This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
One time weekly rate twelve by twelve room
Strapped down to the bed now pump up the Valium
My mind is wide asleep my conscience deep awake
The promises I keep are not the ones I make
I count the caustic causes I lost count of regrets
A surplus of good intentions don't provide me with content
All I want is just a little content
One time monthly rate still no breathing room
Pressures building up so pump up the Valium
I choose the beaten path I've been to where it leads
Why I keep comin' back a mystery to me
I found what I've been seeking but it's too late for me to care
My aspirations leaking form a hole I can't repair
Maybe I just don't want it repaired
Strapped down to the bed now pump up the Valium
My mind is wide asleep my conscience deep awake
The promises I keep are not the ones I make
I count the caustic causes I lost count of regrets
A surplus of good intentions don't provide me with content
All I want is just a little content
One time monthly rate still no breathing room
Pressures building up so pump up the Valium
I choose the beaten path I've been to where it leads
Why I keep comin' back a mystery to me
I found what I've been seeking but it's too late for me to care
My aspirations leaking form a hole I can't repair
Maybe I just don't want it repaired
Lyrics submitted by AtomicGarden, edited by jwax8242o
Pump Up The Valium Lyrics as written by Micahel Burkett
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Hayalperest
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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L.O.S.E.R, the spelling that nofx uses 'valuum' is how its spelled on the cd because they cant use the correct spelling 'valium' due to copyright laws or some crap like that