What does Kryptonite mean?

3 Doors Down: Kryptonite Meaning

Album cover for Kryptonite album cover

Song Released: 2000


Kryptonite Lyrics

I took a walk around the world
To ease my troubled mind
I left my body lying somewhere
In the sands of time
But I watched the world float
To the dark side of the moon

I feel there is nothing I can do, yeah

I watched the world float
To...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    May 1st 2007 !⃝

    This song is about sticking to your partner when times get rough or he loses control over his life .. He says " will you still call me superman ? " will I still be your hero no matter what ? " ill keep you by my side with my superhuman might " to signify that the lengths he will go to to keep her beside him are worthy of superman .. and in the end calls her " Kryptonite " because it's the only thing that can weaken superman or him in this metaphor

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 27th 2009 !⃝

    I feel this song is about the insecurities of a relationship (i see it as love, but whatever)
    That the narrator feels vulnerable to desertion if they ever fail or in any way dont meet the expectations of them. They feel like they're viewed in a certain way (superman) and have to live up to this idea of them at all times, like they arent allowed to fail without this person walking away.

    i see this song describing a fairly unequal relationship, in that the narrator seems to have an unconditional love for this person, while he feels that their feelings for him are dependent on this facade of strength, i see the 'superhuman might' refering to his restraint in expressing anything that may 'turn them off' him.
    he is in love with them and they are his weakness, he cannot get over them or let them go no matter what they do to him.

  3. 3TOP RATED

    #3 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 7th 2008 !⃝

    The video looks like Super hero night at a gay bar.....but that has nothing to do with the song.

    This song makes me think of my boyfriend, who I lovingly call Superman (because he's freakishly strong)...and because he has no weaknesses....then, a few weeks ago I called him and he sounded near tears, (something I wasn't even sure was possible) he said a friend of mine gave him reason to believe that I was interested in someone else (I wasn't)and then he said, "You know how you call me Superman?" I said yes and he continued, "Well, you're the only one that can hurt me. My heart is my Kryptonite."

    So there you have it: What I think is a perfect interpretation of a song.
    A strong, successful guy that has one weakness....his heart

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 28th 2020 !⃝

    I think I am Superman as the matriarch of my family. My mother that is only 16 years my senior is too weak. During her youthful years as a mother to me and my baby sister she took us to the dark side of the moon. I began raising my sister and myself at the age of 6. When my mom was unable to care for herself I did that as well. When I was 10 my mother almost died of an overdose. I alerted my Aunt that she was locked in her room and refused to do anything until we got the door open. My mother was trying to take more pills saying she wanted to go to her mommy & daddy, they were dead. She denies it to this day but I know it was a suicide attempt.
    Our lives continued down a tumultuous path. As I grew older I grew stronger and more damaged. My sister had serious mental health issues. I worked with all I had to keep us above water. I drank and used many drugs while becoming very successful. I went crazy too many times and always wondered if they would desert me in my time of need. I’m sober AF now and continue to keep our larger family together with my super human might. We have lost my sister. The 4 kids she left behind and my two are a happy family now. The kids are better and stronger than me in every way imaginable with much less weight than I had to carry. We keep my mom at arms length. I love & miss my baby sister Very much. She and my mom will always be my kryptonite.
    RIP Pooh our kids are going to be just fine.

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 26th 2015 !⃝

    Very deep song and very deep interpretation by Mr. Fendresen.

    Happy Birthday to you. Take care.

  6. Fendresen
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    Dec 24th 2015 !⃝

    Folks- this song came to me after a good night out. Every thing was briliant -( seen from a young mans mind). The girl I was with for that night had just left... I was in my best friends apartment. The girl left after we had a good night. I was browsing throuh my friends cd's (. jepp that long ago), I found the cd, I played the song- and my mind was blown away for the first time in a long time. The first song that gave me butterflies all over in a long time- and I love music. I ran into my friends room and asked him why he'd never played me the song.
    Well, I might be a simple mind and soul- but I do belive that music is very important for some of us. AND THIS SONG MEANS WHAT EVER YOU WANT IT TO MEAN. For me, now an older man- it means that my wife is my KRYPTONITE. No more, no less.We are as strong as we are till we find our're strenght and KRYPTONITE. A briliant song, don't let us kill it by thinking to much about MEANINGS. Feel the song, rythm, and enjoy- let it be yours and everybodys

  7. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jan 13th 2014 !⃝

    I never saw the video until today. (yep, a rock is where I was) Anyway, it made me think about the U.S. and how our government has done so much for other countries/gov't. But, it gets criticized or fears criticism.

    I guess this makes me think that:
    You called me strong, you called me weak
    But still your secrets I will keep
    You took for granted all the times I
    Never let you down
    You stumbled in and bumped your head, if
    Not for me then you'd be dead
    I picked you up and put you back
    On solid ground

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Sep 6th 2013 !⃝

    The song seems to ask two questions. "If I go crazy will still call me Superman?" and "If i'm alive and well will you be there holding my hand?" This could correlate with two other questions. If i'm doing bad will you still be there for me? and, possibly a more important one to this song, if i'm doing well will you still be there for me.

  9. anonymous
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    Mar 19th 2013 !⃝

    ok first of all its about a two friends how he takes a walk because he doesn't think his friend is true and he ends up finding out that that friend is true the music video was a lost bet lol so it has no corralition I know I asked the writer soo yah and its like me and my friend I call her kryptonite and she calls me superman we have been friends since pre school btw im in 9th

  10. anonymous
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    Jan 2nd 2013 !⃝

    I believe it's false to say that it just refers to someone 'going crazy' and relying on friendship to pick them back up from their fallen world is in effect of the "dark side of the moon." The lyrics are simply asking if this 'friend' is willing to stick by them to support them when in the toughest of times, or the most successful of times. Rather than focusing on the "crazy" aspect of the song, I like to explore the "alive and well" region of the song that is greatly under-looked in its overall meaning. "If I'm alive and well, will you be there holding my hand?" This is the epitome of the meaning of the song. If he is alive and well, will he/she still be there to support him in his time of success, or emote jealousy? If his friend is trying to tare him down so they can replace him at the top of the chain (wether it be social, business, etc.) while he is "alive and well," his so-called 'friend' is thus considered his kryptonite because he/she is stripping him from his power or positive emotions. For those of you who haven't a clue what Kryptonite actually is, it is the substance that renders Superman powerless when he comes in close encounters of it. For example, I had a friend that used to be my best ever since the second grade. Now that we are in high school, his has become more socially popular than I have. I could care less about my popularity status, but he is truly no longer my friend because anytime I am successful in something, he strips away the glory of the moment by either making fun of me, or finding something negative about the situation. A specific example is when he offered to introduce me to a girl crush I had a while back. We were making conversation, until he became competitive about the circumstances and started telling her about my negative attributes, rendering me utterly helpless in receiving her positive attention. He is considered my "Kryptonite" in this situation. However, there is no need to worry, because I have gradually become more popular than him (most likely because he is a jerk to everybody and I have become the junior captain of the wrestling team along with three other seniors) and I have trained to achieve farsighted goals for this season, while he is on the basketball team with a 0-12 record so far... And, the girl I liked is starting to come to my matches, and she talks to me everyday. My teammates call me 'Superman', and I have overcome my 'Kryptonite.'

  11. anonymous
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    Dec 26th 2012 !⃝

    This song is obviously about getting old losing ones mind then shitting your pants because you now have the old timers,
    there you have it dumb fuKcks

  12. apaulus
    click a star to vote
    Nov 7th 2012 !⃝

    This guy loves a girl and he wants to be with her. But he wants to make sure that if he goes crazy she'll still stay by his side. This girl is this man's whole world. It's like he's superman and she's his kryptonite. The only thing that makes superman weak...

  13. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 29th 2011 !⃝

    I think this may either be about a relationship (girlfriend) or humanity (from Superman's perspective, or any hero's if you will).

    The first time I heard it I didn't even think it was about a girl. I thought it was a narrative of Superman (or a hero) giving a message to the people of Earth. What if I turn over to the dark side and let you all down? Will you still call me Superman? Do you even care about me now, or do you only care when I die? I'll keep all humanity on my side with all my might. Especially since he repeats the line "I watched the Earth float to the dark side of the moon", I thought it was more about evil v. good than love.
    The hero isn't perfect. Maybe he's just human and has flaws too. But people want to see him as perfect. They bring him down and expose his flaws, calling him strong yet weak. They take the hero for granted, but he keeps them in touch with terra firma, or reality and safety.
    Perhaps the hero is tired of being a hero. Maybe he's like the Blue Man in the Watchmen. He's viewing the human race in a pessimistic tone, calling out their bandwagons and their fake idolization. Maybe it can be seen from a savior's point of view, i.e. religious. The human race turns its back on the savior, should he really save them?
    The reason why I didn't think it's about a girl is because of the way the song sounds. To me it doesn't sound like he's trying to convince a loved one of anything. It sounds like a cynical warning.

  14. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 2nd 2011 !⃝

    This song came out when my ex was cheating on me. I was too young to really comprehend what was taking place. However, he used to come home and sing this song to me. Its been over ten years and it still gives me goosebumps thinking about what could have possibly been going on in his mind to be cheating and singing that song. I probably will never know, but it still sends chills, and I dont know why.

  15. j16
    click a star to vote
    Oct 12th 2011 !⃝

    it's about someone asking his friend to be by his side no matter what.
    the friend is his kryptonite. It could also be a girl (which I doubt)... He wants his friend to be there when he is weak and can no longer help him.
    "you call me strong, you call me weak. but still your secrets I will keep" suggests he's always been there but someday he might need him to be by his side and have his back and encourage him to go ahead (If I go crazy, well, will you still call me superman)
    it's simple to get the meaning if you relate it with your friend.
    This is just my interpretation.

  16. anonymous
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    Aug 23rd 2011 !⃝

    This song is about friendship, and how devastating it can be when you've looked out for someone for so long and they don't do the same for you. To put it lightly, he questions his friendship with someone else. Will they be there for me after I saved them from their problems?

  17. Reymantic1977
    click a star to vote
    Jun 11th 2011 !⃝

    It's important to remember that songs, movies, novels, etc have two meanings, one that is literal, and one that is figurative or symbolic. I'm going to skip the literal meaning because it has been properly explained by many. What I believe the "hidden" or figurative meaning has to do with drug addiction and from the references made by the singer it suggests that it is crystal meth.

    The drug is personified (given human qualities)as a ex-lover, and he is looking back at the proverbial relationship, one in which he regrets and has suffered the consequences as a result of the long term use. Crystal Meth has a notorious reputation to make the user at first feel like "superman", but over time the addiction takes over a persons soul and it's evident when he states ".....the dark side of the moon, and I feel there's nothing I can do, yeah".

    After years and years of addiction, crystal meth or "kryptonite" has led him into insanity. It's almost as if he is saying, Look, I've devoted my life and soul to you and kept you by my side "with my superhuman might" , and kept our relationship a secret. People addicted to this drug know about the consequences and keep their addiction a secret because of the social stigma meth has compared to other recreational drugs like Marijuana.They also suffer from relapse. Crystal Meth is known to be the hardest drug to quit.

    So at the end has become so addicted that he will continue his habit. Many meth users who have done this drug for decades say that they no longer do the drug for the high that they once experienced, but they do the drug just to feel normal. And many continue to use it regardless of the consequences that go past mental illness which is death.

  18. anonymous
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    Jan 27th 2011 !⃝

    The video is somewhat displaced from the meaning of the song. At the beginning of the video you see an old man looking at past glory, himself in television, his film that he made when he was young.Then tending to his bird, (reminiscent of things he can still find peace with, something of control in his life). (Note the 40 oz bottle beside the TV).

    The children were once something he could inspire now he's old and weak, at least his body, but his mind is different. As you see him flick the food, this tells you how agitated he is that the world has grown so bleak. (I watched the world slip to the Dark Side of the Moon)Hearing Sounds outside his door he is compelled to look. He sees a woman controlled by a Belligerent man, insisting on contolling her and taking her where he wants. Then seeing that she cant help herself he tries to do the only thing that he can and recall the spirit of his long gone hero.

    Now, if I was going to try to interpret, the part of the lyrics saying "it had to be something to do with you" I would surmise that it is a need to take care of a lost love of his. Feeling powerless, he will still do whatever it takes to defend her. Even if that someone isnt his love.

    The Scene in the Ally is more difficult to interpret, him and the young women. Seeing them is actually a reversal of power from the Children he loved (now enemies that despise him because of the times) "The world is changing". Now they are saying we have the control. Our hero however doesn't deviate from his objective. showing determination in the eyes of defeat as it were. Finally makes his one last avenging act against the villain. If you take this Music and video at face value then you see that he has suffered and wants to protect what is most dear to him.

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