Come As You Are

OK… I have a different take on this song. I have always thought this was a song about a guy who had a good friend who was a girl. Not a girlfriend, but a cool chick he just hung out with or who hung out with his group of friends. Perhaps on a night out, things “just happened” and they slept together. Maybe the girl’s a little confused or pissed. In the song, the guy is saying, “Everything things cool. I just want to be friends like we were. And I swear, I’m not just trying to sleep with you again.” Let’s look at the song:

The first part says, “Come as you are, as you were, as I want you to be. As a friend… As an old enemy.” Translation = “Come hang out with me as the friend that you are, as you were before we slept together. I really want us to be friends. I know you’re kinda pissed that I don’t want more, but let’s put that behind us.”

“Take your time, hurry up…don’t be late… as a friend. As an old memory” Translation = “Everything’s cool. Come hang out with me (just don’t be late) as a friend, as I remember our friendship before we slept together.”

The second part says, “Come dowsed in mud, soaked in bleach. As I want you to be. …as a friend. As an old memory.” The lines “dowsed in mud” and “soaked in bleach” represent opposite ends of the spectrum. Translation = “Come hang out with me. However you want to be is cool with me. Let’s just be friends as I remember.”

Lastly, we have, “And I swear that I don't have a gun. No, I don't have a gun...” A gun is often used as a phallic symbol. Translation = “And I swear, I’m not just trying to sleep with you again. Honestly!.”

So what do you think of this interpretation???

Anyway, this is a great song. I really like playing it on the guitar. Sometimes it’s impossible to make your guitar sound like the song because there are so many effects and/or post processing. This song is pure Fender Strat plugged into an amp! Just play close to the bridge for that twangy sound.