anonymous January 6th, 2007 04:33AM  
Okay, I don't know how correct I am or not, but this is my interpretation. It seems like it's related to suicide. One way of looking at it could be about a love partner of John's (or the persona in the song) is suicidal/committed suicide. "....You're not supposed to be that way/ Did they push you out, Did they throw you away". And the singer has not delt with the grieving and the partner's behaviour has pushed him over the edge "Touch me now and I don't care, when you take me I'm not there, almost human but I'll never be the same" and "Long way down, I don't think I'll make it on my own" without his partner being alive or in a rational frame of mind.
"I never put you down/ I never pushed you away....And anything you want/There's nothing I could say" (?) could indicate that the singer feels unable to help the partner and his love could not save the partner.
"Is there anything to feel, is it pain that makes you real, cut me off before it kills me" is the singers attempt to undertand the partner's predicament, while wishing not to get dragged down in his and the partner's sadness, which could prehaps lead to suicide for him too.
(Just a question, could the singer's feelings be confused too? Where the chorus expresses a need for company, while that verse expresses a need to be tied off from the partner and the pain? Just an random thought).
"Take another piece of me, give my mind a new disease" could perhaps mean that the partner's issues are further dragging him down too and tearing him apart?

My second interpretation centres on the singer (The song was written by John, but perhaps his position again is as a different persona) being riddled with personal (suicidal? mental?) issues himself.
The lines such at "You're not supposed to be that way" could be him talking to himself, while lines like "Touch me now and I don't care....take me I'm not there", "Is there anything to feel, is it pain that makes you real" and "Take another piece of me, give my mind a new disease".
Personally, I prefer the 2nd interpretation, because I used to be able to relate to it more, but I think the first one makes more sense, given the song lyrics.

I love this song, it's one of my favourite songs ever by the Goo Goo Dolls, who are the best band to change my life ever. However, I am well aware that my interpretations are highlyy unlikely to be correct and I don't claim to even believe them myself, but it's just food for thought. I would love to hear other people's thoughts on this song though.

anonymous November 20th, 2009 03:52AM  
I think the song is about a co-dependent relationship that's breaking up. He's given everything he could and done everything to avoid holding her down, but she's still living him and hurting him, and he's begging for her to come back. He's begging, pleading, and guilt tripping. It's not exactly healthy.

anonymous November 26th, 2009 09:50PM  
It's about Rzeznik's bout with heroin.