I haven't read an interpretation that I fully agree with yet, though I think upallnight was getting on track. I definitely agree that the basic plot is about watching junkies on line at a methadone clinic, but I think that's entirely allegorical. It's not the point, it's just a way of getting it across. What I think is interesting about the song is that it's unconventional--he's not telling the kid he's losing something by being an addict, he's saying he loses something when he tries to clean up and quit. When the narrator says "there's a price you'll pay for trying hard to become whatever they are," it's in reference to taking the pills and trying to become like them, to become normal (in this case, clean). It's an interesting way to look at the situation--the drugs are killing him but at the same time, quitting comes with a considerable price (perhaps killing a part of himself). What the narrator thinks that price is isn't exactly clear, but maybe it's about denying a part of yourself to make life easier. Or maybe it represents knowingly giving in to conventional expectations--I think the "single file you're a murder mile" line plays into both of those interpretations. It could mean any number of things really. Drug addiction and getting clean are just shorthand for these ideas. Either way, it's an interesting way of getting his point across.
I haven't read an interpretation that I fully agree with yet, though I think upallnight was getting on track. I definitely agree that the basic plot is about watching junkies on line at a methadone clinic, but I think that's entirely allegorical. It's not the point, it's just a way of getting it across. What I think is interesting about the song is that it's unconventional--he's not telling the kid he's losing something by being an addict, he's saying he loses something when he tries to clean up and quit. When the narrator says "there's a price you'll pay for trying hard to become whatever they are," it's in reference to taking the pills and trying to become like them, to become normal (in this case, clean). It's an interesting way to look at the situation--the drugs are killing him but at the same time, quitting comes with a considerable price (perhaps killing a part of himself). What the narrator thinks that price is isn't exactly clear, but maybe it's about denying a part of yourself to make life easier. Or maybe it represents knowingly giving in to conventional expectations--I think the "single file you're a murder mile" line plays into both of those interpretations. It could mean any number of things really. Drug addiction and getting clean are just shorthand for these ideas. Either way, it's an interesting way of getting his point across.