Can't Stop
Boomtown Rats Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Can't stop
And face the facts
I'm high strung and I can't relax.
Tune me down cause I'm feeling sharp.
My blood's too weak and it strains my heart.
And hearts of gold can turn to grey.
And wills of iron can melt away.
Hey, this looks like the place,

We can stop, pick up some fame.

Can't stop
Oh doctor please.
I bruise so easy and I cut so clean,
Cure me quickly bring me to my knees.
Knock me out, come on i wanna sleep.

Doctor please, cure me quick.
Doctor please, I feel so quick.
Doctor please, what's that pain
Doctor please, here it comes again.

Can't stop.
I can't slow down.
My nose is bleeding, hanging upside down.
My head is reeling, I don't hear a sound.
My mouth's dry, it turns me inside out.

___________________________________________

*written by Bob Geldof
*taken from the album "A Tonic For The Troops".

Overall Meaning

The Boomtown Rats' "Can't Stop" is a song about addiction, with a narrator who is struggling to control his drug use. The lyrics are full of anxiety and desperation, with the singer begging for a cure from a doctor and admitting that he can't slow down his drug use even though it's harming him. The line "My blood's too weak and it strains my heart" is particularly poignant, suggesting that the singer knows his drug use is taking a toll on his physical health.

The chorus of "Can't Stop" is particularly powerful, with the repetition of the phrase "Can't stop" emphasizing the singer's lack of control over his addiction. The line "And hearts of gold can turn to grey" is another example of the song's bleak and despairing tone, suggesting that even the best of people can be destroyed by addiction.

Overall, the lyrics of "Can't Stop" are a powerful portrayal of the destructive nature of addiction, and the difficulties faced by those trying to overcome it.

Line by Line Meaning

Can't stop
I'm unable to stop myself from whatever I'm doing

And face the facts
I'm not willing to confront the reality of the situation

I'm high strung and I can't relax.
I'm always tense and unable to unwind

Tune me down cause I'm feeling sharp.
Please calm me down because I'm feeling agitated

My blood's too weak and it strains my heart.
My blood pressure is too low and it's affecting my heart

And hearts of gold can turn to grey.
Even the most kind-hearted people can become jaded over time

And wills of iron can melt away.
Even the most determined individuals can become demotivated and give up

Hey, this looks like the place,
This seems to be the right location for us

We can stop, pick up some fame.
We have the opportunity to gain recognition or success here

Oh doctor please.
I'm seeking medical help

I bruise so easy and I cut so clean,
I'm very vulnerable to physical injury