I Wish I Was Sober
Frightened Rabbit
This is the greatest song I’ve ever heard about addiction. I love that it’s in 1st person and not 3rd — so confessional, honest, poetic, heartbreaking. Beautiful restrained vocal from Scott and what an arrangement and mix from Aaron Dessner. And this video just kills me.
I think of my cousin Alan who slowly did himself in with alcohol until he died alone behind a dumpster in Vegas. And Alan was a brilliant, talented, kind person who fought these demons his entire adult life. I didn’t know Scott Hutchison, but he was an incredible artist who suffered severely from depression and addiction. There’s a story Alan told me once when he was sober and out of rehab that I incorporated into my screenplay ABOVE THE TREES. It’s something we’ll be filming in September and I’m very excited to pay tribute to Alan the human being I knew and loved. Also to his honesty and courage.
Fall prey to the blizzard head
Wrapped my hand around the glass again
We all thought that I might change as I got older
Fell down and nothing bled
Wrapped in cotton alcohol again
To the hill hear from the prick upon my shoulder
Free pour the fruitless thoughts
It's far too late to talk so much but
Still not giving up though
I wish that I was sober
Forgive me I can't speak straight
Forgive me I can't
Forgive me it's far too late
Choke down the gateway drug
Opened the gates, in came the flood, it comes
Like a blush of love, it hits me without warning
Long nights of getting lost
Iwalk beneath the bridge I don't know
I need black suit for tomorrow, I'm in mourning
My love you should know
The best of me left hours ago so
Shove it right into my mouth and let me smolder
Fallout and the damage done
I can't un-sing the things I've sung
Still not giving up though
I wish that i was sober
Forgive me I can't speak straight
Forgive me I can't
Forgive me it's far too late
Oh come and shake me till I'm dry
Oh I wish that I was sober
Oh come to me and kill the night off
I wish that I was sober
Oh come and shake me till I'm dry
Oh I wish that I was sober
Oh come to me and kill the night off
I wish that I was sober
