The song is about depression ("losing my mind, losing control", "drowning") caused by failure/disappointment. He expected to succeed in life but has not, so, "fortune I should have found by now".) "Cough syrup" is a metaphor for the tough lessons taught by life. Life's lessons are bitter but they are good for you and will eventually make you a better - same as cough syrup's bitterness. He is now coming out of his depression ("I’m coming up now coming up now out of the blue") but wonders how many more lessons he has to learn to start living again - but somehow he knows that the life will never really stop giving "lessons" as he prepares for the next spoonful of "syrup". Pretty straight forward?
The song is about depression ("losing my mind, losing control", "drowning") caused by failure/disappointment. He expected to succeed in life but has not, so, "fortune I should have found by now".) "Cough syrup" is a metaphor for the tough lessons taught by life. Life's lessons are bitter but they are good for you and will eventually make you a better - same as cough syrup's bitterness. He is now coming out of his depression ("I’m coming up now coming up now out of the blue") but wonders how many more lessons he has to learn to start living again - but somehow he knows that the life will never really stop giving "lessons" as he prepares for the next spoonful of "syrup". Pretty straight forward?