Although I think most of the posts prior to now really are pretty much right - the song captures extreme depression; however theres one piece of the puzzle I think your all but a few missing.....drug addiction. Theres a difference between a "depressing" song and a song that entails the darkest corner of earth that any human mind can possibly go. A depressing song is something like "Everybody Hurts" by REM......Fell on Black Days is a different monster. The two main reasons I think this is specifically talking about the angst that drug addiction brings you is A) The rock culture during the time this was a huge culture of revolution, change and innovation. Drug use/addiction was a huge part of the rock content during this time and always has been(keep in mind the work of Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and Layne Staley of Alice in Chains ) My second reason is the way he compares and contrasts a seemingly successful, functional and happy lifestyle to one that is absolutely decadent and full of agony. Being a former Cocaine addict I can tell you just how different being in a state of addiction is to being sober full time. Being addicted to a "hard drug" is just about the most bleak I have ever been emotionally, the way Chris describes "not seeing the light" and compares that to the common theme here which is "black" also echoes this theory. Also keep in mind drug addiction typically effects everybody around you especially the people you know which is also something Chris describes in this song. I cant say for sure if I think this is a PERSONAL song from Chris's point of view, it could also be from the point of view of someone he knew; which could have very well been someone like Kurt or Layne.
Although I think most of the posts prior to now really are pretty much right - the song captures extreme depression; however theres one piece of the puzzle I think your all but a few missing.....drug addiction. Theres a difference between a "depressing" song and a song that entails the darkest corner of earth that any human mind can possibly go. A depressing song is something like "Everybody Hurts" by REM......Fell on Black Days is a different monster. The two main reasons I think this is specifically talking about the angst that drug addiction brings you is A) The rock culture during the time this was a huge culture of revolution, change and innovation. Drug use/addiction was a huge part of the rock content during this time and always has been(keep in mind the work of Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and Layne Staley of Alice in Chains ) My second reason is the way he compares and contrasts a seemingly successful, functional and happy lifestyle to one that is absolutely decadent and full of agony. Being a former Cocaine addict I can tell you just how different being in a state of addiction is to being sober full time. Being addicted to a "hard drug" is just about the most bleak I have ever been emotionally, the way Chris describes "not seeing the light" and compares that to the common theme here which is "black" also echoes this theory. Also keep in mind drug addiction typically effects everybody around you especially the people you know which is also something Chris describes in this song. I cant say for sure if I think this is a PERSONAL song from Chris's point of view, it could also be from the point of view of someone he knew; which could have very well been someone like Kurt or Layne.
@Smolten Grove, spot on. Thanks to you I don't have to dissect the song word for word. The whole album is about heroin.. 3 down..
@Smolten Grove, spot on. Thanks to you I don't have to dissect the song word for word. The whole album is about heroin.. 3 down..