I believe Stephan is referring to drug addiction, and always thought it was specific, in this song, to crystal methamphetamine. Clearly he has experienced the soulless trap that is this drug. He had the temerity to state it outright in 'Semi-charmed Life' - "doing crystal meth will lift you up until you break" followed by "I bumped up, I took the hit that I was given then I bumped again and bumped again". Some radio stations chose to edit these lyrics out of the tune before giving it airplay. As if that made any difference.
'Chips' are little plastic coins or keychains given to addicts in recovery when they attend their first NA or AA ('Narcotics Anonymous/Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting followed by 30 days clean, six months, etc. Some members walk around with a string of these chips on display to signify their clean time proudly, others put them in a drawer like the shame that comes with admitting you are powerless over addiction's grip.
Most people get multiple white 'chips' before earning any other colors because it's so easy to give up in early sobriety. If you return to using, you must start over again with a new white chip. The color significance goes like this:
30 days - Orange
60 days - Green
90 days - Red
2 years - Black . . .
Multiple years clean will earn bronze medallions. I've seen some impressive ten and twenty year chips. It's an amazing accomplishment to earn one of these, as they represent so much more than just clean time. They are earned by helping new addicts find sobriety.
The beauty of music is that the song's value does lie in the mind of the interpreter. In this way, the song IS about virginity, relationships, car crashes or whatever makes it land in the hearts of those who find special meaning in the lyrics.
I suspect Stephan has personally loved an addict - or perhaps is an addict himself. It feels like a confession told in third person, but the visceral, palpable grief in his voice is what brings tears of mournful understanding to my eyes. I woke up with the song playing in my head this morning. It was even in the correct key in the dream, it was so real.
Just like it was 27 years ago when the album first came out.
I believe Stephan is referring to drug addiction, and always thought it was specific, in this song, to crystal methamphetamine. Clearly he has experienced the soulless trap that is this drug. He had the temerity to state it outright in 'Semi-charmed Life' - "doing crystal meth will lift you up until you break" followed by "I bumped up, I took the hit that I was given then I bumped again and bumped again". Some radio stations chose to edit these lyrics out of the tune before giving it airplay. As if that made any difference.
'Chips' are little plastic coins or keychains given to addicts in recovery when they attend their first NA or AA ('Narcotics Anonymous/Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting followed by 30 days clean, six months, etc. Some members walk around with a string of these chips on display to signify their clean time proudly, others put them in a drawer like the shame that comes with admitting you are powerless over addiction's grip.
Most people get multiple white 'chips' before earning any other colors because it's so easy to give up in early sobriety. If you return to using, you must start over again with a new white chip. The color significance goes like this:
30 days - Orange 60 days - Green 90 days - Red 2 years - Black . . .
Multiple years clean will earn bronze medallions. I've seen some impressive ten and twenty year chips. It's an amazing accomplishment to earn one of these, as they represent so much more than just clean time. They are earned by helping new addicts find sobriety.
The beauty of music is that the song's value does lie in the mind of the interpreter. In this way, the song IS about virginity, relationships, car crashes or whatever makes it land in the hearts of those who find special meaning in the lyrics.
I suspect Stephan has personally loved an addict - or perhaps is an addict himself. It feels like a confession told in third person, but the visceral, palpable grief in his voice is what brings tears of mournful understanding to my eyes. I woke up with the song playing in my head this morning. It was even in the correct key in the dream, it was so real.
Just like it was 27 years ago when the album first came out.
If so, I hope he found a way to get clean again.
[Edit: formatting]