Influenced by SoCal punk rockers like Offspring and blink-182, as well as older bands from the area (which they learned about from their dad's record collection; he was the guitarist of T.S.O.L.), Max Kuehn (drums) and his brother Elvis (guitar/vocals) were playing punk shows around L.A. by their teens. By the time they were out of high school, guitarist/vocalist Zac Carper and bassist Brandon Schwartzel had joined up. Later the group went the independent route and started a homespun label to record material, while embracing the reaches of the Internet and making several videos to promote their music and as motivation to film their drunken antics.
Mom & Pop signed them in 2012 for their debut album, FIDLAR, which was released in early 2013. The album debuted at number five on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and number two on the Alternative New Artist chart, and was the number one most added release at CMJ. After touring the world with bands like the Pixies, the Hives, Black Lips, and Wavves, the band ended up back home in need of a break. After starting a new album, but finding the songs and self-produced sound too FIDLAR-y for their liking, Carper headed out on a road trip, wrote a new batch of songs inspired by the music of his youth -- Elvis Kuehn and Schwartzel wrote some too -- and the band headed to Nashville to try again with producer Jay Joyce.
The resulting album, 2015's Too, featured a more mature outlook and some musical muscle, topping Billboard's Heatseekers chart and charting well in the U.K. and Australia. Following tours for Too, FIDLAR remained relatively quiet for a period, eventually beginning work on album number three with Ricky Reed, a producer better known for his work with mainstream pop acts like Kesha and Halsey. After a handful of advance singles in 2018, the band's third LP, Almost Free, was released in January 2019.
Biography by Jason Lymangrover
Bad Medicine
Fidlar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it's hard to be apart
Until the next girl you see
When you're drunk at the bar
You ask me why you do it
I couldn't care less
I just smile and shrug
No I wont say shit
That silver spoon
That you always had
Well you bent it up
And you burnt it black
So I'll take the bottle
You take that spoon
I'll shoot at the bar you'll shoot in your room
I'll drown my liver lie and say I'm sick
While you shake in your room trying to kick
That bad medicine
You'll shake the needle and the damage is done
But when it's time for "I'm sorry"
Cat's got your tongue
We'll be fine without that bad medicine
Till you're blacked out drunk and you piss on me again
We'll be fine without that bad medicine
Till you're blacked out drunk and you piss on me again
It's just that bad medicine
In Fidlar's song "Bad Medicine," the lyrics focus on the negative consequences of drug and alcohol addiction. The first verse addresses the dynamic between two friends, one who claims to miss his ex-girlfriend but seeks out other women while drunk at the bar. The other friend, who is not interested in the drama, refuses to comment on the situation or the addictive behavior. The second verse shifts the focus to the consequences of drug addiction, symbolized by the silver spoon that is bent and burnt, and reinforces the idea that addiction leads to self-destructive behavior. The chorus drives home the idea that addiction is like "bad medicine" that can poison relationships and ruin lives.
The repeated use of the phrase "bad medicine" acts as a metaphor for addiction - it may offer temporary relief or comfort, but ultimately causes harm and exacerbates problems. The song also touches on the idea that addiction can make it difficult to admit fault or apologize for one's behavior. The line "When it's time for 'I'm sorry' / Cat's got your tongue" suggests that the addict may find it hard to express remorse due to guilt, shame, or the physical effects of addiction.
Overall, "Bad Medicine" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of addiction and the impact it can have on relationships. It highlights the conflicts that can arise between friends when addiction is involved, as well as the self-destructive tendencies that come with substance abuse.
Line by Line Meaning
You say you miss her
You claim to feel her absence
And it's hard to be apart
It's difficult to stay away from her
Until the next girl you see
Until another woman comes along
When you're drunk at the bar
When you're intoxicated at a bar
You ask me why you do it
You inquire as to why you repeat this cycle
I couldn't care less
I am not concerned either way
I just smile and shrug
I respond with a smile and a shrug
No I wont say shit
I will not speak about it
About that bad medicine
Regarding that harmful addiction
That silver spoon
The spoon for your drug of choice
That you always had
That you kept on hand
Well you bent it up
You deformed it
And you burnt it black
You charred it to blacken it
So I'll take the bottle
I'll opt for alcohol instead
You take that spoon
You can keep using that spoon for your drugs
I'll shoot at the bar you'll shoot in your room
I'll drink at the bar as you do drugs in your room
I'll drown my liver lie and say I'm sick
I'll harm myself with alcohol and make excuses
While you shake in your room trying to kick
While you try to quit/detox in your room and suffer withdrawal symptoms
That bad medicine
That harmful addiction
You'll shake the needle and the damage is done
You'll use the drug(s) and the negative effects have already occurred
But when it's time for "I'm sorry"
When apologies are needed
Cat's got your tongue
You are speechless/hesitant to say sorry
We'll be fine without that bad medicine
We don't need that addiction in our lives
Till you're blacked out drunk and you piss on me again
Until you're heavily intoxicated and urinate on me as you've done before
We'll be fine without that bad medicine
We can live a good life without harmful addictions
Till you're blacked out drunk and you piss on me again
Until you repeat your previous mistake of urinating on me while heavily intoxicated
It's just that bad medicine
It's only that harmful addiction
Contributed by Wyatt V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.