Songfacts®:

• Musically, the song was inspired by The Rolling Stones. "That song was just trying to capture vibe of the Stones," Nelson told Songfacts. "I was thinking about that strut feel."
• Lyrically, this is a complex song that turns the suggested theme of being wasted on its head. While at first it appears to be a wild times anthem, Lukas recants in the chorus, pleading with his listeners to not "make the same mistakes I made when I was your age." By the end of the song, it's become something of a love song, explaining Nelson's wanton behavior as a way of coping with being away from the person he loves. "Every time I leave you alone," goes the final line, "I get wasted."