After the band announced the song as their choice for the first single, some fans began to question the choice online, intoning that perhaps their record label had pushed them to re-record the song due to lack of faith in their new material. In response, singer Stephen Christian wrote a missive for Jason Tate of AbsolutePunk.net to post. "We chose to re-record 'Feel Good Drag'," said Christian. "The label had nothing to do with it AT ALL," Christian went on to say. Christian went on to describe how the band wanted to begin their radio push with a heavy song that could catch on with a wide audience: "We didn't want to start out with something like an 'Unwinding Cable Car' or 'Inevitable'".
On top of expressing the band's own liking of the song (and feeling that it didn't get the attention it deserved on Never Take Friendship Personal), Christian said that the song was also redone because "we were counting on them [the fans] recognizing the song on the radio, feeling somehow connected to it and us, and calling in to request it more... we need you again! after all 'the feel good drag' was your song! you knew about it first, you have the original version and 'like it better', you knew us when..., this doesn't have to change."
Christian told Artist Direct that this song is about "going into a relationship that you know is destined to fail."
Feel Good Drag
Anberlin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"And we can stay for awhile
My boyfriend's gone
We can just pretend"
Lips that need no introduction
Now who's the greater sin
Your drab eyes seem to invite
(Tell me darling) where do we begin?
Was this over before
Before it ever began
Your kiss
Your calls
Your crutch
Like the devil's got your hand
This was over before
Before it ever began
Your lips
Your lies
Your lust
Like the devil's in your hands
Everyone in this town
Is seeing somebody else
Everybody's tired of someone
Our eyes wander for help
Prayers that need no answer now
I'm tired of who I am
You were my greatest mistake
I fell in love with your sin
Your littlest sin
Was this over before
Before it ever began
Your kiss
Your calls
Your crutch
Like the devil's got your hand
This was over before
Before it ever began
Your lips
Your lies
Your lust
Like the devil's in your hands
Failure is your disease
You want my outline drawn
You are my greatest failure
Discourse your saving song
Was this over before
Before it ever began
Your kiss
Your calls
Your crutch
Like the devil's got your hand
This was over before
Before it ever began
Your lips
Your lies
Your lust
Like the devil's in your hands
Was this over before
Before it ever began
Your kiss
Your calls
Your crutch
Like the devil's got your hand
This was over before
Before it ever began
Your lips
Your lies
Your lust
Like the devil's in your hands
The song "Feel Good Drag" by Anberlin tells a tale of a forbidden and scandalous love affair. The singer meets a girl who tells him that her boyfriend is gone and they can pretend to be together for a while. He finds her incredibly attractive but realizes that her eyes have a certain sadness to them, inviting him to her hidden world. They both have unfortunate histories and find solace in each other. The singer hints at how they might have started and ended with their little sins but now he is caught up in her deception, regretting falling for her sin. Despite everything, he knows the affair was doomed from the beginning, just like her previous relationships.
The lyrics are very intense and emotional, evoking feelings of passion, regret, and desperation. The singer laments how he has fallen for her deception and lies, just like her previous lovers. The devil's hand is a metaphor for the lust and temptation that drew them together in the first place. The chorus repeats the same lines by emphasizing how the relationship was over before it even began, a doomed love affair from the start.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm here for you" she said
She assures the person that she's there for them.
"And we can stay for awhile
She suggests that they spend some time together.
My boyfriend's gone
She reveals that her boyfriend is no longer in the picture.
We can just pretend"
She suggests that they act as if there's nothing wrong with that.
Lips that need no introduction
The person's lips are well-known to the artist.
Now who's the greater sin
The singer questions which one of them is more sinful.
Your drab eyes seem to invite
The person's eyes appear inviting to the singer, despite being dull.
(Tell me darling) where do we begin?
The artist asks the person where they should start.
Was this over before
The relationship seemed to have ended before it started.
Before it ever began
The relationship didn't even have a chance to start.
Your kiss
The act of kissing the person.
Your calls
The calls that the person made to the artist.
Your crutch
The person relied too much on the singer for support.
Like the devil's got your hand
The person is susceptible to the devil's influence.
This was over before
The relationship seemed to have ended before it started.
Before it ever began
The relationship didn't even have a chance to start.
Your lips
The person's lips.
Your lies
The person's lies to the singer.
Your lust
The person's strong desire for the singer.
Like the devil's in your hands
The person is tempted by the devil.
Everyone in this town
The people in their town.
Is seeing somebody else
Most people are already in a relationship with someone else.
Everybody's tired of someone
Everyone seems to be unsatisfied with their current relationships.
Our eyes wander for help
We both look around for someone to help us.
Prayers that need no answer now
The singer no longer thinks her prayers deserve an answer.
I'm tired of who I am
The singer is tired of being herself.
You were my greatest mistake
The person was the singer's biggest mistake.
I fell in love with your sin
The artist loved the person's sinful nature.
Your littlest sin
Even the person's smallest sin was attractive to the artist.
Failure is your disease
The person is troubled by their failure.
You want my outline drawn
The person wants the singer to have a clear understanding of who they are.
You are my greatest failure
The person is the artist's biggest failure.
Discourse your saving song
The person tries to convince the artist to save them.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: Deon Rexroat, Joseph Milligan, Nathan Young, Stephen Arnold
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@FillinTheWattage
I'm here for you" she said
"And we can stay for awhile
My boyfriend's gone
We can just pretend"
Lips that need no introduction
Now who's the greater sin
Your drab eyes seem to invite
(Tell me darling) where do we begin?
Was this over before
Before it ever began
Your kiss
Your calls
Your crutch
Like the devil's got your hand
This was over before
Before it ever began
Your lips
Your lies
Your lust
Like the devil's in your hands
Everyone in this town
Is seeing somebody else
Everybody's tired of someone
Our eyes wander for help
Prayers that need no answer now
I'm tired of who I am
You were my greatest mistake
I fell in love with your sin
Your littlest sin
Was this over before
Before it ever began
Your kiss
Your calls
Your crutch
Like the devil's got your hand
This was over before
Before it ever began
Your lips
Your lies
Your lust
Like the devil's in your hands
Failure is your disease
You want my outline drawn
You are my greatest failure
Discourse your saving song
Was this over before
Before it ever began
Your kiss
Your calls
Your crutch
Like the devil's got your hand
This was over before
Before it ever began
Your lips
Your lies
Your lust
Like the devil's in your hands
@Gibson_M
2021, and Anberlin makes me feel young again.
@themule137
haha yea, the description says pre-VEVO I thought it said pre-covid. anyone even remember when anyone cared what vevo was?
@Josue-nm7cj
Same bro!
@dailydriven2356
Just found this song again, well ran extra hard on treadmill lol
@godspeed6531
same, i love these guys so much
@reallrecognizereal
we still young brother
@smatt7651
Been looking for this song for 11 years. Finally found It 🤣
@thecringyvapeboinextdoor4085
Oh daym I just seen it on guitar hero.....
@a.francomamanigamboa3949
me too
@sabi8400
SAME. Around 2006 is when I first had it on my MP3 player….it’s been 15 years. 😂