http://www.nathanielrateliff.com/
Members:
Nathaniel Rateliff
Patrick Meese
Julie Davis
Joseph Pope III
James Han
S.O.B
Nathaniel Rateliff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna need somebody's hand
I'm gonna need someone to hold me down
I'm gonna need someone to care
I'm gonna writhe and shake my body
I'll start pulling out my hair
I'm going to cover myself with the ashes of you
And nobody's gonna give a damn
Son of a bitch
Give me a drink
Won't more night
This can't be me
Son of a bitch
If I can't get clean
I'm gonna drink my life away
Now for seventeen years I've been throwing them back
Seventeen more will bury me
Can somebody please just tie me down
Or somebody give me a goddamn drink
Son of a bitch
Give me a drink
Won't more night
This can't be me
Son of a bitch
If I can't get clean
I'm gonna drink my life away, ay yeah
My heart was breaking, hands are shaking, bugs were crawling all over me
My heart was breaking, hands are shaking, bugs were crawling all over me
My heart was breaking, hands are shaking, bugs were crawling all over me
My heart was aching, my hands were shaking, bugs were crawling all over me
Son of a bitch
Give me a drink
Won't more night
This can't be me
Son of a bitch
If I can't get clean
I'm gonna drink my life away
Son of a bitch
Give me a drink
Won't more bitch
This can't be me
Son of a bitch
If I can't get clean
I'm gonna drink my life away
The lyrics to Nathaniel Rateliff's song "S.O.B" describe the struggles of addiction and the desperation that comes with it. The singer is reaching out for help and support, asking for someone to hold him down and care for him. He describes the physical toll that addiction takes on his body, including writhing, shaking, and pulling out his hair. He talks about covering himself with the ashes of someone, presumably a loved one lost to addiction, yet nobody seems to care.
The chorus of the song, "Son of a bitch, give me a drink," is a powerful depiction of the desperation and craving that come with addiction. He repeats this line multiple times, further emphasizing the all-consuming nature of addiction. The verses that follow describe his history of drinking and the bleak future he sees for himself. He describes how he's been throwing them back for 17 years and how 17 more will bury him.
The bridge of the song provides even more insight into the physical and emotional suffering the singer is experiencing. He talks about his heart breaking, hands shaking, and bugs crawling all over him. These vivid descriptions further emphasize the pain and discomfort of addiction.
Overall, "S.O.B" is a hauntingly honest portrayal of addiction and the destructive nature of substance abuse. It's a cry for help from someone who feels lost and alone in their struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna need someone to help me
I require assistance from somebody
I'm gonna need somebody's hand
I require the hand of someone else for support
I'm gonna need someone to hold me down
I'll need someone to anchor me in place
I'm gonna need someone to care
I require someone who genuinely cares
I'm gonna writhe and shake my body
I will twist and shudder involuntarily
I'll start pulling out my hair
I'll begin yanking my own hair
I'm going to cover myself with the ashes of you
I'll be covered in the remnants of what's left of you
And nobody's gonna give a damn
No one will care about my predicament
Son of a bitch
An expression of anger or frustration
Give me a drink
I want an alcoholic beverage
Won't more night
I can't endure another night like this
This can't be me
I refuse to identify with this condition
If I can't get clean
If I can't overcome my addiction
I'm gonna drink my life away
I'll consume alcohol until it destroys me
Now for seventeen years I've been throwing them back
For the past seventeen years, I've been drinking alcohol excessively
Seventeen more will bury me
If I continue drinking for another seventeen years, it will lead to my demise
Can somebody please just tie me down
I need someone to restrain me
Or somebody give me a goddamn drink
Alternatively, just provide me with alcohol
My heart was breaking, hands are shaking, bugs were crawling all over me
I was experiencing physical and emotional distress, including tactile hallucinations
My heart was aching, my hands were shaking, bugs were crawling all over me
Repetition of the previous line for emphasis
Won't more bitch
Repetition of a previous line with a minor variation
If I can't get clean
Reiteration of a previous line
I'm gonna drink my life away
Reiteration of a previous line
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: NATHANIEL DAVID RATELIFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fr4dj0e55
Actually its about quitting drinking. He says:
Son of a bitch, give me a drink.
One more night, this cant be me.
Son of a bitch, if i cant get clean
I'm gonna drink my life away.
For 17 years I've been throwing them back
17 more will be bury me.
That's definitely about struggling to stay sober.
@jellybathwater
@@christine6878 Its especially hard for families of alcoholics. Heres the cold hard truth from a (recovered) alcoholic herself;
You do not come before alcohol. Getting a drink is No1 priority. We don't think of anything else. We don't even enjoy the drink thats in our hands because we are worrying about the next. Loved ones do not take up space in our thoughts unless they are buying. In drink we are the most selfish people on the planet....and we don't care.
You cant make him quit and for that matter, you cant use love/kids/even death to make him stop drinking. We know alcohol will kill us, so if we are not bothered about our own lives, so how do you think your life factors in our thoughts?
You cannot make him quit for anyone. It doesnt work that way. Quitting for someone else never works. Hes got to quit because he wants to.
Rock bottom is not real. People have this notion that if they wait for someone to reach a certain point, things will magically turn around. It almost never happens. Some people have a near death wake up call, this is true. But these are just stories. The hard fact is, rock bottom is death for most of us.
If you enable him, he will use you until there is nothing left. He will drain your soul if it got him another bottle.
Don't think this is a disease. It is not. And it will be removed from the DSM-V as such in the future. (There are plenty of arguments in the science community. Read about it) Alcohol is a choice. The disease part came because they want to sell sobriety (a multi billion dollar business). A disease is physiological. Like cancer, heart disease, etc. You need medication for diseases. For addiction, you just need to stop. You cant just stop having cancer can you?
But,
Alcohol causes disease, you can make your liver better by not drinking (I did)However, there comes a point of no return.
Finally. There is a choice and its yours. I know you probably still love him but that man is no longer there. You are waiting for him to come back and the truth is, people rarely come back from this. I wish it were different for you. But like I tell all long suffering families (im a therapist now) You have to think about your life because at the moment, you arent living and eventually his addiction will consume you entirely. Im sorry for my frankness, but I have this overwhelming urge to not pussyfoot around. People need to know the absolute truth of what it is really about. I wish you all the luck in the world. I also recommend that you talk to someone about what you go through on a daily basis. He may be the alcoholic. But you are the one suffering.
@jackmidiq
Lyrics I'm gonna need someone to help me
I'm gonna need somebody's hand
I'm gonna need someone to hold me down
I'm gonna need someone to care
I'm gonna writhe and shake my body
I'll start pulling out my hair
I'm going to cover myself with
The ashes of you and nobody's gonna give a damn
Son of a bitch
Give me a drink
One more night
This can't be me
Son of a bitch
If I can't get clean
I'm gonna drink my life away
Oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Now for seventeen years I've been throwing them back
Seventeen more will bury me
Can somebody please just tie me down
Or somebody give me a goddamn drink
Son of a bitch
Give me a drink
One more night
This can't be me
Son of a bitch
If I can't get clean
I'm gonna drink my life away
Mhm, mhm
Mhm, mhm, mhm, mhm
Mhm, mhm
Mhm, mhm, mhm, mhm
My heart was breaking, hands are shaking, bugs are crawling all over me
My heart was breaking, hands are shaking, bugs are crawling all over me
My heart was breaking, hands are shaking, bugs are crawling all over me
My heart was breaking, hands are shaking, bugs are crawling all over me
Son of a bitch
Give me a drink
One more night
This can't be me
Son of a bitch
If I can't get clean
I'm gonna drink my life away
Son of a bitch
Give me a drink
Son of a bitch
This can't be me
Son of a bitch
If I can't get clean
I'm gonna drink my life away
Oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
@chunkle0004
I first heard this song years ago on an indie radio station at 4am. I was driving home from my 3rd shift job, through a deserted area of downtown. It roared through the airwaves and lit a fire within me. It saved me from a very deep depression. I don't know why most things happen, but I will be forever grateful that this tune just happened to crackle through the ether that night. If anyone reading this is having a rough go at it, do not give up. You can find yourself again. I promise.
@owendong4166
I just was bored at school and randomly searched up “son of a bitch”
Greatest search I ever made
@HeatherLikesArt
Have you ever thought about writing? That's a good short read, I like the description and word usage. Poetic.
I'm happy that this music helped you.
@owendong4166
Also, good for you
@The_Man-chanic
Amen brother
@glassslippergourmet
Got chills reading this. 🤗
@AGP187
As an alcoholic. This song makes me feel justified and proud. I might be missing the point.
@akjaded
You just won the internet! I am dying here! :))))))
@mikhailtunnell2304
Bob smith may very well be disappointed in ya but I sure as fuck ain't
@kirstiemunn6449
I feel you 👍