In the 1980s, sunglasses were a common fashion for people who wanted to adopt a "tough guy" persona (note all the cop shows from that era -- Simon & Simon, Miami Vice, etc. -- where the lead characters wore shades). So I think this song is about a guy who wears shades as a way of hiding his insecurity after learning that his girlfriend is cheating on him. He's trying to pretend that he's a "tough guy" to hide the fact that his girlfriend's affair is disturbing him.
Go out yonder, peace in the valley.
Go downtown, have to rumble in the alley
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
A lot of people reach out
Just trying to know
A lot of people reach out
And it's only for show
A lot of people talk shit
Right behind your back
Then they want some slack
When they need you for that
They just want to feel better, I get it
If you could just hold the phone a minute
Y'all left me drained
Pockets fat, while I'm looking for change
Blood on my hands
Now on my shirt
Shit I gotta change
Has anybody seen my lady?
This living alone has got me crazy
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
All my life they try and box me in
And to stand out
I always tried to fit in
And it was easy
Cause I am blessed with the flow
Relating to every group - Just look at him go
And I don't ever pass judgement
I haven't walked your walk
Who was always there when you needed to talk?
Who was always there?
Gave you both of my shoulders
My face scraped floor
Now none of your phones work
I'm fighting the same demons that my dad fought
And his dad fought and his dad fought that far back
It goes so deep
When you got a family tree
Rooted in greed and an abandon need
Common thread is they were all good men, right?
They were all good men
All our family problems just cover em up
The picture perfect image is fucking us up
So I'm standing in the foyer
Head in my hands
33 years and I feel like a man
33 years to shred this curse
33 years on this gangrene earth
My mom said I've been praying for something
To bring you to your knees
Now each night I'm trapped in my mind
Holding close to the rosary
Out of nine lives, I've spent seven
How in the world do you get to heaven?
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
Save your neck or, save your brother
Looks like it's just one or the other
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
Go downtown, have to rumble in the alley
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
A lot of people reach out
Just trying to know
A lot of people reach out
And it's only for show
A lot of people talk shit
Right behind your back
Then they want some slack
When they need you for that
They just want to feel better, I get it
If you could just hold the phone a minute
Y'all left me drained
Pockets fat, while I'm looking for change
Blood on my hands
Now on my shirt
Shit I gotta change
Has anybody seen my lady?
This living alone has got me crazy
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
All my life they try and box me in
And to stand out
I always tried to fit in
And it was easy
Cause I am blessed with the flow
Relating to every group - Just look at him go
And I don't ever pass judgement
I haven't walked your walk
Who was always there when you needed to talk?
Who was always there?
Gave you both of my shoulders
My face scraped floor
Now none of your phones work
I'm fighting the same demons that my dad fought
And his dad fought and his dad fought that far back
It goes so deep
When you got a family tree
Rooted in greed and an abandon need
Common thread is they were all good men, right?
They were all good men
All our family problems just cover em up
The picture perfect image is fucking us up
So I'm standing in the foyer
Head in my hands
33 years and I feel like a man
33 years to shred this curse
33 years on this gangrene earth
My mom said I've been praying for something
To bring you to your knees
Now each night I'm trapped in my mind
Holding close to the rosary
Out of nine lives, I've spent seven
How in the world do you get to heaven?
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
Save your neck or, save your brother
Looks like it's just one or the other
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
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