I'm Writing a Novel
Father John Misty Lyrics

I ran down the road, pants down to my knees Screaming "please come help me, that Canadian shaman gave a little too much to me!"
I am writing a novel that tells the story of how I overdosed on drugs while seeking the help of a shaman in Canada. My experience is new and unique and has never been told before.

And I'm writing a novel because it's never been done before
I want to write a novel because I believe my life experience is unique and worth sharing with the world. I don't want to follow the same path as other writers.

First house that I saw I wrote house up on the door And told the people who lived there they had to get out "cause my reality is realer than yours"
I wrote 'house' on the door of the first house I saw because I felt like it was mine to claim. I told the residents to leave because I believed my perception of reality was superior to theirs.

And there's no time for the present And there's a black dog on the bed
I feel like there's no time to waste living in the present moment. I'm haunted by a black dog who represents my fear of the future and my inability to let go of the past.

I went to the backyard to burn my only clothes And the dog ran out and said "you can't turn nothing into nothing is with me no more"
I burned my only clothes because I felt like I needed to start fresh. The black dog, representing my fear and insecurity, appeared and warned me that destroying everything wouldn't solve my problems.

Well I'm no doctor but that monkey might be right And if he is I'll be walking him my whole life
I don't have all the answers, but my inner voice (represented by the monkey) may be onto something. If that's the case, I'll follow that voice for the rest of my life.

I rode to Malibu on a dune buggy with Neil He said "you're gonna have to drive me down on the beach if you ever want to write the real" And I said "I'm sorry, young man what is your name again?"
I went to Malibu with Neil and he told me that if I want to write something real, I need to put myself in situations and environments that inspire me. I responded with sarcasm, indicating that I may not be taking his advice seriously.

Now everywhere I go in West Hollywood It's filled with people pretending they don't see the actress and the actress wishing that they could
In West Hollywood, everyone is putting on a facade, and no one is able to be themselves. The actress represents someone who is stuck in this false reality but dreams of being authentic.

We could do ayahuasca Baby if I wasn't holding all these drinks
Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic plant medicine that can lead to powerful, transformative experiences. I'd be interested in trying it, but I'm currently too drunk to give it a try.

Something 'bout the way Violet whips her hair That makes me empty my pockets on the corner to corner bumming twenties as if I was the mayor
There's something about Violet's carefree attitude that makes me feel free and alive. I'm so moved by her that I feel like a wealthy, powerful person, giving away money like it's nothing.

I don't need any new friends, Momma But I could really use something to do So if you're up for it sometimes I swear you wouldn't have to be my muse
I'm not interested in making new friends, but I'm bored and looking for something to keep me occupied. I'm reaching out to my mom, asking her to do something with me, but assuring her that it doesn't have to be creative or inspiring.

Heidegger and Sartre, drinking poppy tea I could've sworn last night I passed out in my van and now these guys are pouring one for me
In this surreal moment, I'm drinking poppy tea with some of the most famous philosophers of all time. I'm not sure how I got here, but I'm willing to go along with it.

I'll never leave the canyon 'cause I'm surrounded on all sides By people writing novels and living on amusement rides
I feel like I belong in this canyon, surrounded by creative people who are carving out their own unique experiences. Everyone around me is living life on their own terms, even if it's not the norm.