Wasted
Black Flag Lyrics

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I was so wasted I was a hippie I was a burnout I was a dropout I was out of my head I was a surfer I had a skateboard I was so heavy man, I lived on the strand I was so wasted I was so fucked up I was so messed up I was so screwed up I was out of my head I was so jacked up I was so drunk up I was so knocked out, I was out of my head I was so wasted I was wasted

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Black Flag's song Wasted describe the experiences of someone who has lived a fast and reckless lifestyle, filled with substance abuse and little regard for others. The singer acknowledges their own state of being "wasted", listing several different identities they have taken on throughout their experiences, such as a hippie, burnout, dropout, and surfer. These identities can be seen as attempts to find meaning and purpose in their existence, but ultimately lead them to a state of being "out of my head".

The repetition of "I was so wasted" serves not only as a reminder of the singer's past experiences, but almost as a mantra, repeating it as if to convince themselves of some kind of truth. The phrases "so fucked up", "so messed up", and "so screwed up" depict the struggles and consequences of their choices, while "so jacked up", "so drunk up", and "so knocked out" show that they may have found momentary relief or escape, but ultimately led them to deeper levels of being "out of my head". The chorus simply repeats the phrase "I was wasted" as a conclusion to this description of their past.

Overall, the lyrics to Wasted convey a sense of both regret and acceptance of a past filled with substance abuse and reckless behavior. The repetition of certain phrases and the use of different identities also suggest a search for meaning and identity in a life that was lived on the edge.

Line by Line Meaning

I was so wasted
I was extremely intoxicated

I was a hippie
I adhered to the hippie culture and lifestyle

I was a burnout
My excessive drug use had led to a state of physical and mental depletion

I was a dropout
I had left school before completing my education

I was out of my head
I was disconnected from reality due to my drug use

I was a surfer
I enjoyed surfing as a recreational activity

I had a skateboard
I owned a skateboard, which was a popular mode of transportation and recreation among youth at the time

I was so heavy man, I lived on the strand
I was deeply invested in the surfer lifestyle and lived near the beach in a community of like-minded individuals

I was so fucked up
I was extremely intoxicated and disoriented

I was so messed up
My drug use had led to a state of confusion and disorder

I was so screwed up
I was in a state of physical, mental and emotional disarray due to my drug use

I was so jacked up
I was intensely under the influence of drugs

I was so drunk up
I was heavily intoxicated by alcohol

I was so knocked out, I was out of my head
I was unconscious and completely disconnected from reality due to my drug use

I was so wasted
I was extremely intoxicated

I was wasted
I was intoxicated, possibly to the point of being unable to function normally

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Benji Madden, John Feldmann

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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