No more tears and you'll be fine
I stay here all night
And when I've stayed all the night
We go out in the morning light
We go out in the morning light

And then you strive to live they day
Don't know how, don't know what to say
Is it medicine or social skill?
Don't have answer and nobody will

Do it screaming or without a word
Being sane is a full time work
Another day has come to an end
Then you start to cry again



Lyrics submitted by Elin

Is It Medicine Lyrics as written by Olof Bjorn Dreijer Karin Elizabeth Dreijer Andersson

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Is It Medicine song meanings
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10 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment

    For me this song is about beeing afraid of going out. You have to live the day trying to be "normal", trying to forget about your fears and obsessions. You don't know if you feel good because you took your pills, or you feel good because you have good social skills(you're sane and cured now). Then you come home and you're so tired of living between people that you cry. It's about beeing depressive and having social fears... I still don't know what "trive" means and I'm not sure if my interpretation ain't too personal... any other suggestions?

    vadmacskaon April 11, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    To me it's about social phobia/ anxiety.

    "don't know how, don't know what to say is it medicine or social skill?" - That's is exactly how it was for me, I was dosed up and hated it, it was easier to interact, but I couldn't tell if it was me.

    "being sane is a full time work" - I would try hard but I would give up and lock myself in . "another day has come to an end then you start to cry again" - and every time I went out I was tired and scared, of what the people thought, all these things would go through my head, and I would feel like never being around anyone again.

    But, hey, it's just my opinion.

    SmallAvalancheon December 30, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "is it medicine, or social skill?" killer lyric.

    __like_pixie_duston May 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree with you, wholeheartedly. It's the same kind of message I picked up.

    oz_van_fanon January 03, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree with you, wholeheartedly. It's the same kind of message I picked up.

    oz_van_fanon January 03, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I'll have to agree again, I think trive is a typo, of 'try'. One of many spelling errors. lol

    This song is about trying to help someone with social anxiety. The outside perspective and questioning of the nature of social confidence as a result of this is "Is it Medicine or Social Skill" - e.g. People drinking to feel comfortable in social situations.

    Not entirely serious, sort of seems to just be throwing the question out there at you.

    Adsaron February 03, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i agree with everyone as well but i thought maybe the line "is it medicine or social skill?" could also be questioning if the answer to things like social anxiety is medicine or correcting social skills. or at least, is the "bad" behavior a by-product of the medicines they are taking or just who they are.

    samusamuon August 13, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Totally on that social anxiety tip. It's asking if this social anxiety is something that needs to be cured, or if it's just a part of them.

    kaweenuhon September 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I've always thought this song was about drugs use and going out. When you go in the clubs and do speed or whatever, you do have social skills and you do have a down when you get home after. And when you do that too much, you realise that "being sane is a full time work " and you're about to lose it. lol

    bndcton March 27, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion

    Similar to what has already been mentioned, I think the song could also be about depression - which is quite an ambiguous thing. To me it is hard to say whether it is an 'ilness' (as psychiatrists and farmaceuts are likely to claim), or whether it is a lack of maturity and 'social skills'. It seems to me that anxiety, social phobia, depression etc. are becoming more common, because our society, our way of life is reinforcing them (with information overflow, less friendly interactions, less connection with nature...). Sometimes it is hard to tell whether complete despair is a philosophical state of mind or an illness. It is easier for everyone to just call it something chemical and call the doubts off with some lithium. But you know, also love is a chemical reaction.

    Anyway, the Knife is amazing:)

    PolaPolaon May 27, 2013   Link

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