Too High
Anne Heaton Lyrics

The lyrics to Anne Heaton's song, Too High, appear to express the emotional complexity of a struggling friendship. The singer reflects on a past relationship with a friend, remarking that she saw a movie where one of the characters reminded her of her friend. This characterization is particularly poignant because the character is apparently the "bad one" who "smoked," yet still managed to convince the singer to "go for broke." Despite the knowledge that the character would lead her down a troubled path, the singer is unable to "live without her." This sense of addiction and dependence is palpable throughout the song.

As the verse progresses, the singer explains that she and her friend liked the same boy, which may have contributed to their closeness. However, this closeness also led to the singer establishing high expectations for her friend, which were ultimately disappointed when her friend "leaned towards the dark side." The singer is unable to reconcile this change in her friend with the bright, carefree relationship they once had. In fact, her friend's transition to darkness seems particularly painful, as the singer describes how she taught the singer "everything [she] knew of light and laughter."

Ultimately, the singer acknowledges the difficulty of letting go of this friendship. She persists in loving her friend, perhaps because they shared a special bond, and perhaps because her expectations of friends in general are "too high." However, the singer is also troubled by the fact that her underlying struggle - the "thing I fight against" - is also the "thing I depend on." This conflict suggests that the singer may be grappling with her own internal demons, made all the more difficult by her deteriorating relationship with her friend.