Badfish
Sublime Lyrics
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You tell me that I'll never be set free
But I'm a parasite
Creep and crawl I step into the night
Two pints of booze
Tell me are you a badfish too?
Are you a badfish too?
Ain't got no money to spend
I hope the night will never end
Lord knows I'm weak
Won't somebody get me off of this reef
Baby, you're a big blue whale
Grab the reef when all duck diving fails
I swim, but wish I'd never learned
The water's too polluted with the germs
I dive deep when it's ten feet overhead
Grab the reef underneath my bed (it's underneath my bed)
Ain't got no quarrels with God
Ain't got no time to grow old
Lord knows I'm weak
Won't somebody get me off of this reef
Ain't got no quarrels with God
Ain't got no time to get old
Lord knows I'm weak
Won't somebody get me off of this reef
The song Badfish by Sublime is a reggae punk rock anthem that tells a story of addiction and self-destruction. The lyrics capture the feelings of being trapped in a cycle of substance abuse, while also describing a sense of freedom and liberation. Through the use of metaphors and vivid imagery, the lead singer, Bradley Nowell, depicts his struggle with addiction as being trapped in a reef, unable to escape the pull of the ocean.
The opening lyrics, "When you grab a hold of me, tell me that I'll never be set free," paints a picture of someone who is controlled by their addiction. The use of the term "parasite" in the line "But I'm a parasite, creep, and crawl I step into the night" further emphasizes the feeling of being consumed by addiction. The chorus, "Two pints of booze, tell me, are you a badfish too?" highlights the shared experience of substance abuse, while also hinting at the dangers and negative consequences that come with it.
The second verse shifts the focus to the environment and its effect on the singer's addiction. The line "The water's too polluted with the germs" implies that the world around him is also corrupt, and this reinforces the sense of hopelessness and despair that is prevalent throughout the song. The final chorus repeats "Ain't got no quarrels with God, ain't got no time to get old, Lord knows I'm weak, won't somebody get me off of this reef" as a plea for help and a cry for liberation from the cycle of addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
When you grab a hold of me
When someone has control over me
Tell me that I'll never be set free
They don't plan on letting me go
But I'm a parasite
I'm dependent on them, like a parasite
Creep and crawl I step into the night
I sneak away into the darkness
Two pints of booze
I've had a couple drinks
Tell me are you a badfish too?
Asking if the person is also someone who indulges in vices
Are you a badfish too?
Repeating to emphasize the point
Ain't got no money to spend
I'm broke
I hope the night will never end
I don't want this good feeling to stop
Lord knows I'm weak
I have a weakness for indulging in vices
Won't somebody get me off of this reef
I need help getting out of this cycle
Baby you're a big blue whale
Referring to someone as a large, overwhelming presence
Grab the reef when all duck diving fails
When you've exhausted all your other options, hold onto something stable
I swim, but wish I'd never learned
I regret knowing how to swim
The water's too polluted with the germs
The world is tainted and corrupt
I dive deep when it's ten feet overhead
I go deeper when I feel overwhelmed
Grab the reef underneath my bed (it's underneath my bed)
I cling to stability even in my sleep
Ain't got no quarrels with God
I have no issues with religion
Ain't got no time to grow old
I don't plan on living long
Lord knows I'm weak
Re-emphasizing my affliction
Won't somebody get me off of this reef
Asking for help again
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bradley James Nowell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hshshhshd2489
When you grab a hold of me
Tell me that I'll never be set free
But I'm a parasite,
Creep and crawl I step into the night.
Two pints of booze
Tell me are you a badfish too?
Are you a badfish too?
Ain't got no money to spend
I hope the night will never end
Lord knows I'm weak
Won't somebody get me off of this reef
Baby you're a big blue whale
Grab the reef when all duck diving fails
I swim, but wish I'd never learned
The water's too polluted with the germs
I dive deep when it's ten feet overhead
Grab the reef underneath my bed (it's underneath my bed)
Ain't got no quarrels with God
Ain't got no time to grow old
Lord knows I'm weak
Won't somebody get me off of this reef
Ain't got no quarrels with God
Ain't got no time to get old
Lord knows I'm weak
Won't somebody get me off of this reef
@Limberxingo
[Verse 1]
When you grab a hold of me
Tell me that I'll never be set free
But I'm a parasite
Creep and crawl, I step into the night
[Pre-Chorus]
Two pints of booze
Tell me, are you a badfish, too?
(Are you a badfish, too?)
[Chorus]
But, I
Ain't got no money to spend
I hope the night will never end
Lord knows I'm weak
Won't somebody get me off of this reef?
[Verse 2]
Baby, you're a big blue whale
Grab the reef when all duck divin' fails
I swim, but I wish I never learned
The water's too polluted with germs
[Pre-Chorus]
I dive deep when it's ten feet overhead
Grab the reef underneath my bed
(Underneath my bed)
[Chorus]
But, I
Ain't got no quarrels with God
Ain't got no time to grow old
Lord knows I'm weak
Won't somebody get me off of this reef?
[Solo]
[Chorus]
Ain't got no quarrels with God
Ain't got no time to get old
Lord knows I'm weak
Won't somebody get me off of this reef?
@m0rbidc0rpse
this was my moms favorite sublime song, she recently passed in june at just 44 years old. rest in peace momma <3
@carlmitchell8546
That's too young. I'm sorry for your loss. Your Mom was probably a hell of a woman if she rocked with Sublime!
@777DISCIPLE
My condolences sister ❤️how ur hanging in there?
@ramirogonzalez4992
@@carlmitchell8546 o⁰ si <se y
@chrischris787
@@carlmitchell8546 n
@justinhumphries4674
Sorry for your loss man. Keep those memories alive. Lost my mom almost 2 years ago. It doesn't get any better, I miss her everyday, and something reminds me of her and brings back memories all of the time.
@stacelunches9790
My youngest brother was a huge Sublime fan back in the 90s, he put me on to them. Unfortunately my brother, Anthony, passed in 2015 the same way Bradley did. It's sad. RiP to both them boys, and all the others lost to the struggle. God bless❤️🙏
@kb6730
Stacie Lucchesi so sorry to hear that, Stacie. They’re probably jamming together in heaven! 🙌🏾🙏🏾💖
@Nirotceh1
Sad to read.. my condolences to you and your family. ❤
@OneTwo-qn1vi
Stacie Lucchesi sorry dude. I’m 40 and still have friends dropping dead from drugs. Matter of fact last week.