Moodswing Whiskey
Jeff Buckley Lyrics


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Mood swing whiskey
Drank it all in the morning
Waiting for the dark to move in
Sitting in my step-sister's kitchen
Horseflies on the window sill
Eyes trained on the lemon king
And wishing it were a gun
I'm thinking of our wedding rings
Trapped inside the heater
Spring water on the floor of this
Sex starved room

The nightmare's fires burn
The waves of bliss
I tried to stop it with my hand
I was lost in the kiss
With you

Mood swing whiskey
Your bliss, the actress,
Bliss, the assassin
Bliss, the abyss

Did a crazy shot of whiskey
In about zero to sixty
All I could see was the beer

I face the future with a drink in my right
Eyes to the sparkling gloom
Body naked, afraid, and amazed

Say boost me up to your junkyard paradise
Boost me up to your junkyard paradise
With a sweet-ass photo of you

She cheated, and she lied, and you stole her
Stung my tongue just like
Sweat from her shoulder

Ooh, mood swing whiskey
Your love, the destroyer
Love, the destroyer
Love, love...

Yes mood swing whiskey has my brain
Only you can break this chain
Are you here in my bed again
Can you hear my love again (x4)

Run down the subway station babe
I'm packing my rod
All and present histories erased
I am a punishing god
Mood swing whiskey
Yeah the leaves are made of
Messy things again

And I said this is all the headless acrobats
Faces crushed in the circus dust
All for the law of gravity
And the price of admission

Beautiful loser warm hearts have let you down
Beautiful loser warm hearts have left you
Oh no, you...

I think of mankind in quotation marks
Ever since I took a drink from you
This is for all the headless acrobats
Faces crushed in the circus dust
All in the name of gravity
And the price of admission

Beautiful loser while eyes have let you now
Beautiful loser while eyes have let you now
Cause you're beautiful





I think of mankind in quotation marks
Ever since I took a drink of you

Overall Meaning

Jeff Buckley's "Moodswing Whiskey" is a song that explores themes such as love, regret, and addiction. The song describes the singer's experience of drinking mood swing whiskey and being lost in his thoughts, waiting for the dark to move in. He is in his step-sister's kitchen, staring at the lemon king wishing it was a gun. The lyrics also touch on the singer's relationship with his partner and the struggles he faces, including the temptation of other women.


The chorus repeats the phrase "mood swing whiskey" and explores the idea that addiction can be both blissful and destructive. The singer acknowledges that he is addicted to the whiskey and wonders if anyone else can break the chain. Later in the song, he talks about packing his rod and erasing all present histories, indicating that he is ready to leave his past behind and start anew.


Overall, "Moodswing Whiskey" is a somber yet powerful song that speaks to many of the challenges faced by those struggling with addiction and the possible consequences of their actions.


Line by Line Meaning

Mood swing whiskey
Intense, unpredictable emotions fueled by alcohol


Drank it all in the morning
Started drinking alcohol early in the day


Waiting for the dark to move in
Anticipating the arrival of a difficult or problematic situation


Sitting in my step-sister's kitchen
Finding oneself in an uncomfortable or unfamiliar environment


Horseflies on the window sill
Distractions or disturbances from the outside world


Eyes trained on the lemon king
Focusing intently on a particular object or person


And wishing it were a gun
Feeling a desire for something dangerous or destructive


I'm thinking of our wedding rings
Reflecting on a past relationship or commitment


Trapped inside the heater
Feeling stuck or trapped in a difficult situation


Spring water on the floor of this
A sign of purity or renewal amidst chaos


Sex starved room
A place lacking intimacy or connection


The nightmare's fires burn
Feeling overwhelmed by negative emotions or memories


The waves of bliss
Experiencing intense pleasure or happiness


I tried to stop it with my hand
Attempting to resist temptation or desire


I was lost in the kiss
Becoming deeply immersed in a romantic moment


Your bliss, the actress,
The way that happiness can be deceiving or performative


Bliss, the assassin
Happiness that can cause harm or destruction


Bliss, the abyss
Happiness that leads to a sense of emptiness or nothingness


Did a crazy shot of whiskey
Consumed a large or reckless amount of alcohol


In about zero to sixty
Quickly or impulsively


All I could see was the beer
Alcohol clouding or distorting one's perception or judgment


I face the future with a drink in my right
Approaching the future with a reliance on alcohol


Eyes to the sparkling gloom
Seeing beauty or potential in a dark or bleak situation


Body naked, afraid, and amazed
Feeling exposed and vulnerable yet also exhilarated


Say boost me up to your junkyard paradise
Yearning for escape or refuge in a less-than-ideal place


With a sweet-ass photo of you
Holding onto a memory or idealized version of a person


She cheated, and she lied, and you stole her
Feeling betrayed or wronged by someone


Stung my tongue just like
An experience that causes pain or discomfort


Sweat from her shoulder
A physical sign of passion or excitement


Your love, the destroyer
The idea of love being destructive or harmful


Yes mood swing whiskey has my brain
Alcohol influencing one's thoughts and behavior


Only you can break this chain
A person or situation being the only means of escape or resolution


Are you here in my bed again
Yearning for someone's presence or closeness


Can you hear my love again (x4)
Desiring validation or reciprocity in a romantic relationship


Run down the subway station babe
Escaping or running away from a situation


I'm packing my rod
Preparing for a confrontation or challenge


All and present histories erased
Starting anew or letting go of the past


I am a punishing god
Feeling a sense of power or control over others


The leaves are made of
Nature serving as a reminder of the beauty and chaos of life


Messy things again
The recurrence of difficulties or problems


Beautiful loser warm hearts have let you down
Feeling let down or disappointed by people one cares about


Beautiful loser warm hearts have left you
Experiencing loneliness or abandonment


Oh no, you...
An expression of frustration or sadness


I think of mankind in quotation marks
A comment on the complexities and contradictions of human behavior


Ever since I took a drink from you
The idea that a single experience can influence one's perception of the world


All for the law of gravity
The idea that everything is subject to natural laws or forces


And the price of admission
The idea of having to pay a price or make a sacrifice for something


Beautiful loser while eyes have let you now
Being defeated or rejected by the world


Cause you're beautiful
An affirmation of one's inherent worth or beauty




Lyrics Β© CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MICHAEL TIGHE, JEFF BUCKLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@LostSoulAscension

This version's Lyrics(interpreted by me):
Moodswing whiskey
Drink it all in the trailer
Waiting for the dark to move in
Sitting in my step sisters kitchen
Horse flies on the window sill
Eyes trained on the lemon peel
And wishing it were a gun
I'm thinking of my wedding ring
Trapped inside the heater
Spring water on the floor of this sex starved room.

Your nightmare falls around me
In waves of bliss
Tried to stop it with my hand, I was lost in a kiss with you,
Moodswing whiskey
Your bliss, the actress, bliss the assassin, bliss the abyss.

Took a sleezy shot of whiskey from zero to sixty,
All I could see was the bill.
I'm singin to a melody, with a drink in my right hand
Eyes sparkling flame and (can't hear)
Said buzz me up to your junkyard paradise.(2x)
Baby I need a sweet ass photo of you.
I cheated and I lied,
And you stole her;
Stung my tongue just like the sweat from her shoulder.
Ooh moodswing whiskey
You love the destroyer(3x)

Yes moodswing whiskey fuck my brain.
Only you could break this chain.
Lend me her in my bed again.
Yeah, yeah, oh yeah oh yeah.(4x)
Go down to the subway station packin a ride.
All unnecessary histories erased.
I am a punishing God,
Moodswing whiskey,
Your prodigal son has returned.

This is for all the headless acrobats,
Faces crushed in the circus dust.
All in the name of gravity and the price of admission.
Beautiful loser, while eyes have let'ch you know.(2x)
Cause youre beautiful,
I think of mankind in quotation marks.
Ever since I took a drink of you.



@LostSoulAscension

This version's Lyrics(interpreted by me):
Moodswing whiskey
Drink it all in the trailer
Waiting for the dark to move in
Sitting in my step sisters kitchen
Horse flies on the window sill
Eyes trained on the lemon peel
And wishing it were a gun
I'm thinking of my wedding ring
Trapped inside the heater
Spring water on the floor of this sex starved room.

Your nightmare falls around me
In waves of bliss
Tried to stop it with my hand, I was lost in a kiss with you,
Moodswing whiskey
Your bliss, the actress, bliss the assassin, bliss the abyss.

Took a sleezy shot of whiskey from zero to sixty,
All I could see was the bill.
I'm singin to a melody, with a drink in my right hand
Eyes sparkling flame and (can't hear)
Said buzz me up to your junkyard paradise.(2x)
Baby I need a sweet ass photo of you.
I cheated and I lied,
And you stole her;
Stung my tongue just like the sweat from her shoulder.
Ooh moodswing whiskey
You love the destroyer(3x)

Yes moodswing whiskey fuck my brain.
Only you could break this chain.
Lend me her in my bed again.
Yeah, yeah, oh yeah oh yeah.(4x)
Go down to the subway station packin a ride.
All unnecessary histories erased.
I am a punishing God,
Moodswing whiskey,
Your prodigal son has returned.

This is for all the headless acrobats,
Faces crushed in the circus dust.
All in the name of gravity and the price of admission.
Beautiful loser, while eyes have let'ch you know.(2x)
Cause youre beautiful,
I think of mankind in quotation marks.
Ever since I took a drink of you.



All comments from YouTube:

@WolfAtTheDoor28

The last line always gets me, "I think of mankind in quotation marks, ever since I took a drink of you." Utterly beautiful, I really love this song. He died a year after I was born,yet a feel really connected to him. Rest in peace, Jeff.

@jemmace2586

One of my favourite Jeff Buckley tunes, it's poetic and raw in angry and disgruntled way, very unique.
Your monicker... One of my favourite Radiohead song's, the best rap I've ever heard, and the drumming. Wow.

@DemonJohn97

This is an absolute masterpiece of a song. It's angry, poetic, mysterious, damn what a poet and artistic juggernaught Jeff was. I wonder if he would have wanted this on that second album. It's probably the Jeff track that has grown on me the most since I first heard it.

@finzband3767

Totally agree - this song both unnerves me and excites me

@Kyle-91

The Memphis demo version that was left off Sketches is incredible. The closest thing there is to a studio recording.

@snoozieboi

One of my top favs, might even be top 3 of his. So good it makes me not worry about dying, but worry about not hearing this song anymore and at the same time try to stay away from it as if I'd wear out the bliss one day.

@malikaaebischer2039

what a song ! what an artist ! can t stop listenning this piece of art...

@charlesscott7782

I cant stop singing it sometimes. tryin. :) Like most of his. :/

@malikaaebischer2039

+charles scott i can relate to what u said :D he was a poet and incredible guitatist with an angel's voice. oh and yes little bonus he was funny smart and handsome as hell. this guy win at the lotery for our biggest pleasure!

@sofianoiti

A masterpiece! We lost a genius. This song could have changed rock music forever. Big loss for the music world.

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