Wanting Things Makes You Shittier

Song Meaning

The lyrics for "Wanting Things Makes You Shittier" present a stark reflection on two distinct past selves. One is driven by ruthless, almost destructive ambition, while the other inhabits a contained, imaginative world. This contrast suggests a journey from relentless striving to a more self-aware understanding. The first verse vividly portrays an earlier self consumed by a singular, powerful drive. The speaker recalls a time they could "bend the will of rivers," directing natural forces with little regard for the "delicate things grew" in their path. This relentless focus on "the prize" meant ignoring potential consequences, like "bruises in the sky," embodying a youthful, almost painful intensity with "milky young teeth at the bit." This grandiosity sharply contrasts with the second verse, which shrinks the speaker's entire existence down to a single room. Here, the world is defined by imaginative play, like "Playing both sides of a Magic game," and simple, almost superstitious comforts. A "string of garlic" hangs from the ceiling, a charmingly naive defense against unseen threats, highlighting a contained and internally rich experience. Ultimately, the lyrics suggest a shift in perspective, perhaps a hard-won wisdom. The intense, external focus of the past, driven by keeping "my eye on the prize," gives way to a more grounded, self-aware understanding. The concluding admission, "I'm always wrong before I'm right," hints at lessons learned, implying that the relentless pursuit of external "things" might indeed lead to a "shittier" outcome than the quiet, imaginative world of a single room.