7 Bottles

I think this is about drinking too much, and the regret, confusion and depressive state that comes with that.

So I think this song, is associated with somebody using alcohol to escape from their reality. Perhaps from the pressures of their life “the loneliness of being on the roads”, feeling “tired” and over worked but somehow not being able to switch off. Also just from observations of Ben Howard in the media, he seems like he can be quite socially withdrawn and not entirely comfortable in interactions with others. (Big assumption) but social anxiety can be associated with a dependency on alcohol as a means of coping; reducing fears about interactions.

The repetition of “seven bottles” is usually used by writers to ensure the reader's understanding of a subject and to emphasis a certain matter. It highlights the shock of the amount, how did this happen and spiral into so many? The repetition could also be a symbolism for more and more occasions where seven bottles are consumed.

Also, “makes me a weary man, stumble towards everything”- weary as in weak, could be the perception of the self as not quite meeting the mark, being inadequate, stumbling and crashing towards everything in his life... as well as the obvious part of the lyric where alcohol can make you feel off balance and stumble. It could be that alcohol is used to escape from the reality of this self. He could be tired of trying to be someone he is not, to meet a stereotype or the demands of a manager, record company, fans/public and the media.

Lastly, “this world ain’t mine to behold”, could be talking about the battle in reaching fame and success. This may have never been his aim, it’s not the world he wanted, but he does want to make music and have people listen to it. “A long way from home” could emphasize how far away he is from the world he knows, from his home comforts and the people who love him for him.