's someone I would hate to be
I got the girl and he's left with just a memory
He's the guy that you should feel sorry for
He had the world but he thought that he wanted more
I owe it all to the mistake he made back then
I owe it all to my girl's ex-boyfriend
If it wasn't for him
I would still be searching
If it wasn't for him
I wouldn't know my best friend
If it wasn't for him
He would be able to see that
If it wasn't for him he'd be as happy as me
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in the CD booklet, it says debris.
I wonder if the song isn't really from another person's point of view, where Matt is the "someone I would hate to be." He describes the feelings that the unlucky guy would feel pretty in-depth. Not to mention that the one most prevalent theme on the CD is regretting mistakes, and this would fit in nicely.