Growing up, Mathews had a passion for music, listening to everything from Kurt Cobain, Carrie Underwood, and Bob Dylan to Lil Wayne and Drake, perhaps influencing his style with an added hip-hop flare.
During 2019, 44phantom broke into the grunge-pop scene with his single, Break Your Heart after it wound up on popular YouTube channel Promoting Sounds and amassed a total of over a million streams across streaming platforms.
He stated to have adopted the name 44phantom to honour his late second cousin and carry on his family’s connection to the number 44. In an interview, Mathews confirmed:
My oldest brother was born at 2:44, my sister was born at 8:44, and I was born at 11:44. My dad’s sobriety date is 4/4/15. My grandpa was a very talented baseball player and he wore the number 44. That number was a part of my life before I was even born. My cousin Danny died in a car accident. I was thinking of the Danny Phantom cartoon to honor him, so I came up with 44phantom for my name.
Poison
44phantom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wait up, is that what you meant?
Is it something I did?
Well I'll promise I'll fix it
Wake up, is that all it is?
That was nothing to trip about but I guess we're venting
Oh, won't you wait? I, stay, I only needed rain in this drought (Ohhh)
Is it something I could say?
Is it something I could do about it? (Do about it)
'Cause I'll go the rest of my life,
A thousand more times to find you (Times to find you)
And I'm not saying you're a drug, but without you, I get withdraws
And when you leave it's like a needle is getting ripped from my arm
You're in my face,
I try to get you out one time (To get you out one time)
Lately I've been a mess, when will I see you next?
I'm chasing this high in my head
'Cause it's all you left (Cause it's all you left)
And I know you're poisonous, yeah, you're poisonous to me
But you know you got me in, yeah, you got me in too deep
(Ohhh)
Is it something I could say?
Is it something I could do about it? (Do about it)
'Cause I'll go the rest of my life,
A thousand more times to find you (Times to find you)
And I'm not saying you're a drug, but without you, I get withdraws
And when you leave it's like a needle is getting ripped from my arm
You're in my face,
I try to get you out one time (To get you out one time)
Yeah, you've got me addicted
Tell me why won't you listen
It was no use in quitting
'Cause you got me addicted
And I know you're poisonous, yeah, you're poisonous to me
But you know you got me in, yeah, you got me in too deep
And I know you're poisonous, yeah, you're poisonous to me
But you know you got me in, yeah, you've got me in too deep
Is it something I could say?
Is it something I could do about it? (Do about it)
'Cause I'll go the rest of my life,
A thousand more times to find you (Times to find you)
And I'm not saying you're a drug, but without you, I get withdraws
And when you leave it's like a needle is getting ripped from my arm
You're in my face,
I try to get you out one time (To get you out one time)
The lyrics to 44phantom's "Poison" seem to revolve around addiction and dependency on someone, possibly a romantic interest. The singer seems to be having a conversation with their partner, trying to figure out what they did wrong and promising to fix it. They express their need for the other person and their difficulty in coping when they're not around. They admit that they know the relationship is not good for them, but they can't seem to break free from it. The analogy of being addicted to drugs is apt, with the singer describing their withdrawal symptoms when the other person leaves, comparing it to a needle being ripped from their arm.
The line "And I'm not saying you're a drug, but without you, I get withdraws" is significant, as it suggests that the singer is aware that the relationship is not healthy but can't seem to break free from it. The repetition of the line "Is it something I could say? Is it something I could do about it?" shows the singer's desperation to try and salvage the relationship. The use of the word "poisonous" to describe the other person suggests that the singer knows that the other person is not good for them, but they can't seem to help being drawn to them.
Overall, the song is a powerful depiction of addiction and how it can affect relationships. The lyrics are emotional and relatable, and the singer's delivery is passionate, which makes it an excellent song for anyone who has struggled with dependency on another person.
Line by Line Meaning
Woah, woah
The singer is pausing and taking a breath before diving into the theme of the song
Wait up, is that what you meant?
The singer is questioning the intent behind the other person's actions
Is it something I did?
The singer is wondering if their own actions caused the situation
Well I'll promise I'll fix it
The artist is willing to take responsibility and make things right
Wake up, is that all it is?
The artist is realizing that the situation might not be as bad as they thought
That was nothing to trip about but I guess we're venting
The singer acknowledges the situation wasn't a big deal, but the two are still talking about it
Hey, I changed, I haven't been the same, I ran out, out
The singer has changed and grown since the last time they were with the other person
Oh, won't you wait? I, stay, I only needed rain in this drought (Ohhh)
The artist is asking the other person to give them a chance and stick around, to be the cure to their emotional drought
Is it something I could say?
The artist is questioning if there's anything they could do or say to make things better
Is it something I could do about it? (Do about it)
The artist is asking if they can take action to fix the situation
'Cause I'll go the rest of my life, A thousand more times to find you (Times to find you)
The singer is expressing their dedication to finding and keeping the other person in their life
And I'm not saying you're a drug, but without you, I get withdraws
The artist is admitting that they are emotionally dependent on the other person
And when you leave it's like a needle is getting ripped from my arm
The singer is using a metaphor to describe the pain they feel when the other person is gone
You're in my face, I try to get you out one time (To get you out one time)
The singer is struggling to get the other person out of their head, even if they only try once
Lately I've been a mess, when will I see you next?
The singer is admitting that they are not doing well without the other person and is eager to see them again
I'm chasing this high in my head
The artist is obsessively thinking about the other person
'Cause it's all you left (Cause it's all you left)
The artist feels like the other person is their only source of happiness
Yeah, you've got me addicted
The singer cannot get enough of the other person and is emotionally invested in the relationship
Tell me why won't you listen
The singer is frustrated that the other person is not acknowledging their feelings
It was no use in quitting
The artist has given up on trying to move on from the other person
'Cause you got me addicted
The other person holds all of the artist's attention and emotions
And I know you're poisonous, yeah, you're poisonous to me
The artist recognizes the negative impact the other person has on them
But you know you got me in, yeah, you got me in too deep
The singer is aware of their emotional attachment to the other person and feels helpless to change it
Writer(s): Brayton Mathews, Jonathan Kilmer
Contributed by Alaina R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.