Semi-Charmed Life

Semi-Charmed Life is Third Eye Blind's first single off their self-titled debut album, released in 1997. It was a major hit of the 1990s, reaching number four in the U.S.,[1] number one on the Modern Rock Tracks and the Top 40 in the UK. Furthermore, it has had a pervasive cultural impact, being featured in numerous movie soundtracks. Vh1 has named the song as the 34th best song of the 90s. Beneath a catchy, upbeat melody, with extremely fastly spoken lyrics with references to popular culture, the song contains dark lyrics about a drug user's descent into crystal meth addiction and his implied sexual activities while trying to "want something else." According to lead singer Stephan Jenkins, the song was meant as a response to Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side", but from a San Francisco perspective. The style of the song reflects changes that were occurring in the San Francisco music scene, particularly a growing interest in hip-hop.

[Refrain] Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo [Verse 1] I'm packed and I'm holding, I'm smiling She's living, she's golden, she lives for me Says she lives for me Ovation, her own motivation She comes 'round and she goes down on me And I make her smile like a drug for you Do ever what you want to do, coming over you Keep on smiling what we go through One stop to the rhythm that divides you [Pre-Chorus] And I speak to you like the chorus to the verse Chop another line like a coda with a curse Come on like a freak show, takes the stage We give them the games we play, she say [Chorus] I want something else To get me through this Semi-charmed kind of life, baby, baby I want something else I'm not listening when you say Goodbye [Refrain] Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo [Verse 2] The sky was gold, it was rose I was taking sips up into my nose And I wish I could get back there, some place back there Smiling in the pictures you would take Doing crystal meth will lift you up until you break It won't stop, I won't come down I keep stock with a tick-tock rhythm, a bump for the drop And then I bumped up, I took the hit that I was given Then I bumped again, then I bumped again, I said [Pre-Chorus] How do I get back there To the place where I fell asleep inside you? How do I get myself back to The place where you said... [Chorus] I want something else To get me through this Semi-charmed kind of life, baby, baby I want something else I'm not listening when you say Goodbye [Bridge] I believe in the sand beneath my toes The beach gives a feeling, an earthy feeling I believe in the faith that grows And the four right chords can make me cry When I'm with you I feel like I could die And that would be alright, alright And when the plane came in, she said she was crashing The velvet it rips in the city We tripped on the urge to feel alive But now I'm struggling to survive Those days you were wearing that velvet dress You're the priestess, I must confess Those little red panties, they pass the test So slide up 'round the belly face down on the mattress one And you hold me And we are broken Still it's all that I want to do, just a little now Feel myself hovering off the ground I'm scared, I'm not coming down No, no And I won't run for my life She's got her jaws now locked down in a smile But nothing is alright, alright [Chorus] And I want something else To get me through this life, baby I want something else Not listening when you say Goodbye, goodbye Goodbye, goodbye [Refrain] Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo [Outro] The sky was gold, it was rose I was taking sips up into my nose And I wish I could get back there, some place back there In the place we used to start our lives [Refrain] Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo (I want something else)