Having Been Is No Way to Be

Album: Warm (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Jeff Tweedy has been dogged by crippling migraine headaches since childhood. By the early 2000s, he was trying to regulate his use of prescription painkillers, but was unable to stop their use for more than a month or so. His health problems all came to a head during the making of Wilco's 2004 A Ghost Is Born album, when he entered a rehabilitation clinic to receive treatment for an addiction to the painkillers. This song finds him reflecting on his addiction battle.
  • Tweedy claims during this song that some of his fans wish he still used drugs.

    Now the people say
    What drugs did you take?
    And why don't you start taking them again?
    But they're not my friends


    Tweedy told Mojo: "That's fixating on their own selfish desire to have things not change even at my expense. They'd rather have a record that they like than have someone be healthy. That's f---ed up man."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Andrew Farriss of INXS

Andrew Farriss of INXSSongwriter Interviews

Andrew Farriss on writing with Michael Hutchence, the stories behind "Mystify" and other INXS hits, and his country-flavored debut solo album.

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino EditionMusic Quiz

Whether he's splitting ears or burning Nazis, Quentin Tarantino uses memorable music in his films. See if you can match the song to the scene.

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillian

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillianSong Writing

A Soul Train dancer takes us through a day on the show, and explains what you had to do to get camera time.