What does To A Friend mean?

Alexisonfire: To A Friend Meaning

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Album cover for To A Friend album cover

To A Friend Lyrics

I'm thinking that it's time to get out
My patients are fading fast
The mind bruises just a little bit easier
Dark times and shadows cast

What are you suffering for?
Your pride or some kind of personal war?
And when you throw it away.
For...

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  1. anonymous
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     Sep 17th 2019 !⃝

    I would have to agree with the interpretation that it's a conversation between two people, Dallas playing the role of the friend offering a choice and George being the one experimenting with drug use to deal with some sort of trauma.
    [Verse 1]
    In the first verse George is possibly trying to justify his use of the drugs. Without hearing the rest of the song it might be hard to get this message but he seems to be saying that times are hard and he needs an escape.
    [Verse 2]
    The intro of Dallas is possibly the reason of the title, as his lines are "To a friend" where he questions the motives of drug use, and challenges the addiction itself.
    [Chorus]
    The chorus I find to be a beautiful exchange, and really solidifies that there are two personalities in some sort of conflict.

    'I stay in time and watch you pass by'
    I think this means that Dallas is still here, waiting but only watching as they continue down a path.
    'Paranoia woven deep beneath my skin'
    More justification as to the drug use, and possibly a symptom of the addiction. He could be using to mask the paranoia which in turn makes it worse.
    'I draw this line and hope you take my side'
    Dallas offering an ultimatum of sorts, he isn't leaving but he is drawing a line and saying I won't participate in what it is you're doing.
    'Breath slow, breath slow'
    Self assurance in coping with whatever terror's his mind, drug related or not.

    The next lines I believe is the first time the two have a direct exchange.

    'You shouldn't have to fight alone'
    Dallas is offering to help
    'You shouldn't have to fight at all!'
    George is angry, saying that he shouldn't have to deal with whatever is troubling him.
    'It's nobodies battle but your own'
    This I think could be Dallas leaving George to his decision after being rejected, or possibly reinforcing that he has to make the choice to accept or seek help.
    [Verse 3 & 4]
    I believe the following two verses can be more of George wanting to justify the decision that he has made by going to drug use. He is explaining possible symptoms he is feeling either due to past trauma or maybe even the drug use itself.

    I think the drama he is referring to is the conflict he feels between himself and whoever is trying to make him stop the drug use.

  2. anonymous
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     Oct 2nd 2011 !⃝

    I think it's about how drugs taking over him and choosing between drugs or life

  3. anonymous
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     Oct 3rd 2009 !⃝

    My interpretation of To a Friend is about appealing to somebody who is toying with, or already drug dependant. The song has been cleverly written to express a story of two friends, one who is drug dependant, and the other who is offering their friend (using tough love) a chance at sobriety.
    “What are you suffering for, your pride or some kind of personal war. And will you throw it away, with nothing more than a simple taste.” – don’t let the drugs take over your life, they don’t fix your problems, they only mask them. Don’t let you pride get in the way, admitting you have an addiction isn’t a sign of weakness but strength.etc.
    “This is just self-induced terror there's more to come this is just a glimpse, I tell myself it's all in my head but I'm pretty hard to convince.”
    “Whispers behind closed doors eyes spy from dark windows plotting minds that seek to harm me, or maybe not I don't really know.”
    – shows insight into drug dependency and paranoia.
    I could go on forever dissecting each line, but I won’t. Don’t forget I have based my interpretation solely on the written content without any other prior knowledge.

  4. angiebby
    click a star to vote
     Jul 10th 2009 !⃝

    I honestly don't understand what it means,
    it says "You shouldn't have to fight alone
    It's nobody's battle but your own"
    so it contradicts itself.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway

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