Obviously this song is about Jerry's struggle with Cocaine. While many assume Jerry didn't have a drug problem, and that it was all Layne, they are wrong. Jerry didn't do heroin, but he did struggle with cocaine for a VERY long time.
This is my interpretation of the lyrics.
Verse 1: I believe Jerry is either talking about a new dealer, or a new friend who's also a Cocaine user. Either way, even though he hasn't been to their house before, he's been to enough places like it to have a good idea of what awaits him inside. All he cares about during the visit is the Cocaine. He does some, but still wants to disappear into the couch, and enjoy the high. He's at the point where he doesn't become active on cocaine, but rather just sits down, to feel the effects.
Chorus: He addresses cocaine as a poison that will slowly destroy his body and mind. It gives him a temporary false sense of security and comfort, but then the hell of addiction and withdrawal sets in. He realizes at this point that Cocaine is actually his enemy, not his friend, and that in reality it's bringing him nothing but pain. His mind is racing, and he is coked out, (the butterfly), but his body (the caterpillar) is just sitting down, accomplishing nothing.
Verse 2. For a long time now, his days have consisted of getting coked out. It's become so routine, that he doesn't even know what day it is anymore. From being awake for so long, he has become delusional.
He then reveals he was 19, adventurous, and in Houston, the first time he tried Cocaine. He happened to do it out in a car. Cocaine is a powerful anesthetic, in addition to stimulant, and for those who don't know, it completely numbs your nasal passage, and it's quite frequent for users to rub cocaine on their gums, and around their mouth. This numbs your gums, tongue, and throat. Now that Jerry has entered the world of hard-drugs, he finds himself associating with people that he would normally look down upon.
Breakdown: I interpret "Spider Monkey's on the Railroad Track" to refer to coke all lined up. For those who don't know, no matter how much Coke might not be your drug of choice, or whatever, and you do it just for the hell of it, after the first line, you will want to continue doing it. You would love to be in a Coca field with access to all the cocaine you can get. He picks at his scabs that he most likely acquired from picking at his skin, during Coke withdrawals.
His father doesn't hear too much from Jerry, and wonders what he's up to. However, Jerry is still the same person he was his whole life, and still can't forget the pain his father caused him as a child, by not being there in his life, and he realizes he is still holding on to that grudge and is trying to get revenge by not being a big part of his father's life.
Verse 3: He then refers to the fact that his addiction is quite arrogant, and since he is referring to Cocaine as a Spider, the Silk Tomb refers to his tomb that was caused by cocaine. He then acknowledges the fact that Cocaine is draining and killing him.
@horrorbusiness89 great interpretation, I agree with it all! Jerry was a mess for a time, but smart enough to pull himself out of it (with a little help from his friends...and his brother). Thank goodness. I don't think we would could have handled losing Layne, Mike AND Jerry. I shudder just to think....
@horrorbusiness89 great interpretation, I agree with it all! Jerry was a mess for a time, but smart enough to pull himself out of it (with a little help from his friends...and his brother). Thank goodness. I don't think we would could have handled losing Layne, Mike AND Jerry. I shudder just to think....
Obviously this song is about Jerry's struggle with Cocaine. While many assume Jerry didn't have a drug problem, and that it was all Layne, they are wrong. Jerry didn't do heroin, but he did struggle with cocaine for a VERY long time.
This is my interpretation of the lyrics.
Verse 1: I believe Jerry is either talking about a new dealer, or a new friend who's also a Cocaine user. Either way, even though he hasn't been to their house before, he's been to enough places like it to have a good idea of what awaits him inside. All he cares about during the visit is the Cocaine. He does some, but still wants to disappear into the couch, and enjoy the high. He's at the point where he doesn't become active on cocaine, but rather just sits down, to feel the effects.
Chorus: He addresses cocaine as a poison that will slowly destroy his body and mind. It gives him a temporary false sense of security and comfort, but then the hell of addiction and withdrawal sets in. He realizes at this point that Cocaine is actually his enemy, not his friend, and that in reality it's bringing him nothing but pain. His mind is racing, and he is coked out, (the butterfly), but his body (the caterpillar) is just sitting down, accomplishing nothing.
Verse 2. For a long time now, his days have consisted of getting coked out. It's become so routine, that he doesn't even know what day it is anymore. From being awake for so long, he has become delusional.
He then reveals he was 19, adventurous, and in Houston, the first time he tried Cocaine. He happened to do it out in a car. Cocaine is a powerful anesthetic, in addition to stimulant, and for those who don't know, it completely numbs your nasal passage, and it's quite frequent for users to rub cocaine on their gums, and around their mouth. This numbs your gums, tongue, and throat. Now that Jerry has entered the world of hard-drugs, he finds himself associating with people that he would normally look down upon.
Breakdown: I interpret "Spider Monkey's on the Railroad Track" to refer to coke all lined up. For those who don't know, no matter how much Coke might not be your drug of choice, or whatever, and you do it just for the hell of it, after the first line, you will want to continue doing it. You would love to be in a Coca field with access to all the cocaine you can get. He picks at his scabs that he most likely acquired from picking at his skin, during Coke withdrawals.
His father doesn't hear too much from Jerry, and wonders what he's up to. However, Jerry is still the same person he was his whole life, and still can't forget the pain his father caused him as a child, by not being there in his life, and he realizes he is still holding on to that grudge and is trying to get revenge by not being a big part of his father's life.
Verse 3: He then refers to the fact that his addiction is quite arrogant, and since he is referring to Cocaine as a Spider, the Silk Tomb refers to his tomb that was caused by cocaine. He then acknowledges the fact that Cocaine is draining and killing him.
@horrorbusiness89 great interpretation, I agree with it all! Jerry was a mess for a time, but smart enough to pull himself out of it (with a little help from his friends...and his brother). Thank goodness. I don't think we would could have handled losing Layne, Mike AND Jerry. I shudder just to think....
@horrorbusiness89 great interpretation, I agree with it all! Jerry was a mess for a time, but smart enough to pull himself out of it (with a little help from his friends...and his brother). Thank goodness. I don't think we would could have handled losing Layne, Mike AND Jerry. I shudder just to think....