Ketamine for breakfast
Kate Tempest Lyrics

Now look here, in the house opposite
The singer is drawing attention to the house across the street

Black gate posts with a concrete frog squatting on top of it
The gate is recognizable by the frog figurine atop the post

Through the hallway
Continuation of the singer's observation of the house

Ancient wallpaper, nicotine gold
The wallpaper has aged with a yellow hue due to exposure to nicotine

Up the stairs, rickety
The staircase is unstable and shaky

Loaded with history
The building has a rich backstory

Here, in the top flat
The singer is on the top floor of the building

Flowers on the windowsill
There are flowers sitting on the windowsill

Little breeze fluttering the petals as they stare out
The wind is causing the flowers to shake while they overlook the city streets

At the city streets
The artist is looking out at the street below

Gemma is awake
The singer introduces Gemma as the character in the story who is now awake

What woke her?
The artist is questioning what caused Gemma to wake up

Open eyes, street lights float slowly through broken blinds
Gemma is looking at the streetlights shining through the broken blinds of the window

She watches as the light plays across the tattered carpet
Gemma observes the way the light reflects on the old carpet in the room

And she holds herself tight in the room's half darkness
Gemma is holding herself tightly in the dim room

It's cold
The room is chilly

She wedges her hands underneath her armpits
Gemma puts her hands under her armpits for warmth

It's 04:18
The time is 4:18 in the morning

And Gemma's thinking
The singer highlights that Gemma is in deep thought

Before I was a adult
Gemma is reflecting on her past

I was a little wreck
The artist describes Gemma's state of being when she was younger

Peddling whatever I could get my grubby mitts on
Gemma sold anything she could get her hands on

Ketamine for beakfast
Gemma admits to using ketamine as a substance in the morning

Bad girls were drinking with
Gemma spent time with rough girls who were drinking

I gave 'em puppy dog eyes for the acid on their fingertips
Gemma used her charm to get her friends to share acid with her

Heads in the basement
Gemma and others were using drugs downstairs

Lips without faces
Gemma remembers people kissing without faces which represents a hazy memory

Getting faced in, half-baked in a bakery
Gemma is getting high while feeling half-baked, referencing that she is still struggling to function normally

Eating pastries
Gemma is indulging in pastries while enjoying drugs with her friends

Desperate for a body who could save me
Gemma admits to feeling lost and seeking salvation from someone else

But I never really wondered what they gave me
Gemma is unsure of the substances she was taking

Always wanted something else
Gemma always craved something more in life

Sweating in the door queue
Gemma waited in line anxiously

Spittin' like a villain in the pantomime old shoes
Gemma is recalling herself acting aggressively while wearing old shoes

Bad teeth
Gemma recalls having bad teeth, which could be due to drug usage

Drinking in the rain with my ghost
Gemma is drinking in the rain with her unresolved past

Sitting in the back of the class, comatose
Gemma remembers her school days when she sat in the back of the class while being spaced out

Uh, feelings on my back in the dark
Gemma is feeling overwhelmed and lost in the dark

Hold me close
The singer wants to be held by someone for comfort

But you never held
The artist didn't receive that comfort they hoped for

I did some things I swore I'd never
The artist admits to doing things they promised themselves they wouldn't do

'Til that night you tried to kill me
The singer experienced a traumatic event where someone attempted to harm them

Run me down with your car in the snow
The singer was chased by someone who tried to run them over with their car

I didn't realize I thought you would go
The artist didn't expect the person to come after them in such a violent way

Every day I live lives in the day I wake up in
The artist is living in the present and trying to escape the memories of the past

My dreams are all screaming 'Oh fuck!'
The artist's dreams are causing them distress and anxiety

But I'm fine now
The singer insists that they are okay despite their struggles

Something remains, it's still pulling me
The artist is haunted by a lingering issue that won't leave them alone

Yeah my future is bright but my past tryna ruin me
The singer sees a positive future for themselves, but their past is threatening to ruin their chances

Tried to change it but I know
The singer has attempted to change their situation but is struggling

If you're good to me I will let you go
The singer will let someone go if they treat them well

Tried to fight it but I'm sure
The artist fought against their past but is now certain of their feelings

If you're bad to me, I will like you more
The artist is drawn to people who treat them poorly

I saw some things when I was young
The singer reflects on witnessing things in their youth

That made me who I would become
The singer believes their experiences influenced who they are today

I feel them with me everyday
The artist is haunted by the memories of their past every day

'Cause if you try and run away
The artist can't escape their past despite their efforts

They run beside you place for place
The artist's past experiences follow them constantly

Trip you up and drag your face
The singer's past is a hindrance that will trip them up

Freedom out of every waste
The artist hopes to find freedom from their past

They chancing every bit of taste
The singer's past experiences have tainted their perception of life

Heart is sprayed up with the names
The singer's heart is filled with the names of people from their past

Of all my friends who lost their way
The singer remembers friends who also struggled and didn't find their way

Doesn't change it all remains
Despite the artist's attempts to change, their past still haunts them

It takes my strength and gives me shame
The past takes away the artist's strength and gives them feelings of shame

All I want is someone great
The singer is searching for someone who is a positive influence

To make me everything I ain't
The singer wishes someone could make them into the person they've always wanted to be

But the only ones for me
The artist feels drawn to a certain type of person

Are the ones that shouldn't be
The artist is attracted to people who are not good for them

Even though I'm doing good
The artist is doing well despite their past

I'm working hard, my work is strong
The singer is putting effort into their work and it shows

Might be fun just for a while
The artist is considering revisiting their past for temporary pleasure

To go back to where my hurt is from
The singer wants to revisit the source of their past pain

Rinse myself through emptiness
The singer wants to rid themselves of pain by experiencing emptiness

And push my body close to
The singer desires physical closeness for comfort

Anybody who can recognize the presence of my ghost
The artist wants someone who understands their past and can help them confront their demons