Pretty Angry (For J. Sheehan)

Album: Bridge (2001)
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Songfacts®:

  • This song is a tribute to the band's former bass player, Bobby Sheehan, who was John Popper's best friend and died in his sleep. It was written for his brother, Johnny Sheehan. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mike - Wilmington, DE

Comments: 2

  • Forever Hurt from OrlandoI wish I drank tequila
    I wish I stayed up late
    But lately when the Sandman comes
    You know I just cant wait
    No, lately I cant wait

    (You wish you could get drunk to forget your memories. You battle with wanting to stay awake as long as possible to remember as much as you can before time causes your memories to fade. Sleep is the only thing that brings the same relief alcohol does…. A very welcomed ... yet very temporary calming of your thoughts)

    And we packed up all your boxes
    It's all been hauled away
    I never stared at walls so bare
    'Cause something always stays
    Yeah something of you stays

    ( I got rid of the things that remind me of you. I packed your "boxes" hoping that a bare room would ease my pain. Yet even bare walls have memories You can't escape from.)

    And I wanna shout from my guitar
    Come out, come out wherever you are
    The joke is over, open your eyes
    A heart like yours, it never dies
    And I found your keys behind your chair
    I still can see you sitting there
    This isn't funny; don't fool around
    You let me go... you let me down

    (Still in disbelief you can't believe they are gone. You "shout" for them to come back as if they are playing a game with you. This "joke" is not "funny", just open your eyes. A kind generous heart "never dies" people never forget. Even though all their belongings are packed away. You still find things that remind you of them, like the "keys behind" their chair you see them so vividly sitting in. You keep thinking about how unfair this is that they let you go and let you down. )

    And I guess I'm still pretty angry
    And I don't want to be
    I don't know which was the bigger waste of time
    Missing you or wishing, instead, it was me

    (Years have past and your still "pretty angry" and don't understand why you are. You know if you can get past this there are so many good memories you can focus on. Memories that make you happy. As You look back you realize you could have spent those years more wisely doing things that would make them proud of you. You miss them dearly and would never wish this pain on anyone. If only you were gone instead of them)

    I wish I walked on water
    Pulling rabbits from my sleeve
    Guessing cards and saving everyone
    I wish I still believed
    Oh I wish that I believed

    (Jesus performed a miracle…. A magician can do magic tricks. Miracles and illusions that you cannot do. . You reason that If only you could perform a "miracle" you could bring them back. So you pray, you beg and you plead with God to help you. You feel God is not listening. You lose faith in God. If only you "believed" he cares about you. Yet deep down you know he is the only one that can understand and help.)

    That I could also channel voices
    That I've endured the burning blade
    That I could make some of your choices
    I wish I weren't afraid
    Of those choices that you've made

    (You just want to talk one more time to them. The pain you feel from thier silence is like a burning blade. You wish you had the courage to make the same choices they did. )

    Like I could give you what you need
    So ollie ollie oxen free
    The game is up and I give in
    So show yourself so that you can win
    Come claim your prize and I don't care
    I still can see you standing there. How could you leave, how could you lie?
    You cut me off in mid-reply

    ( You eventually begin to understand that you never really had what they needed. Yet you still think this must be some sort of game and you beg and plead for them to come back. Gladly declaring them the winner. Your memories of them are so vivid. You can see them "standing there" as you talk to them. "How could you leave?" We were best friends, a team, soul mates. You remember things differently then the "lie" they led you to believe about them. You thought your relationship was going well and then in "mid-reply" they are gone. They never even gave you an opportunity to finish what you were telling them.)

    And I guess I'm still pretty angry
    And I don't want to be
    I don't know which was the bigger waste of time
    Missing you or wishing instead it was me

    The will to win, the urge to race
    I still can see it on your face
    Thought I'd keep up but only crashed
    I wasn't built to move that fast
    Thought I could match you stride for stride
    But I was on the other side
    And holding onto the safety rail
    With knuckles white, complexion pale
    A cloud of dust and you were gone
    Thought I would catch you later on
    I limped behind, your race was won
    But were you racing or on the run?
    How you enjoyed, you loved to drive
    And I'm destroyed... 'cause I'm alive

    ( We raced along in life not understanding if we were racing or just running away from something. I tried to understand your demons but could only look on from the "other side, knuckles white, complextion pale" The race you ran I could not keep up with. You "destroyed" me when you left me all alone in the dust. I am here but just barely hanging on.)

    And I guess I'm still pretty angry
    And I don't want to be
    I don't know which was the bigger waste of time
    Missing you or wishing, instead, it was me

    And I guess I'm still pretty angry
    And I don't want to be
    I don't know which was the bigger waste of time
    Missing you…

    (There is not a day that goes by that I don't miss you and think about you!)
  • Lisa Wolf from Doniphan, MoNot to say anything bad about the bass player Bobby Sheehan, but, yes he died in his sleep, but the full story is he died in his sleep do to drugs.

    The only reason I mention it is maybe knowing that will help others to avoid taking drugs themselves. Not to desecrate the memory of this great bass player.
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