to put someone's nose in something means to show them that they were wrong. if someone says you can't do something because of bla bla bla, then you show them you CAN do it your OWN way, you pretty much get the green light to rub their nose in THAT. meaning if you succeed your own way, screw everyone else. it's a song about how you have to sell your soul to get anywhere in the music business the way it is set up. it's not about drugs & Reed is only mentioned, he's not what the song is about. merchants of soul are those in power of the music biz.
to put someone's nose in something means to show them that they were wrong. if someone says you can't do something because of bla bla bla, then you show them you CAN do it your OWN way, you pretty much get the green light to rub their nose in THAT. meaning if you succeed your own way, screw everyone else. it's a song about how you have to sell your soul to get anywhere in the music business the way it is set up. it's not about drugs & Reed is only mentioned, he's not what the song is about. merchants of soul are those in power of the music biz.