Flotsam and Jetsam is an American thrash metal band that was formed in Phoe… Read Full Bio ↴Flotsam and Jetsam is an American thrash metal band that was formed in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1981. Before settling on its current name in 1984, the band had existed under three different names, Paradox, Dredlox and Dogz. Their current lineup includes vocalist Eric "A.K" Knutson, guitarists Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley, bassist Bill Bodily, and drummer Ken Mary. Flotsam and Jetsam went through several lineup changes over the years, leaving Knutson as the only constant member. They are also notable for featuring founding member and bassist Jason Newsted, who left the band shortly after the release of their debut album to join Metallica as Cliff Burton's successor.

Flotsam and Jetsam has released fourteen studio albums in their career, with the latest being 2021's Blood in the Water. Despite not achieving similar levels of commercial success as some of their thrash metal contemporaries, the band emerged as part of the second wave of the genre in the mid-to-late 1980s (along with Sepultura, Testament and Death Angel), and has enjoyed some moderate success in the United States, with two of their albums (1988's No Place for Disgrace and 1990's When the Storm Comes Down) entering the Billboard 200 chart, and their fourth album Cuatro (1992) cracking the top 30 on the Heatseekers chart.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flotsam_and_Jetsam_(band)

Discography
Doomsday for the Deceiver (1986)
No Place for Disgrace (1988)
When the Storm Comes Down (1990)
Cuatro (1992)
Drift (1995)
High (1997)
Unnatural Selection (1999)
My God (2001)
Dreams of Death (2005)
The Cold (2010)
Ugly Noise (2012)
Flotsam and Jetsam (2016)
The End of Chaos (2019)
Blood in the Water (2021)

High
Flotsam and Jetsam Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I know it seems
Like I like falling
Too glazed to try crawling
Very good at alcoholing
Very good at alcoholing

If I can't get high
Then I can't get by

So I won't be buying it
No, no, no

I guess I don't really care
As long as the juice shows up there
Take a peek in the mirror
To see who's there
I guess I don't really care

If I can't get high
Then I can't get by
So I won't be buying it
No I won't be buying it
If I can't get high
Then I can't get by
So I won't be buying it
No, no, no

They told me it'll thrill ya
Just like the bottle it'll spill ya
The fucking combination'll kill ya
They told me it'll thrill ya

If I can't get high
Then I can't get by
So I won't be buying it
No I won't be buying it
If I can't get high
Then I can't get by
So I won't be buying it
No I won't be buying it
If I can't get high
Then I can't get by

So I won't be buying it
No

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Flotsam and Jetsam's "High" depict the singer's reliance on drugs and alcohol to cope with life. The first verse expresses the feeling of being too overwhelmed to even try to stand back up, relying on alcohol to numb any pain. The repeated line "very good at alcoholing" emphasizes the singer's proficiency in drinking, suggesting it is a regular and habitual activity.

The chorus repeats the sentiment of needing to be high to function, stating that without it, they cannot get by. This suggests a dependency and addiction to drugs or alcohol. The lines "I won't be buying it" could be interpreted as a desire to quit, but the repetition of the chorus implies the difficulty in breaking the cycle of dependency.

The second verse paints the picture of the singer not caring about their actions or appearance, only focused on getting their next fix. The use of the pronoun "they" in the third verse suggests outside pressure or influence to use drugs or alcohol, warning of their dangers but tempting with promises of excitement.

Overall, the lyrics suggest a struggle with addiction and a desire to quit, but an inability to do so.

Line by Line Meaning

I know it seems
Acknowledging that it may appear a certain way

Like I like falling
Enjoying the sensation of losing control

Too glazed to try crawling
Too far gone to make an effort to improve

Very good at alcoholing
Skilled at consuming alcohol

If I can't get high
If unable to attain the desired level of intoxication

Then I can't get by
Unable to cope with life's challenges

So I won't be buying it
Won't obtain substances to achieve that state

No, no, no
Emphatically refusing

I guess I don't really care
Feeling apathetic

As long as the juice shows up there
As long as the desired substance is available

Take a peek in the mirror
Reflecting on oneself

To see who's there
Examining one's true self

If I can't get high
If unable to attain the desired level of intoxication

Then I can't get by
Unable to cope with life's challenges

So I won't be buying it
Won't obtain substances to achieve that state

No I won't be buying it
Emphatically refusing

They told me it'll thrill ya
Others claimed it will be exciting

Just like the bottle it'll spill ya
Similar to a bottle of alcohol leading to negative consequences

The fucking combination'll kill ya
The dangerous mixture will harm you

If I can't get high
If unable to attain the desired level of intoxication

Then I can't get by
Unable to cope with life's challenges

So I won't be buying it
Won't obtain substances to achieve that state

No I won't be buying it
Emphatically refusing

If I can't get high
If unable to attain the desired level of intoxication

Then I can't get by
Unable to cope with life's challenges

So I won't be buying it
Won't obtain substances to achieve that state

No
Emphatically refusing

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, Cloud9
Written by: MICHAEL JOHN CLARK, DARRYN WILLIAM S HARKNESS, GRANT RONALD HAYNES, BENJAMIN AUGUSTO SMITH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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