Sober

My interpretation is that this song is a message from Satan.

-There's a shadow just behind me, shrouding every step I take,-

Lucifer (the state of the fallen Satan) was prideful, wanted to be just like God, but he was cast out and basically lives in God's shadow. He thought that what it means to be God, is to be exalted above all others, however as seen by Jesus' example, it really means to serve.

-making every promise empty, pointing every finger at me.-

Almost all evil and sin is attributed to Satan. He is the father of lies; all of his promises are empty and people point the finger at him.

-Waiting like a stalking butler who upon the finger rests.-

Satan claims that God is a stalking butler. What is a butler? A butler is a "senior worker" who is the "highest and most loyal servant of a household". This sounds very much like God. Christians equate Jesus to God incarnate. Jesus proclaimed that he would come as a servant or slave to his people instead of a king. Since Jesus is supposed to be the perfect example to man (to love and serve one another) but is also divine (he is the "most high") essentially a butler. He is a "stalking" butler, because Satan sees him as an overseer, or one who is always there, watching. Satan also says the blame rests on God, not him.

-Murder now the path of "must we", Just because the son has come-

Firstly, what is "murder"? Murder is an "unlawful killing, with malice aforethought". So basically God "unlawfully" does away with the path of "must we", just because the son has come (Jesus birth, sacrifice and resurrection). The path of "must we" is the requirements, the laws that "we must" follow to ensure a path to salvation. Jesus is now the way to heaven instead of the path of "must we". So in short, Satan claims that God contradicts the Old Testament with the New Testament. "Just because the son has come" is one of the key lyrics that leads me to believe this song to be a religious statement (besides the obvious Jesus and Mother Mary references).

-Jesus, won't you fucking whistle something but the past and done?-

A person asking to be saved would not use vulgarity and ultimatums when asking for Christ forgiveness. Instead this is Satan asking Jesus "why don't you reveal yourself to your people? Prove that you are real and are who you say you are instead of relying on what was done in the past."

-Why can't we not be sober? I just want to start things over-

This is a prime example of how Satan deceives. There is a double negative, which instead means "why can't we be drunk?" In this case, I think it means why can't we be ignorant and blind, just like in the beginning in the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve had yet to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. Satan knows his impending doom and wants things to be as they were.

-Why can't we drink forever? I just want to start things over-

Reinforces the lines above. Satan is stating that he "just" wants to start things over, where there is only a small population, oblivious to the evils of the world. However, I'm assuming it would be to start the whole chain of events over again because after all...

-I am a worthless liar-

Self explanatory, but here it is Satan actually stating a truth, repenting and being honest about his nature.

-I am an imbecile-

Perhaps Satan conceding that he acted stupidly. This could be just a way to saying "I know I did wrong, I acted badly" even though, being the liar that he is, really doesn't concede to anything.

-I will only complicate you-

This is where some people point out that this is actually an "anti-Christian" song, and they may be right (religion complicates, so do drugs and drug users). However I think it is Satan saying that he complicates things by trying to pull people away from God.

-Trust me and fall as well-

This is the lyric that partially reinforces my interpretation. If this was a religious person warning someone away from Christianity, how did that person fall? It could make sense if is a junkie basically saying "if I trick you into taking drugs, you'll get hooked as well". Satan-Sataniel fell from Heaven and is saying "trust in me and you will fall as I have".

-I will find a center in you. I will chew it up and leave, I will work to elevate you just enough to bring you down-

This could be trying to talk from the "drug's" perspective, however if you go back to the lines above, how could the drug itself "fall", as in "trust me and fall AS WELL" or "fall AS I HAVE". Instead it can be about religion finding a center in you, but again, how has Christianity or any Christian "fell"? Satan finds your vices, conflicts your sense of right and wrong, promises you all your wishes and dreams, tempts you away from salvation and brings you down.

-Mother Mary won't you whisper something but what's past and done.-

Once again, Satan is asking "People pray for your guidance Mary, why don't you whisper back, prove that you are there."

-Why can't we sleep forever?-

Instead of going to Heaven, why can't humanity sleep forever after death? Of course this can also be straight forward and mean, why can't we escape reality (drug use interpretation).

-Trust me-

The ultimate thing that Satan wants is people to trust in him.

-I want what I want-

If this was about drug using, then who knows what the drug user wants, which is the major question in that interpretation. Its left up the air, "I want what I want", the addict may want to quit but the saying goes "if person really WANTS to quit they would". Satan wants what he wants, not what God wants, not what people want.