The band's website once noted Cracker as "The only band to ever open for both Grateful Dead and Ramones," a unique distinction which is also indicative of the band's sound and style. Cracker comfortably mixes influences and sounds ranging from classic country music, psychedelia, punk and folk into their brand of "Americana" style rock.
Lowery and Hickman are inalterable constants. The band continues to tour (as a full band, and also as the "Cracker acoustic duo").
Something You Ain't Got
Cracker Lyrics
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And the second dance cost me my heart
Now I'm here on this barstool,
Like a circle it ends where it starts
And it goes something like this
Always a swing and a miss
Well I ain't seen you since I drank all night
I come stumblin' home to sleep alone but it's alright
Yeah it's alright
And it's hard to tell what it is and what it's not
Until it is something that you ain't got
It's something you ain't got
It's something you ain't got
Well I woke up hung over in the squalor
Where I make my home
Ate my heart out for breakfast,
Then I met the day stoned
And it goes something like this
Always a swing and a miss
Well I ain't seen you since I drank all night
Now my eyes are black 'cause I fought all night
I come stumblin' home to sleep alone but it's alright
Yeah it's alright
And it's hard to tell what it is and what it's not
Until it is something that you ain't got
It's something you ain't got
It's something you ain't got
It's something you ain't got
It's something you ain't got
Well I ain't seen you since I drank all night
Now my eyes are black 'cause I fought all night
I come stumblin' home to sleep alone but it's alright
Yeah it's alright
And it's hard to tell what it is and what it's not
Until it is something that you ain't got
It's something you ain't got
It's something you ain't got
It's something you ain't got
It's something you ain't got
'Cause it's alright, yeah it's alright
The lyrics of Cracker's song, "Something You Ain't Got," tell a story of a man who is reflecting on his past experiences with women, alcohol, and fighting. The first verse alludes to the idea that the singer has been hurt in the past by love, as he mentions that the second dance cost him his heart. He is now drinking away his sorrow in a bar and feeling stuck in a cycle of failed attempts at relationships, as indicated by the line "Like a circle it ends where it starts." The chorus focuses on the feeling of lacking something, which is only realized when it is already gone. The singer is struggling to pinpoint what exactly it is that he is missing.
The second verse takes a darker turn, as the singer wakes up hungover and disheveled in his less-than-ideal living situation. He is still feeling the effects of his drunken night, both physically and emotionally. The chorus repeats, emphasizing again how the man cannot recognize what is missing from his life until he has lost it. The song seems to end on a somewhat resigned note, as the singer acknowledges that he is alone but also reassures himself that it's alright.
Overall, the lyrics of "Something You Ain't Got" paint a somber picture of a man who is struggling to find his place in the world, and who has been hurt by his own choices and circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Well the first dance cost me a quarter,
The initial interaction with the person cost very little.
And the second dance cost me my heart
The second interaction with the person was much more meaningful and had a significant impact on the singer.
Now I'm here on this barstool,
The singer is now sitting in a bar, possibly feeling down or lost.
Like a circle it ends where it starts
The artist feels like their life is stuck in a cycle, where they keep making the same mistakes.
And it goes something like this
Life keeps repeating the same pattern for the artist.
Always a swing and a miss
The singer never seems to be successful in their endeavors.
Well I ain't seen you since I drank all night
The singer hasn't seen the person they're addressing since they spent a night drinking.
Now my eyes are black 'cause I fought all night
The artist may have gotten into a physical fight that resulted in them having bruises around their eyes.
I come stumblin' home to sleep alone but it's alright
The artist is used to coming home alone, possibly after a night of drinking, and is okay with it for the most part.
And it's hard to tell what it is and what it's not
The artist struggles to differentiate between what is real and what isn't.
Until it is something that you ain't got
The singer realizes the value of something only after they've lost it.
It's something you ain't got
The thing the artist lost is something they don't possess anymore.
Well I woke up hung over in the squalor
The singer woke up in a bad state, possibly in poor living conditions.
Where I make my home
The singer has been in this place for a while, possibly because they can't afford anything better.
Ate my heart out for breakfast,
The singer is feeling emotionally drained and is using food as a coping mechanism.
Then I met the day stoned
The artist starts their day under the influence of drugs.
'Cause it's alright, yeah it's alright
The artist is trying to convince themselves that everything is okay, even though it may not be.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DWIGHT YOUNG, ROBERT MCCUTCHEON, RAY ZACHARY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind