Dilaudid

Dilaudid is a prescription opiate, very potent, similar to heroin. I know, my ex-roommate was addicted. I think that the author, in this song, talks about an addicted couple. So here's how I percieve the lyrics:

The reception's gotten fuzzy The delicate balance has shifted

These two lines are very similar to the effect of Dilaudid, it's as if there was a thin film over everthing, that makes reality unclear. Things are "off" it's hard to describe but the authoir did a great job at describing the feeling. It also may be an allegory describing the way you will often do things that you would never do when you are am addict.

Put on your gloves and black pumps Let's pretend the fog has lifted

At this point in the song, it's not quite clear what the gloves and pumps mean. I think that it is made clearer later that the girl in the couple is selling her body, this could then be seen as the man telling her to dress up and act sober so she can get a client.

Now you say you love me Pretty soon you won't

I think that the couple is acutely aware that they are only staying together because of their addiction and that they won't stay together without the drugs.

If we get our full three score and ten We won't pass this way again

Three scores and ten is 70, I think this means that if she gets at least 70$ from her client, they won't have to sell her again just yet because they'll have enough to score enough pills to last them a short while.

So kiss me with your mouth open Turn the tires toward the street And stay sweet

She kisses him one last time before she walks towars her spot/corner. And he tells her to stay sweet to attract a client.

All the chickens come on home to roost Plump bodies blotting out the sky

Chickens coming home to roost is usually an idiom meaning that the problems have resurfaced and always eventually follow you. I think that the allusion to plump bodies means that their problems are very big ones.

You know it breaks my heart in half, in half When I see them trying to see them fly 'Cuz you just can't do things your body wasn't meant to

Deep down, the man knows that the drugs are hurting them. Their bodies are becoming broken from the drug abuse. It hurts him to see them so, perhaps that it hurts him more to see her (the girl) suffer.

Hike up your fishnets, I know you If we live to see the other side of this I will remember your kiss

This, again, could be a refference to her prostitution, but also he seems to be telling her to roll up her sleeve to inject her. This would make sense since dilaudid is often injected but also the next two lines seem to be talking about the very real possibility of overdose.

So do it with your mouth open And take your foot off of the brake For Christ's sake!

I'm not sure about the last few lines. I like the fact that the singer (because he was drunk during the recording) seems to get progressively more frustrated with the verses and almost screams the last line.

Love the song, but it's definitely not a happy one.