People are overlooking the fact that ADD has two meanings. There is obviously Attention Defeceit disorder, but the ADD the vocalist s referring to is Alcohol & Drug Dependancy. Doesn't that make more sense with the other references he makes in the song? Alcohol & Drug Dependancy affects people in a lot of ways, all of which are addressed subtley within the song. 'This is how I show my love, I made it in my mind' due to his drug-influenced train of thought. 'this is how an angel dies' because many influential people have died because of it. 'Maybe I should cry for help, maybe I should kill myself', all mindsets a person affected by Alchohol & Drug Dependancy goes through.
Thanks for getting the true meaning of ADD in this song. As a person who has recovered from alcohol & drug dependancy the first time I heard this song knew what he was saying. And it makes perfect sense in that context
Thanks for getting the true meaning of ADD in this song. As a person who has recovered from alcohol & drug dependancy the first time I heard this song knew what he was saying. And it makes perfect sense in that context
Though I can understand why people would think this song is referring to ADD the learning disability, it just doesn't seem to fit with the song. So my interpretation at first was just more generally, "blame it on whatever mental health disorder you think I might have." But now, having learned that ADD can also mean Alcohol & Drug Dependency, that makes so much more sense. Combined with the other comment that "sail" can mean a hit of weed, I'm convinced that this is probably what the song is about.
Though I can understand why people would think this song is referring to ADD the learning disability, it just doesn't seem to fit with the song. So my interpretation at first was just more generally, "blame it on whatever mental health disorder you think I might have." But now, having learned that ADD can also mean Alcohol & Drug Dependency, that makes so much more sense. Combined with the other comment that "sail" can mean a hit of weed, I'm convinced that this is probably what the song is about.
I have a friend who keeps INSISTING that ADD means "Alcohol & Drug Dependency" too... Pretty sure he got that idea off of this comment thread, because I can't quite find it elsewhere on the net.
I have a friend who keeps INSISTING that ADD means "Alcohol & Drug Dependency" too... Pretty sure he got that idea off of this comment thread, because I can't quite find it elsewhere on the net.
Seems there are quite a number of people would LIKE to agree to this... Mostly because it feels more relatable to them.
Seems there are quite a number of people would LIKE to agree to this... Mostly because it feels more relatable to them.
It's just something we humans like to do, we absorb music (or other forms of art) and mold it to fit our own interpretation of the emotions and vibes from the song.
It's just something we humans like to do, we absorb music (or other forms of art) and mold it to fit our own interpretation of the emotions and vibes from the song.
Like, "Oh hey, this makes more sense to...
Like, "Oh hey, this makes more sense to me, and it calls out to me more, therefore my explanation of it must be true."
(It is our common shortcoming, to be so egocentric in our evaluation of things we perceive.)
BUT, it's hard to deny that wonderful feeling which comes from having something you relate to strongly, be so poetically expressed in a song.
So... as much as I had the urge to correct my friend, I let him have it.
There are mainly 2 reasons why people jump on board this alternative interpretation wagon of what ADD means.
1) They are (or believe themselves to be) alcoholic/drug addicts
2) They don't really know what ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) is actually about.
It's the second reason that, I have to admit, bothers me a lot... Because I think most would just write off ADD as "just some attention related thing".
I think when most people, who do not have ADD or any prior experience with it from someone close, try to picture what ADD would feel like, they just see some kid getting distracted and not paying attention in class.
Hardly anything close to the 'dark' theme of this song... Right?
Wrong- It affects everything, not just school. Career, close relationships and personal well-being... Especially when you are an adult with ADHD, the frustration and blame from yourself and people close to you can become really heavy.
"Why can't I even function like a normal person?... Why are there so many intense thoughts in my head?" Which is why ADD is closely linked to anxiety and depression, and even the mentioned dependency on drugs and alcohol.
...Truth is, I am bothered because I am writing this as someone who is still struggling to work with ADD as an adult.
Even then, I am aware that my stance on what the ADD in the song stands for could just be my personal bias towards the disorder... except, Aaron Bruno himself (who IS diagnosed with ADHD) has already mentioned in an interview that it is what the song's about.
So, yeah, I hope this clears it up for everyone... But still, don't let it stop you from interpreting the song in the way you want to, to relate to the music, because that's your liberty to do so and it's beautiful.
@Baubles Having had ADD all my life, I can listen to this song and feel it relates to the disability too. And no, it does not just attribute to "learning". ADD affects social, emotional, and mental extremes in far more ways than just school. ADD can cause severe depression, hence the "Maybe I should cry for help or kill myself" line. I have ADD, and no I don't do drugs or drink. I've always had suicidal thoughts, and the people I would want to go to for help (parents, family, friends) don't or can't understand the struggles. Maybe you should...
@Baubles Having had ADD all my life, I can listen to this song and feel it relates to the disability too. And no, it does not just attribute to "learning". ADD affects social, emotional, and mental extremes in far more ways than just school. ADD can cause severe depression, hence the "Maybe I should cry for help or kill myself" line. I have ADD, and no I don't do drugs or drink. I've always had suicidal thoughts, and the people I would want to go to for help (parents, family, friends) don't or can't understand the struggles. Maybe you should research ADD before taking away the meaning for us afflicted with the mental illness. It does cause emotional outbursts, strain on relationships, emotional immaturity, incapability of feeling loved/wanted, subordination, to feel like a 'different breed', and shame. I recently did a speech on the topic, and this was a useful guide for me: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/adult-adhd-attention-deficit-disorder-and-relationships.htm The song makes perfect sense in either context.
People are overlooking the fact that ADD has two meanings. There is obviously Attention Defeceit disorder, but the ADD the vocalist s referring to is Alcohol & Drug Dependancy. Doesn't that make more sense with the other references he makes in the song? Alcohol & Drug Dependancy affects people in a lot of ways, all of which are addressed subtley within the song. 'This is how I show my love, I made it in my mind' due to his drug-influenced train of thought. 'this is how an angel dies' because many influential people have died because of it. 'Maybe I should cry for help, maybe I should kill myself', all mindsets a person affected by Alchohol & Drug Dependancy goes through.
That is what I think Sail is about.
according to urban dictionary, another meaning of the word sail is to take a hit of marijuana, so your explanation makes sense.
according to urban dictionary, another meaning of the word sail is to take a hit of marijuana, so your explanation makes sense.
Thanks for getting the true meaning of ADD in this song. As a person who has recovered from alcohol & drug dependancy the first time I heard this song knew what he was saying. And it makes perfect sense in that context
Thanks for getting the true meaning of ADD in this song. As a person who has recovered from alcohol & drug dependancy the first time I heard this song knew what he was saying. And it makes perfect sense in that context
Very well put. You have a very sound interpretation. Thank for enlightening me with your perception.
Very well put. You have a very sound interpretation. Thank for enlightening me with your perception.
Though I can understand why people would think this song is referring to ADD the learning disability, it just doesn't seem to fit with the song. So my interpretation at first was just more generally, "blame it on whatever mental health disorder you think I might have." But now, having learned that ADD can also mean Alcohol & Drug Dependency, that makes so much more sense. Combined with the other comment that "sail" can mean a hit of weed, I'm convinced that this is probably what the song is about.
Though I can understand why people would think this song is referring to ADD the learning disability, it just doesn't seem to fit with the song. So my interpretation at first was just more generally, "blame it on whatever mental health disorder you think I might have." But now, having learned that ADD can also mean Alcohol & Drug Dependency, that makes so much more sense. Combined with the other comment that "sail" can mean a hit of weed, I'm convinced that this is probably what the song is about.
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/music/index.ssf/2011/11/awolnation_frontman_aaron_brun.html
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/music/index.ssf/2011/11/awolnation_frontman_aaron_brun.html
@Baubles I love this interpretation, I think it COULD be dead on.
@Baubles I love this interpretation, I think it COULD be dead on.
I have a friend who keeps INSISTING that ADD means "Alcohol & Drug Dependency" too... Pretty sure he got that idea off of this comment thread, because I can't quite find it elsewhere on the net.
I have a friend who keeps INSISTING that ADD means "Alcohol & Drug Dependency" too... Pretty sure he got that idea off of this comment thread, because I can't quite find it elsewhere on the net.
Seems there are quite a number of people would LIKE to agree to this... Mostly because it feels more relatable to them.
Seems there are quite a number of people would LIKE to agree to this... Mostly because it feels more relatable to them.
It's just something we humans like to do, we absorb music (or other forms of art) and mold it to fit our own interpretation of the emotions and vibes from the song.
It's just something we humans like to do, we absorb music (or other forms of art) and mold it to fit our own interpretation of the emotions and vibes from the song.
Like, "Oh hey, this makes more sense to...
Like, "Oh hey, this makes more sense to me, and it calls out to me more, therefore my explanation of it must be true." (It is our common shortcoming, to be so egocentric in our evaluation of things we perceive.)
BUT, it's hard to deny that wonderful feeling which comes from having something you relate to strongly, be so poetically expressed in a song. So... as much as I had the urge to correct my friend, I let him have it.
There are mainly 2 reasons why people jump on board this alternative interpretation wagon of what ADD means. 1) They are (or believe themselves to be) alcoholic/drug addicts 2) They don't really know what ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) is actually about.
It's the second reason that, I have to admit, bothers me a lot... Because I think most would just write off ADD as "just some attention related thing".
I think when most people, who do not have ADD or any prior experience with it from someone close, try to picture what ADD would feel like, they just see some kid getting distracted and not paying attention in class. Hardly anything close to the 'dark' theme of this song... Right?
Wrong- It affects everything, not just school. Career, close relationships and personal well-being... Especially when you are an adult with ADHD, the frustration and blame from yourself and people close to you can become really heavy. "Why can't I even function like a normal person?... Why are there so many intense thoughts in my head?" Which is why ADD is closely linked to anxiety and depression, and even the mentioned dependency on drugs and alcohol.
...Truth is, I am bothered because I am writing this as someone who is still struggling to work with ADD as an adult.
Even then, I am aware that my stance on what the ADD in the song stands for could just be my personal bias towards the disorder... except, Aaron Bruno himself (who IS diagnosed with ADHD) has already mentioned in an interview that it is what the song's about.
Link here: http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/soundcheck/content/awolnations-aaron-bruno-talks-sail-electronic-influences-and-art-melding-genres
So, yeah, I hope this clears it up for everyone... But still, don't let it stop you from interpreting the song in the way you want to, to relate to the music, because that's your liberty to do so and it's beautiful.
Peace.
@Baubles Having had ADD all my life, I can listen to this song and feel it relates to the disability too. And no, it does not just attribute to "learning". ADD affects social, emotional, and mental extremes in far more ways than just school. ADD can cause severe depression, hence the "Maybe I should cry for help or kill myself" line. I have ADD, and no I don't do drugs or drink. I've always had suicidal thoughts, and the people I would want to go to for help (parents, family, friends) don't or can't understand the struggles. Maybe you should...
@Baubles Having had ADD all my life, I can listen to this song and feel it relates to the disability too. And no, it does not just attribute to "learning". ADD affects social, emotional, and mental extremes in far more ways than just school. ADD can cause severe depression, hence the "Maybe I should cry for help or kill myself" line. I have ADD, and no I don't do drugs or drink. I've always had suicidal thoughts, and the people I would want to go to for help (parents, family, friends) don't or can't understand the struggles. Maybe you should research ADD before taking away the meaning for us afflicted with the mental illness. It does cause emotional outbursts, strain on relationships, emotional immaturity, incapability of feeling loved/wanted, subordination, to feel like a 'different breed', and shame. I recently did a speech on the topic, and this was a useful guide for me: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/adult-adhd-attention-deficit-disorder-and-relationships.htm The song makes perfect sense in either context.
@Baubles Except for the fact that Aaron actually has ADD
@Baubles Except for the fact that Aaron actually has ADD
@Baubles From a interview with the writer himself. He states that he has ADD for he entire life.
@Baubles From a interview with the writer himself. He states that he has ADD for he entire life.