Lyric discussion by mmessiah 

Cover art for Big Empty lyrics by Stone Temple Pilots

you guys, you have to take what weiland says the song is about with a grain of salt. It's definitely about drugs, something that weiland struggled severely with and which eventually took this amazing artist from us all. He had a very complex relationship with drugs, simultaneously glorifying them (very often) and being ashamed of his use of them, often lying and saying he was no longer on them when he clearly was.

Driving faster in my car-------- in his autobiography weiland told stories of his driving through LA, high as a kite after scoring drugs and driving home full of giddy anticipation in order to use them.

Falling farther from just what we are------- Every addict knows this feeling well. You are no longer yourself. Or maybe this IS who you have become.

Smoke a cigarette and lie some more These conversations kill-----------------------

Referring to the constant conversations an addict has with themselves inside their head. I'll stop tomorrow/this is the last time...and the toll it takes on you. It's a depressing and lonely and awful conversation to have with yourself all the time.

Time to take her home, Her dizzy head is conscience laden Time to take a ride it leaves today No conversation Time to take her home her dizzy head is Conscience laden Time to wait too long, to wait too long To wait too long:

To me this stanza beautifully sums up the multiple conversations an addict has while they are holding drugs/waiting to blast off. That debilitating internal monologue...take them now, while you are still high and never come down, take them right now before you feel the withdrawls, no conversation, just do it. OR wait as long as possible, try your hardest. That cycle of drugs that is so hard to kick because you are so sad and confused. You know that there are only 2 ways you could possibly feels better. 1) STOP NOW, ONCE AND FOR ALL AND NEVER TOUCH DRUGS AGAIN --or-- 2) JUST ADMIT DEFEAT AND TAKE THE FUCKING DRUGS IN YOUR POCKET. Just thinking about it makes me nauseous. Either way, the entire time your conscience is just gnawing on your bones and on your heart and mind.

Too much walking shoes worn thin Too much trippin' and my soul's worn thin------- a reference to the physical toll drug addiction takes, as well as the emotional/mental/spiritual toll

Her name is what it means: Obvious wordplay for heroin being his heroine.

Conversations kill: Basically saying that the internal conversations inside yourself never subside when this is your life.

That's only what this song means to me, having been severely addicted to drugs before. That hopeless feeling when you want to stop and just can't, over and over again.

i love this song btw. one of my favorites of all time

My Interpretation

@mmessiah I really enjoyed your write-up. I think it's spot on honestly, and I also love this song. Unfortunately some of the greatest art comes from the worst suffering.

@mmessiah really good laying out of his thoughts. Aside from the struggle addiction, I wonder how his perception of the world was different because of it? And I wonder how you managed to make it out; hope you're still on the upside.

@mmessiah Wow - I read that early this AM and being an addict in recovery myself this is so on the mark. This song means a lot to me both from the time it came out and my own personal struggles.