I think Wayward Sean is on the right path. But I would also like to say, although i always think it's cheap to say this about a song's meaning, this song is probably about drugs.
Let me start by saying, and anyone who has ever done a serious drug would agree, that this song definitely has a drug feel just with the musical effects.
ok.. here goes ...
The first verse:
"drank some dirty water" - flirted with drugs or something that frowned upon in society. "shook evil hands" - was affiliated with bad people (kinda speaks for itself). "i've done some bad things and they get easier to do" - it's easier to do things you would ordinarily do without having internal conflict with it (again, kinda speaks for itself).
The second verse:
this verse is about the conscience haunting you about the things described in the first verse. It may also be about rejecting a faith that would damn you, as Wayward Sean described, but i believe this to be at a lesser degree. "I wrote a nasty letter and I sent it to the Lord. I said don't you dare come and bother me no more" - i believe this to be more representative of a feeling of anger towards your conscience for haunting you about things you'd like to just forget about. This, as well as the entire song, is very typical for someone who does powerful drugs.
The third verse:
"i had a good friend i could only destroy" - this is either talking about how a good friend could be corrupted and turned into the same monster you've become, or that by being the monster you've pushed that friend away.
"and lovers i loved less than anybody could afford" - this is the feeling, and aftermath, of mistreating people for aesthetic purposes. to have no love or emotional connection to anything or anyone, other than what makes you feel this way, is also very typical for people addicted to drugs.
The fourth verse:
This is a very symbolic and well representing point in the song that leads me to believe this song is about drugs. "yes but this old rocking horse" - "horse" is a well known slang term for heroin. "rocking" is also a very common occurrence for when someone is 'tripping' really hard. they'll usually fold their arms and "rock back and forth" as a way to cope. "Just nods his head" - says yes to you. tells you that you should keep on doing it. "he's gonna rock back and forth the way that he always did" - the drug is going to deliver it's craved powers the same way it always does. this is a very significant thing to say, because most people addicted to drug typically stay addicted to drugs for this reason.
The fifth verse:
this verse is pretty straight forward. don't "taste the water" - don't learn the feeling. don't come "close to me" - don't become me by learning my ways.
The sixth verse:
This verse speaks mostly about reaching a point of no return and how painful it is to look back. "can you see my eyes? they're half the size" - you're just not the same person you used to be. "and i'm not able to look at you" - it hurts to see the truth in your actions.
... of course, i could be completely wrong about everything i wrote here, and life as well for that matter, but those of us who have been to the other side will probably find that this interpretation hits home pretty hard.
I think Wayward Sean is on the right path. But I would also like to say, although i always think it's cheap to say this about a song's meaning, this song is probably about drugs.
Let me start by saying, and anyone who has ever done a serious drug would agree, that this song definitely has a drug feel just with the musical effects. ok.. here goes ...
The first verse: "drank some dirty water" - flirted with drugs or something that frowned upon in society. "shook evil hands" - was affiliated with bad people (kinda speaks for itself). "i've done some bad things and they get easier to do" - it's easier to do things you would ordinarily do without having internal conflict with it (again, kinda speaks for itself).
The second verse: this verse is about the conscience haunting you about the things described in the first verse. It may also be about rejecting a faith that would damn you, as Wayward Sean described, but i believe this to be at a lesser degree. "I wrote a nasty letter and I sent it to the Lord. I said don't you dare come and bother me no more" - i believe this to be more representative of a feeling of anger towards your conscience for haunting you about things you'd like to just forget about. This, as well as the entire song, is very typical for someone who does powerful drugs.
The third verse: "i had a good friend i could only destroy" - this is either talking about how a good friend could be corrupted and turned into the same monster you've become, or that by being the monster you've pushed that friend away. "and lovers i loved less than anybody could afford" - this is the feeling, and aftermath, of mistreating people for aesthetic purposes. to have no love or emotional connection to anything or anyone, other than what makes you feel this way, is also very typical for people addicted to drugs.
The fourth verse: This is a very symbolic and well representing point in the song that leads me to believe this song is about drugs. "yes but this old rocking horse" - "horse" is a well known slang term for heroin. "rocking" is also a very common occurrence for when someone is 'tripping' really hard. they'll usually fold their arms and "rock back and forth" as a way to cope. "Just nods his head" - says yes to you. tells you that you should keep on doing it. "he's gonna rock back and forth the way that he always did" - the drug is going to deliver it's craved powers the same way it always does. this is a very significant thing to say, because most people addicted to drug typically stay addicted to drugs for this reason.
The fifth verse: this verse is pretty straight forward. don't "taste the water" - don't learn the feeling. don't come "close to me" - don't become me by learning my ways.
The sixth verse: This verse speaks mostly about reaching a point of no return and how painful it is to look back. "can you see my eyes? they're half the size" - you're just not the same person you used to be. "and i'm not able to look at you" - it hurts to see the truth in your actions.
... of course, i could be completely wrong about everything i wrote here, and life as well for that matter, but those of us who have been to the other side will probably find that this interpretation hits home pretty hard.