Kid Cudi: Pursuit of Happiness Meaning

Song Released: 2010

Featuring: MGMT, Ratatat

Pursuit of Happiness Lyrics

VERSE 1:
Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit
Feelin’ lit feelin’ light, 2 am summer night.
I don't care, hand on the wheel, drivin drunk, I'm doin’ my thang
Rollin the Midwest side and out livin’ my life getting’ out...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Jun 13th 2014 !⃝

   I feel that i have an understanding as to what Kid Cudi is attempting to express in this song. There are several different interpretations that one could believe. These include speaking about a social complex and speaking about BPD, or borderline personality disorder. The social complex of this generation is such that many find it impossible to have a good time without drugs, alcohol, or reckless behavior, due to stress in other areas of life, conscious or subconscious. While this could be the meaning of the song, another theoretical meaning is Kid Cudi's exposition of BPD. People with BPD experience severe mood swings, bouts of impulsivity, impaired reasoning (changing self-perception rapidly), and disrupted relationships; which are all spoken about in the lyrics of the song.
   Ultimately, Kid Cudi expresses the internal dialogue and thoughts of someone who always needs more, has a distorted perception of real life, and engages in harmful and reckless behaviors; all while thinking that they are on a path, or pursuit, to happiness; the ultimate goal.

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Jan 24th 2014 !⃝

   First and foremost, Pursuit of Happiness is a track by Kid Cudi explaning that he is simply on the Pursuit of Happiness. He's looking for happiness. He states "Tell me what you know about night terrors every night, 5am cold sweats waking up to the sky." He's talking about reoccurring nightmares, cold sweats (sign of stress) and "you don't really care about the trials of tomorrow, rather lay awake in a bed full of sorrow," which he obviously is saying that YOU DON'T KNOW about this because you're fine but he is depressed. A wreck. He doesn't care about what tomorrow will bring because right now he'd rather stay here, shut himself in, and sulk alone.
   
   -Briana
3. anonymous

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   Nov 29th 2018 !⃝

   I think this song is about PTSD...
4. anonymous

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   Feb 4th 2018 !⃝

   I have PTSD and this and Heathens by 21 Pilots have PTSD nailed down despite their different genres.
5. anonymous

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   Nov 1st 2017 !⃝

   It's about PTSD.
6. anonymous

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   Mar 31st 2017 !⃝

   I agree with the person a few above me... I don't think it's talking about BPD, but more of a generational problem. The only way my generation really knows how to cope with sadness and feelings of inadequacy is through drugs and alcohol. The pursuit of happiness is a carrot dangling at the end of a stick... We will never reach it when we are in pursuit of it. I think the song is speaking about the constant reaching for a seemingly unattainable goal, while putting everything else on hold until we are able to reach it.
7. anonymous

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   Jan 5th 2017 !⃝

   Cudi is trying to escape from temporary happiness caused by intoxication but will always come back to intoxication when he fails to escape ... he is not giving up on the pursuit though he ends up at a place where he started. no glorification of any substance
8. anonymous

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   May 10th 2013 !⃝

   Hi,
   
   Kid Cudi is expressing the motives and wishes of a person living with cluster b Borderline Personality type emotions.
   
   They are constantly depressed and in a perpetual search for something, anything that will give them happiness.
   
   Its a tough life for these folks and it looks like Kid Cudi is speaking about it.
   
   They rely on sex, alcohol, etc etc but in the end they ask why but still do it again.
   
   If you read this comment, google BPD...Borderline personality disorder. It affects a lot of people and is caused by sudden death of a loved on (Kid Cudis dad passed away) and by child sexual abuse.
   
   http://m.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&client=mv-google&v=Qt9SOvILMI8&fulldescription=1#watch_actions
   
   http://www.henrymakow.com/woman_with_bpd_gives_her_side.html
   
   It affects an unbelieveable number of people who hide behind a mask.
   
   Thanks for reading this far.
9. anonymous

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   Aug 8th 2012 !⃝

   Hes talkin about this generation which pursues the happiness by smokin, drinkin and partying... He wants us to see that this is more a nightmare than happiness. This explains the end of the song and the vid.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
10. anonymous

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    Aug 28th 2011 !⃝

    This song is about his reliance on drugs and how they are the only thing that make him truly happy. The very first lines are a direct reference to marijuana, and he mentions dreams and night terrors which are results of the drugs that he uses. At the end of the song it begins to slow down so he is coming down from his high. The song is no longer upbeat or "happy" and the song is now slow and "sad".

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