Better Than Drugs

Album: Comatose (2006)
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Songfacts®:

  • This Skillet tune is somewhat controversial among the Christian rock band's fan base because of its drug reference. Frontman John Cooper explained to Listenin.org: "'Better Than Drugs' is one of those songs that some people really like the lyrics or some people really hate the lyrics, I've found. I've found people on both sides think they're offended. Some people are saying, 'Are you saying drugs are really good?' And I'm like, 'Absolutely not.' Basically I've never done drugs in my whole life and I'm a pretty straight edge guy when it comes to these things. I think drugs are just bad for society all out. I started thinking, why is it that people do drugs? You know, asking things like that. And one of the main reasons, it seems to me, that people find themselves involved in some kind of ... like serious alcohol or drug abuse ... has just been because life can stink so bad, that life can be so hard. All that crap that comes down, it's just another way to deal, you know? And everybody finds a way to deal with whatever pain they have. Like when my Mom died from cancer it was like, there was these times I felt like I needed someone to talk to in a really bad way at night. Maybe it would be really late at night and I'd call a friend or something... that was my way of dealing with this. I needed somebody in the flesh to be there for me, you know?

    I started thinking about this drug thing about when I get on the road with other bands and you see the way that some bands deal with how hard road life is by doing drugs or abusing alcohol, I just think what a bummer it is when all this high is over with that you have to come back down to your real sucky life... that it's a temporary escape, but you're not escaping at all. You're just fooling yourself.

    So 'Better Than Drugs' could be a song that's about God, could be a song about someone that makes you feel that escape because they're there for you and they meet those kind of needs. And that's what it's saying - basically because the reason you make me feel that... you're better than drugs, if you will, is that I don't ever have to come down from the high that you give me. That's what it's saying. Don't have to feel lonely because you're always there for me and satisfy my soul... yeah!"

Comments: 1

  • Panheaded_panda from Im Not Telling.This song is great! I actually didn't know that was the meaning before. I honestly was one of those in the fanbase who thought it was a bad song! but its great!
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