Pusher
Nickelback Lyrics


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And some say
Why you follow something so long
So I asked him
And he convinced me before long
Now its over
And I've seen him, don't come back anymore
And he said
I need
I don't ask much anymore
I found something

Throw a stone into the water
The ripple is broke
Burn them, baby
Just for holding the cradle too close
Take it all back
Search for justice, don't live there anymore
And he said

I need
I don't ask much anymore
I found something
Yeah

And why do you see me in this way?
The way that I did
I gave him the means to the end
Yes I did
I bothered not to believe in this way
The way that I did
I made him just to see in this way
The way that I did

I need





I don't ask much anymore
I found something

Overall Meaning

The song Pusher by Nickelback is a reflection on addiction and the effects it has on those who fall into its grasp. The first verse begins with the lines, "And some say, why you follow something so long, so I asked him, and he convinced me before long." The singer is reflecting on why they fell into addiction in the first place, and how they were convinced to follow this path by someone else. The second verse continues with the lines, "Throw a stone into the water, the ripple is broke, burn them, baby, just for holding the cradle too close." These lines are metaphors for the way addiction ripples through a person's life, breaking their relationships and causing destruction.


The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's desperation, with the repetition of the line, "I need, I don't ask much anymore, I found something." This line speaks to the emptiness that addiction can create, leaving the person feeling like they need the substance or behavior just to survive. The final verse is a reflection on the regret that often accompanies addiction. The lines, "I bothered not to believe in this way, the way that I did, I made him just to see in this way, the way that I did" suggest that the singer was aware of the dangers of addiction, but chose to ignore them.


Line by Line Meaning

And some say
People question why someone would continue to follow something for so long


Why you follow something so long
Asking why one would remain committed to something for an extended period of time


So I asked him
The singer questioned someone who was following something for a long time


And he convinced me before long
The person being questioned was able to persuade the artist to follow as well


Now it's over
The situation has ended


And I've seen him, don't come back anymore
The singer has seen the person who convinced them to follow, but no longer wants them to return


And he said...
The person being referred to speaks again


I need
The person is stating a necessity


I don't ask much anymore
The need is not excessive or demanding


I found something
The person has discovered or acquired something important


Throw a stone into the water
Making an action that will have consequences or effects


The ripple is broke
The action has caused a disturbance or interruption


Burn them, baby
Metaphorically getting rid of those who held the singer back


Just for holding the cradle too close
The people being 'burned' were holding the singer back in a way that was too restrictive or overprotective


Take it all back
Undoing actions or beliefs from the past


Search for justice, don't live there anymore
The artist has moved on from seeking revenge and instead seeks fairness or resolution


And why do you see me in this way?
The artist is questioning why the person being referred to views them a certain way


The way that I did
The singer is referring to a past belief or action


I gave him the means to the end
The singer enabled the person being referred to to reach a goal or achieve something


Yes I did
Acknowledging responsibility for the past action


I bothered not to believe in this way
The artist didn't believe in that particular way of thinking or acting


I made him just to see in this way
The artist caused the person being referred to to have a certain viewpoint or outlook


I need
Repeating the previous statement about necessity


I don't ask much anymore
Repeating previous statement about the lack of excessiveness or demand


I found something
Repeating the previous statement about discovering or acquiring something important




Lyrics © Regard Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brandon Kroeger, Chad Kroeger, Michael Douglas Henry Kroeger, Ryan Anthony Peake

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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