Everybody Gets High (Stripped)

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a stark picture of a young person drowning their sorrows in substances, framed by a fairy-tale opening that quickly devolves into harsh reality. The narrator's isolation is palpable, with whiskey and Vicodin becoming his sole companions, a desperate attempt to numb the pain and escape the sting of being called names. This initial setup establishes a narrative of profound loneliness and self-medication. The central tension arises from the narrator's perceived exclusion from a universal coping mechanism. The repeated refrain, "Everybody gets high / Why the hell can't I?" underscores a deep-seated frustration and a yearning to join in whatever escape others seem to find. This isn't about joy-seeking; it's about the desperate need to alleviate suffering, a need that feels unmet while others seemingly succeed. The craft here is deceptively simple, relying on repetition and stark contrasts. The fairy-tale "Once upon a time" clashes with the grim reality of "drank all day" and "cried all day." The chorus, with its frantic "take a sip" and "trip," coupled with the aggressive "run ya bitch," suggests a chaotic, perhaps even self-destructive, attempt to achieve that high. The phrase "Counterfeit hypocrite, holy shit" feels like a self-assessment or a judgment on the facade of normalcy. What makes these lyrics hit hard is the raw, unvarnished portrayal of pain and the desperate, almost childlike plea to be included in the escape. The stripped-down nature amplifies the feeling of vulnerability, making the narrator's isolation and the cyclical nature of his substance use feel intensely personal and bleak. It's the sound of someone trying to find solace but only finding more chaos.