The above comments are pretty good interpretations, but I think this one is about drug addiction. I know ya'll say she's a reformed bad girl (although her newer songs like Ride point to her being not-so-reformed, after all), but I think this was written when she was 'partying' a lot.
I know from experience with heroin that when you run out of money you'll do just about anything to get your fix. That typically means selling stuff you already have to a pawn shop or stealing stuff to sell at a pawn shop. Hence 'the pawn shop blues'. Obviously she's having to sell stuff past boyfriends have given her, which is making her pretty depressed, but she's still alright with it if it ends with her to attaining "higher consciousness" (getting high).
Also she doesn't say she's giving anything up for 'God', she say's "but I'd rather know what God knows". A lot of people feel like they are 'Gods' when they are high. Like they are invincible and somewhat all-knowing. She doesn't say she wants to please God, she wants to know what he knows (or be him).
It also seems like her former boyfriend left her because of her addiction: "In the name of higher consciousness, I let the best man I knew go"
That's my spin on things. Of course everything's skewed in the eyes of an addict.
The above comments are pretty good interpretations, but I think this one is about drug addiction. I know ya'll say she's a reformed bad girl (although her newer songs like Ride point to her being not-so-reformed, after all), but I think this was written when she was 'partying' a lot.
I know from experience with heroin that when you run out of money you'll do just about anything to get your fix. That typically means selling stuff you already have to a pawn shop or stealing stuff to sell at a pawn shop. Hence 'the pawn shop blues'. Obviously she's having to sell stuff past boyfriends have given her, which is making her pretty depressed, but she's still alright with it if it ends with her to attaining "higher consciousness" (getting high).
Also she doesn't say she's giving anything up for 'God', she say's "but I'd rather know what God knows". A lot of people feel like they are 'Gods' when they are high. Like they are invincible and somewhat all-knowing. She doesn't say she wants to please God, she wants to know what he knows (or be him).
It also seems like her former boyfriend left her because of her addiction: "In the name of higher consciousness, I let the best man I knew go"
That's my spin on things. Of course everything's skewed in the eyes of an addict.
@HalfJack483 interesting. it's like she is telling herself "oh no" because she is in denial.
@HalfJack483 interesting. it's like she is telling herself "oh no" because she is in denial.