You're right to say it's about drug abuse althought I disagree with the stubstance and your thoughts about his love being a woman. First of all, it's pertinent to consider that this song is somewhat a reflection of Hiatt's own experiences, as he's a recovered alcoholic and drug user. It seems highly unlikely to me that John was a PCP abuser. This becomes especially obvious in the verse:
China town
Chasing that old dragon down
Madam Wong's
We play the blues with the curtains drawn
Sidewalks of white
Chasing the dragon is a slang term for smoking heroin. This would fit with the earlier reference to an 8-ball. Furthermore the mention of China Town and White Sidewalks most likely refers to "China White" being regularly available on the streets of LA, especially in Asian areas as it comes from south asia, i.e. Vietnam. China white is a specific type of heroin which is said to be more pure than black tar heroin from Mexico.
Furthemore the lines
Hand me down my walking shoes
You're in my heart
Though we may be miles apart
There's my point
I'll see you in another joint
Suggest a recovered drug abuser. Many former abusers say that they quite often think about their former drug of choice. John may be trying to say that heroin will always be a piece of him even though they're going to stay apart. This seems to simply be a personfication of the drug. The mention of walking shoes is most likely him realizing that he has a problem that he needs to get away from. I'll see you in another joint slightly escapes me, but it might be a reference to the afterlife. Because of the "debt he owes" that'll he'll "never pay before he goes", He will have to pay for his debt in another place.
You're right to say it's about drug abuse althought I disagree with the stubstance and your thoughts about his love being a woman. First of all, it's pertinent to consider that this song is somewhat a reflection of Hiatt's own experiences, as he's a recovered alcoholic and drug user. It seems highly unlikely to me that John was a PCP abuser. This becomes especially obvious in the verse:
China town Chasing that old dragon down Madam Wong's We play the blues with the curtains drawn Sidewalks of white
Chasing the dragon is a slang term for smoking heroin. This would fit with the earlier reference to an 8-ball. Furthermore the mention of China Town and White Sidewalks most likely refers to "China White" being regularly available on the streets of LA, especially in Asian areas as it comes from south asia, i.e. Vietnam. China white is a specific type of heroin which is said to be more pure than black tar heroin from Mexico.
Furthemore the lines
Hand me down my walking shoes You're in my heart Though we may be miles apart There's my point I'll see you in another joint
Suggest a recovered drug abuser. Many former abusers say that they quite often think about their former drug of choice. John may be trying to say that heroin will always be a piece of him even though they're going to stay apart. This seems to simply be a personfication of the drug. The mention of walking shoes is most likely him realizing that he has a problem that he needs to get away from. I'll see you in another joint slightly escapes me, but it might be a reference to the afterlife. Because of the "debt he owes" that'll he'll "never pay before he goes", He will have to pay for his debt in another place.