O.D. Blues
Grandpaboy Lyrics
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Up all day, looking like a wreck
Listening to the blues
You say you’re gonna ring my neck
I close my eyes in time with the beat
I close my eyes in time with the beat
Will my little boy save me? Will he call me at a quarter to 3?
And heave my guts right out
Made me fight and pull myself up
And heave my guts out
Every scrap of food that was in there, and everything else without a shadow of a doubt
Well I lost count when I took four
I lost count but it took four calls to bring me ‘round
And the one that finally got me
Didn’t have nothing to say at all
Well, the next time I O.D., babe
I’m gonna wear a dirty shirt
Well, the next time I O..D., babe
I’m gonna wear a dirty shirt
Ain’t no sense in wrecking one of my
Fancy (?) fine shirts
Whatever happened to Paul?
I don’t know
Whatever happened to Paul?
I don’t know
He fell in with bad companions
And he lived happily ever after, you
can go
Grandpaboy's "O.D. Blues" describes a person who has been awake for an extended period, listening to the blues and contemplating life. The singer is worried that someone is going to ring their neck, possibly due to their self-destructive behavior. The singer tries to find solace in the music and drifts off, wondering if their son will call them at three in the morning to save them from themselves. The singer describes feeling sick and heaving their guts out, alluding to a previous overdose. The song ends with a comical line about wearing a dirty shirt if there ever is a next overdose.
The song's lyrical content explores themes of addiction and depression, which are prevalent topics in the blues genre. The singer seems to feel trapped in their own cycle of self-destruction and questions whether they will ever escape it. By singing about the singer's experiences with addiction, the song reminds the listener of the dangers of substance abuse and the need for support.
Line by Line Meaning
Up all day, looking like a wreck
I've been awake for hours and look terrible
Listening to the blues
I'm listening to sad music
You say you’re gonna ring my neck
Someone is angry with me
I close my eyes in time with the beat
I'm trying to find comfort in the rhythm of the music
Will my little boy save me? Will he call me at a quarter to 3?
I hope my son will help me when I'm in trouble
Make me fight and pull myself up
I need to find the strength to overcome my struggles
And heave my guts right out
I feel sick and want to vomit
Every scrap of food that was in there, and everything else without a shadow of a doubt
I feel like I'm going to throw up everything I've eaten, and more
Well I lost count when I took four
I took too many drugs or pills and lost track of how many
And the one that finally got me
The last call I received was the one that made me pass out
Didn’t have nothing to say at all
The caller didn't have anything important to tell me
Well, the next time I O.D., babe
If I overdose again
I’m gonna wear a dirty shirt
I won't bother wearing something nice as it might get dirty or ruined
Ain’t no sense in wrecking one of my fancy (?) fine shirts
I don't want to damage any of my expensive clothing
Whatever happened to Paul?
I wonder what became of Paul
I don’t know
I have no idea
He fell in with bad companions
Paul started hanging out with people who are a bad influence
And he lived happily ever after
He probably didn't live happily ever after
Contributed by Max T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.