Several of the album's songs deal with the topic o… Read Full Bio ↴See WIKI here
Several of the album's songs deal with the topic of death. For instance, "My Shit's Fucked Up" is a mournful lament to the aging process and the inevitable decay that accompanies it. It describes the narrator visiting a doctor, where he receives unpleasant news: "your shit's fucked up". "Life'll Kill Ya" and "Don't Let Us Get Sick" also have prominent death themes. In 2002, just two years after the release of "Life'll Kill Ya", Zevon was diagnosed with mesothelioma which killed him a year later
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life%27ll_Kill_Ya
My Shit's Fucked Up
Warren Zevon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I said, "I'm feeling kind of rough"
He said, "I'll break it to you, son"
"Let me break it to you, son"
Your shit's fucked up."
I said, "my shit's fucked up?"
Well, I don't see how-"
He said, "The shit that used to work-
It won't work now."
I had a dream
Ah, shucks, oh, well
Now it's all fucked up
It's shot to hell
Yeah, yeah, my shit's fucked up
It has to happen to the best of us
The rich folks suffer like the rest of us
It'll happen to you
That amazing grace
Sort of passed you by
You wake up every day
And you start to cry
Yeah, you want to die
But you just can't quit
Let me break it on down:
It's the fucked up shit
Warren Zevon's "My Shit's Fucked Up" is a song about a man who goes to see a doctor because he's feeling unwell. The doctor doesn't give him the news he wants to hear and tells him that his "shit's fucked up." The man is in disbelief, questioning how this could be, and the doctor explains that the things that used to work for him won't work anymore. The song explores themes of loss, frustration, and the inevitability of life's difficulties.
The lyrics are both humorous and poignant, reflecting Zevon's ability to incorporate dark humor into his music while also delving into serious issues. The line "the rich folks suffer like the rest of us" suggests that no one is immune to life's hardships, regardless of wealth or status. The chorus provides a glimmer of hope, acknowledging that everyone goes through tough times, but ultimately sometimes you just have to accept that "your shit's fucked up."
The line "That amazing grace sorta passed you by" refers to the hymn "Amazing Grace," which has been interpreted as a song about redemption and finding hope in difficult times. However, in this context, the singer feels like he's been passed over and is not receiving any grace or relief from his troubles.
Overall, "My Shit's Fucked Up" is a gritty and honest song that explores the reality of life's hardships and the need to come to terms with the fact that sometimes things just don't go our way.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I went to the doctor
The singer visits a doctor as he is not feeling well
I said, "I'm feeling kind of rough"
The singer expresses to the doctor that he is feeling unwell
He said, "I'll break it to you, son"
The doctor gives the singer bad news
"Let me break it to you, son"
The doctor is about to disclose something important to the singer
Your shit's fucked up."
The doctor informs the singer that there are some serious issues with his health
I said, "my shit's fucked up?"
The singer is surprised to hear the news of his deteriorating health
Well, I don't see how-"
The singer is in disbelief about the news
He said, "The shit that used to work-
The doctor explains that the treatments that worked before won't work now
It won't work now."
The doctor informs the singer that his current health status won't be improved with the previous treatments
I had a dream
The singer reminisces about a past dream he had
Ah, shucks, oh, well
The singer expresses disappointment and resignation about his situation
Now it's all fucked up
The dream the singer had in the past has now been shattered
It's shot to hell
The dream the singer had in the past has been destroyed
Yeah, yeah, my shit's fucked up
The singer acknowledges his current health condition
It has to happen to the best of us
The singer accepts that everyone will experience tough times
The rich folks suffer like the rest of us
The singer notes that even wealthy people face difficulties
It'll happen to you
The singer warns the listener that they will also face tough times
That amazing grace
The singer describes a feeling of inner peace
Sort of passed you by
The singer feels like he missed out on that feeling of inner peace
You wake up every day
The singer begins each day
And you start to cry
The singer feels overwhelmed and emotional
Yeah, you want to die
The singer feels hopeless and wishes for death
But you just can't quit
The singer continues to endure despite feeling hopeless
Let me break it on down:
The singer is about to explain the reason for his despondency
It's the fucked up shit
The singer attributes his despondency to the negative events in his life
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: WARREN WILLIAM ZEVON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jack newman
He was a genius. As Norm would say, he didn't lose his battle with cancer, it was a tie.
kim melancon
I like that.... Nobody looses ... I heard when he found out his shit was fucked up he started staying in the studio recording and writing songs untill he couldn't stand up or even sing anymore he love music and what he was doing.... R.i.p Brother
Beau Chambers
@kim melancon 😭 Rest easy Warren
Jamie Halifax
Norm from cheers ?
Jamie Halifax
Duty and Accountability Media that makes sense.
Jamie Halifax
Duty and Accountability Media yup.. big fan
Mark Walz
Stage 4 prostate cancer with bone metastases. On my 2nd go around with chemo. Running out of options. I totally relate to this song. Thank you Warren. RIP.
Kevin Dore
God be with you bro,what else can I say,my dad is 98 and still trying to get to heaven.
paradox ward
me...., 58 years old. homeless. living in a car with 220,000 miles on it. part time job. flat broke. no family. no friends. when the car goes...., I go. hey..., but I still have a sense of grace, humor, and wisdom. hope you have the same. still, shit's fucked up.
5burowz
@paradox ward America does not care about its homeless