What does Pool Shark mean?

Sublime: Pool Shark Meaning

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Album cover for Pool Shark album cover

Pool Shark Lyrics

Lyin' in my plastic bed,
Thinkin' how things weren't so cool to me.
My baby likes to shoot pool,
I Like lyin' naked in my bedroom.
Tyin' on the dinosaur tonight,
It used to be so cool too.

Now I've got the needle,
And I can shake,
but I...

  1. anonymous
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    Jul 25th 2023 !⃝

    Tying off that dinosaur refers to the shape of his arm looking like a brontosaurus when he bends it and wraps the rubber hose around it to get his veins to come out.
    There’s a slight pause after he says “my baby likes to shoot pool..”
    because she likes to shoot pool, he likes to shoot heroin.

  2. anonymous
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    Oct 25th 2021 !⃝

    When i was younger i completely thought this song was silly and about dinosaurs, until i got older and realized it was about struggling with addiction. Both my parents have been addicts before (proud to say they are clean and have been for about 9 years each<3) but anyways this song is really heartbreaking once you look up the lyrics. no i kinda don’t understand what “trying on the dinosaur” means exactly but i do know he meant also including in the lyrics he liked using naked. I hope everyone reading this is doing well and knows that you can get through this

  3. Thegoodson
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    Oct 18th 2019 !⃝

    I never thought about there being plastic on beds in rehab. I'm not a heroin user. I just always thought that it was a reference to the saying, " you made your bed, now you have to lay in it". But then Brad threw a play on words into it saying, " (lying)in my plastic bed" meaning that his bed that he made for himself was plastic or fake due to the constant lies,either to himself,to convince himself that he could handle one more shot or that he will quit after this one, or that he would one day be free of his addiction. Or maybe he had created a fake image for everyone else to make it seem like it hadnt gotten as bad as he deep down knew it had and knew that it was just a matter of time. Either way he would have to lay in it or lie in it and when he does his night isnt cool anymore like it was before he made it to lay down for the night ...I dont know just wingin it I guessi have no clue what he was going through and I hope this doesnt offend anyone , it is just how I've always interpreted the lyrics . Very emotionally powerful song and condolences to anyone who knew Brad,he may have lost the war but when I think about it first thing that comes to mind is a truly gifted human being and in my opinion musical genius, and one of the best singers and song writers ever r. i.p.

  4. anonymous
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    Oct 18th 2019 !⃝

    I never thought about there being plastic on beds in rehab. I'm not a heroin user. I just always thought that it was a reference to the saying, " you made your bed, now you have to lay in it". But then Brad threw a play on words into it saying, " (lying)in my plastic bed" meaning that his bed that he made for himself was plastic or fake due to the constant lies,either to himself,to convince himself that he could handle one more shot or that he will quit after this one, or that he would one day be free of his addiction. Or maybe he had created a fake image for everyone else to make it seem like it hadnt gotten as bad as he deep down knew it had and knew that it was just a matter of time. I'm sorry I'm not sure what he was going through and I hope this doesnt offend anyone , it is just how I've always interpreted the lyrics . Very emotionally powerful song and condolences to anyone who knew Brad,he may have lost the war but when I think about it first thing that comes to mind is a truly gifted human being and in my opinion musical genius, and one of the best singers and song writers ever r. i.p.

  5. anonymous
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    Jun 5th 2013 !⃝

    "Lying in my plastic bed" refers to the plastic they put over a bed to catch all the sweat from the addict lying in bed at night.

    "Thinking how things were so cool to me" says that he used to think it was all fun and games to shoot up, but now he sees that he has a serious addiction.

    "My baby likes to shoot pool" not quite sure on this one...

    "I like lying naked in my bedroom, tying on the dinosaur" may be signifying that he prefers to use heroin naked, supported by how he was found naked after overdosing.

    "And it used to be cool, too" is the same meaning as line two. Hope this helps!

  6. anonymous
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    Jul 24th 2012 !⃝

    "I don't think any of you know anything about heroine or what junkies think or do, fucking bleeding hearts, every junkie knows that they're going to die eventually. Shoot dope for a few years and tell me you think your gonna live forever. The song's about being a junkie, how it starts out fun, but then it turns into that, hopelessness, despair, and yes, eventually death. Nobody can predict the future you fucking jack asses, but the way dope changes you, the way it destroys your soul, and common fucking sense says, if I keep banging H I'm gonna fucking die. It's about addiction not predicting his death, what's he a fucking fortune teller... I was addicted to H for 9 years trust me I know exactly what he's talking about. "

    yeeep, nail on the head. i had 3 years...unless youre in it, no one can unserstand that sheer hopelessness of every fucking day. ugh.

  7. anonymous
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    Mar 22nd 2012 !⃝

    Plastic bed -- Where he ends up passing out - on piles of used needles in a crackhouse? Just a guess

  8. anonymous
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    May 29th 2011 !⃝

    Lying in my plastic bed thinking how things weren't so cool to me - The plastic cover that they put on beds in rehab facilities.

    My baby likes to shoot pool. - Shooting pool is referece to shooting up.

    I like lying naked in my bedroom tying on the dinosaur. - Tying on the dinosaur is referring to the band they tie around their arm.

    Tonight used to be so cool - He was once able to do it casually

    Now I got the needle and I can shake but I can't breathe. I take it away but I want more and more. - Once you become an addict that you need to take just to feel normal

    One day I'm going to lose the war - RIP Bradley

  9. anonymous
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    Apr 19th 2011 !⃝

    I don't think any of you know anything about heroine or what junkies think or do, fucking bleeding hearts, every junkie knows that they're going to die eventually. Shoot dope for a few years and tell me you think your gonna live forever. The song's about being a junkie, how it starts out fun, but then it turns into that, hopelessness, despair, and yes, eventually death. Nobody can predict the future you fucking jack asses, but the way dope changes you, the way it destroys your soul, and common fucking sense says, if I keep banging H I'm gonna fucking die. It's about addiction not predicting his death, what's he a fucking fortune teller... I was addicted to H for 9 years trust me I know exactly what he's talking about.

  10. anonymous
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    Feb 8th 2011 !⃝

    "Lying in my plastic bed thinkin how things weren't so cool" seems like a reference to hospitals or jails. Those shitty plastic beds you get. Definitely not cool to me either.

  11. anonymous
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    Jan 26th 2011 !⃝

    a dinosaur is a band or a rope of some sort to tie around the arm to cut off circulation to make vains pop out more so its easier to inject..its like slang broooo(: i listen to it and it makes me very sad. saddest song i have ever heard...in accustic.

  12. anonymous
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    Jul 15th 2009 !⃝

    "I can't breathe but I can shake"... refers to withdrawal symptoms from heroin/opiates. When you withdrawal you will find it very hard to breathe since heroin and other opiates help with breathing and relax the lungs. Extreme sweating and shaking are also withdrawal symptoms. "Take it away but I want more and more." Also more addiction lyrics. He has built up a tolerance to the drug and needs more. When it is taken away from him, he craves it. Also later on he changes the lyrics and says "now I've got that needle and I can shake bet I can't bleed." Refers to addicts who have been shooting for awhile no longer can find a vein they can use because the veins no longer carry blood due to damage from heroin or other hard opiates like OC, dilaudid or fetanyl.

  13. anonymous
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    Jun 11th 2009 !⃝

    this song is bradley's way of saying he was addicted to heroine. he even says, one day im gonna lose the war, the war is refering to the addiction.

  14. anonymous
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    Jun 1st 2009 !⃝

    He sings "tying off that dinosaur tonight used to be so cool, but now ive got that needle and i cant shake and i cant breathe..."

    Yes he's perdicting his death by heroin which he wanted to but couldnt win.

  15. anonymous
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    Nov 17th 2008 !⃝

    this song is actually about the lead singer of sublime predicting his death. it was well known he was addicted to heroin. "one day i'm gonna lose the war". the 'war' is between him and his addiction to herion.

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