After performing in a number of metal bands in high school, Townsend was discovered by a record label in 1993 and was asked to perform lead vocals on Steve Vai's album Sex & Religion. After recording and touring with Vai, Townsend was discouraged by what he found in the music industry, and vented his anger on a solo album released under the pseudonym Strapping Young Lad. He soon assembled a band under the name, and released the critically acclaimed City in 1997. Since then, he has released three more studio albums with Strapping Young Lad, along with solo material released under his own independent record label, HevyDevy Records. Townsend's solo albums, a diverse mix of hard rock and progressive metal, have featured a varying lineup of supporting musicians. In 2002 he formed The Devin Townsend Band, a dedicated lineup which recorded and toured for two of his solo releases.
In 2007, Townsend disbanded both Strapping Young Lad and The Devin Townsend Band, taking a break from touring to spend more time with his family. After a two-year hiatus, he began work on a four-album series called The Devin Townsend Project, with each album written in a different style. The first two entries in the series, Ki and Addicted, were released in 2009. Townsend scheduled tours throughout Australia and North America in 2010 in support of the albums, and released the next two, Deconstruction and Ghost, in 2011.
Townsend's trademark production style, featuring a heavily multitracked wall of sound, has been compared to the styles of Phil Spector and Frank Zappa. His versatile vocal delivery ranges from screaming to an opera-esque singing, and his songwriting is similarly diverse. Townsend's musical style is rooted in metal, and his albums are written to express different aspects of his personality.
Detox
Devin Townsend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With The Wrong People
And I Can't Control My Thoughts
I Wish That I Could Sleep
And Just Get This Over With
...This Is Only High School Bullshit...
I Was Warned
Absolutely Numb
No Good Around People
Everyone Knows And Watches Me
How Did I Get Here Tonight?
What Am I Doing Here?
How Did I Reach This State?
How Did I Lose My Sight?
I'm Lost ... I'm Freaking
And Everybody Knows ... Everyone's Watching
...So Here's All My Hopes And Aspirations
Nothing But Puke
God, It's So Lonely...
I Just Want To Feel
The lyrics of Devin Townsend's Detox paint a picture of someone who is struggling with their thoughts and emotions, feeling overwhelmed and out of control. The opening lines, "I've got a feeling with the wrong people, and I can't control my thoughts" convey a sense of being trapped and unable to escape a situation that is causing distress. The singer expresses a desire for respite, wishing that they could sleep and just get this over with. The repeated phrase, "I just want to feel" highlights the theme of emotional numbness and a longing for connection.
The second verse of the song continues to explore the singer's feelings of disconnection and isolation, with lines like "absolutely numb, no good around people, everyone knows and watches me." The repetition of the question, "how did I get here tonight?" reinforces the sense of disorientation and confusion that the singer feels. They are lost and freaking out, feeling like everyone is watching and judging them. The lyrics of the song build to a climax with the lines, "so here's all my hopes and aspirations, nothing but puke, god it's so lonely." This final verse conveys a sense of despair, as the singer feels like all of their hopes and dreams have been reduced to nothing.
Line by Line Meaning
I've Got A Feeling
The singer is experiencing a sense of unease or discomfort.
With The Wrong People
The singer is in the company of people who are not good for them.
And I Can't Control My Thoughts
The singer is unable to manage the thoughts that are plaguing them.
I Wish That I Could Sleep
The artist wishes to escape their current situation by going to sleep.
And Just Get This Over With
The artist desires to end their present ordeal.
...This Is Only High School Bullshit...
The singer thinks their problems are insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
I Just Want To Feel
The singer wants to experience something positive or pleasurable.
I Was Warned
The artist received advice or warning about their current situation.
Absolutely Numb
The artist feels emotionally dead inside.
No Good Around People
The artist is not comfortable in social situations.
Everyone Knows And Watches Me
The singer feels like they are being closely observed and judged by others.
How Did I Get Here Tonight?
The artist is struggling to understand how they ended up in their current situation.
What Am I Doing Here?
The singer is questioning the purpose or meaning of their current situation.
How Did I Reach This State?
The singer is trying to figure out how they came to feel so overwhelmed and lost.
How Did I Lose My Sight?
The singer is confused about how they lost their sense of direction or purpose.
I'm Lost ... I'm Freaking
The artist is feeling very disoriented and anxious.
And Everybody Knows ... Everyone's Watching
The artist feels like they are in a highly visible or public situation.
...So Here's All My Hopes And Aspirations
The singer is about to bare their soul or reveal their true feelings.
Nothing But Puke
The singer is ashamed of their true feelings and thinks they are worthless.
God, It's So Lonely...
The artist feels isolated and without support.
I Just Want To Feel
The artist desires to find a sense of emotional connection or experience.
Contributed by Aiden V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dutch Dagmar
I've Got A Feeling
With The Wrong People
And I Can't Control My Thoughts
I Wish That I Could Sleep
And Just Get This Over With
...This Is Only High School Bullshit...
I Just Want To Feel
I Was Warned
Absolutley Numb
No Good Around People
Everyone Knows And Watches Me
How Did I Get Here Tonight?
What Am I Doing Here?
How Did I Reach This State?
How Did I Lose My Sight?
I'm Lost ... I'm Freaking
And Everybody Knows ... Everyone's Watching
...So Here's All My Hopes And Aspirations
Nothing But Puke
God, It's So Lonely...
I Just Want To Feel
Aljaž Jarc
Holy shit! Devy is completely on another level vocally here. You really can't expect anything but perfection from him. 10/10
Duncan Stan
This may be the heaviest song ever that’s played with a capo
shadybrain3424
idk, if you play any song in the right tuning it can use a capo.
Duncan Stan
@shadybrain3424 lol sure. It's just funny to see.
metalpale94
Ahahah damn true
Jeremiah Nations
Why use the capo is what I'm thinking...
Duncan Stan
@Jeremiah Nations my guess they're playing this song in D, when he normally plays in C. Unless that guitar is in B and he capo-ing up to C#?
John Darville
20 odd years ago this was my gateway to Devin's music, I think it was on a Metal Hammer CD.
Devin, that you can still hit those highs after so long makes me moist.
Zaxaze
John, I love you. I bought that magazine. This song on that free cd made the same impact on me. Respect.
Carles Luis i Gabalda
Same here, lads!