The War on Drugs has done a lot of awful things but the absolute worst is the influence it's had on song interpretation.
But this song does seem to be about drugs, specifically alcohol. It sounds like it's about a teetotaller who takes up alcohol to help them out socially with fitting-in but eventually becomes addicted, leading to feelings of shame that he conformed rather than be himself.
"seemed to take me through, get me by, satisfy, etc." - drinking helping him fit-in with others and giving him relief from problems
"many served the few" - drinkers encouraging teetotallers to drink
"give me little bits of more than I can take, try, etc." - the teetotaller commits himself to taking-up drinking and encourages offers of more shots, different drinks etc.
"that everybody tries" - very few people never try alcohol
The War on Drugs has done a lot of awful things but the absolute worst is the influence it's had on song interpretation.
But this song does seem to be about drugs, specifically alcohol. It sounds like it's about a teetotaller who takes up alcohol to help them out socially with fitting-in but eventually becomes addicted, leading to feelings of shame that he conformed rather than be himself.
"seemed to take me through, get me by, satisfy, etc." - drinking helping him fit-in with others and giving him relief from problems
"many served the few" - drinkers encouraging teetotallers to drink
"give me little bits of more than I can take, try, etc." - the teetotaller commits himself to taking-up drinking and encourages offers of more shots, different drinks etc.
"that everybody tries" - very few people never try alcohol