Safe Without

Great Song... I think this song is about quitting LSD/acid or possibly some other hard drug.

First part is about doing the drug. "So much to feel so much to gain" - the excitement before doing the drug "I'll be ok I've got my shapes" - hallucinations

Second part is about trying to stop. "It's go the road or drop the weight" - quit or drop acid? "As great big sheets disintegrate in the water" - destroying a sheet of LSD?

I also hear "I steal, I KNEEL, and I do it again" - the recurring cycle of trying to quit. Kneel makes more sense than Heal too. Kneel implies begging forgiveness.

This is really strange but ever since I heard this song, I've had the hunch it's about not using protection/contraception in sex durng a one night stand and hoping he'll be 'safe without' and this is him either convincing himself or his partner to go ahead

hear me out...sorry in advance for how crude all this may sound!

'hero out the gates' = his penis out his zipper / boxers

'So much to feel so much to gain' = so much to gain by havin sex, it's worth it

'My higher reason will take aim' = higher reason = the joy of sex, (higher reason = erect penis? take aim = into the special lady??)

'I'll be ok I've got my shapes' = ill be ok, it'll be aright, ive got my style/my swagger/me?

'We are not alone we share our stake I think the winter will be wonderful' = we are not alone if something happens (baby, std?) we're in it together, i think the winter will be wonderful = i think it wil be ok in the future, whatver happens, so lets go ahead.

2nd verse

Go alone we'll skip the chase = lets go without the protection, skip the messing around looking for one

It's go the road or drop the weight = its go ahead now, or forget it all together, the moment would have passed, drpped weight - flaccid penis,no longer horny, have to leave?

There's no alleigance left to take = there's nothing else needed to think about

As great big sheets disintegrate In the water In the water = as we go ahead and start the sex???

But I feel this way Feel this way I steal, I heal, and I do it again = it's happened before, caught std and healed? Over and over and over and over = keeps doing it

I know it's a strange one. Thoughts lol ?

My guess is that he's "Safe Without" the other person's advice/suggestions, and he's tired of hearing what they have to tell him and molding to what they want.

I'm not the hero out the gates: nobody is perfect

So much to feel so much to gain: you have to experience things for yourself

My higher reason will take aim: I can judge and decide for myself

I'll be ok I've got my shapes: I know what is right and wrong for me

We are not alone we share our stake: There's other stuff out there to behold

I think the winter will be wonderful: I look forward to something new, something different, change

I think it's "I steal, I KNEEL and I do it again" where kneel I think stands for apologizing for a wrong he's done (stealing) but without actual redemption (I do it again)

I think a lot of this album has to do with the band evolving. At times in the chorus I hear him sing "I am safe without him"

Seems to me he's "safe without" the comfort zone of the relationship he just got out of. Not afraid of the loneliness ahead, having a positive outlook:

"So much to feel, so much to gain" (time to fall in love again) "I'll be ok, I've got my shapes" (he's still looking good) "We're not alone, we share our stake" (they both gotta find someone new) "I think the winter will be wonderful" (beautiful analogy imo)

"Go alone, we'll skip the chase" (no more strings attached) "It's go the road or drop the weight" (start socializing, improve looks) "No allegiance left to take" (no more blaming each other) "Great big sheets disintegrate" (marriage / family life just fell apart)

"I steal, I heal, I do it again" (he'll steal someone else's heart, which will heal him, not inhibited by past romantic failures)