"Eight-Ball, Coroner's Pocket" by Hail The Sun is a song that delves into the struggles of addiction and the consequences it brings. The lyrics portray the perspective of a fictional physician who finds solace and escape in drugs. The opening lines describe the euphoria the physician experiences from a small drug formula, which becomes their escape from reality. They rely on the drugs as a ticket to ride, a way to cope with their heavy feelings and doubts. The doctor's orders to take more drugs are juxtaposed with the annoyance of a meddling family, who are advised to go home. The medication numbs their emotions and makes them feel less. The lyrics mention the constant knocking on the door, reflecting the internal conflicts and external pressures the physician faces due to their addiction. The physician's increasing drug use is portrayed as a way to silence the chaos in their mind. The formula, named "Soma," is mentioned multiple times, emphasizing its importance and the reliance on it. "Soma" is a term used in literature, popularized by Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World," to represent a drug that numbs emotions and controls society. The chorus of the song emphasizes the desperation and need for medicine to quiet the turmoil inside. The physician's state of mind is chaotic, with mentions of cancer, coma, panic, and pills. They surrender to the blackouts caused by the drugs and continue to rely on the formula to cope. The lyrics also hint at the physician's isolation and loss of patience with their situation. They feel trapped in their own head and have lost their connection to reality. The repetition of "losing my patients" plays on the double meaning of both losing one's ability to be patient and losing one's patients, referring to the physician's clientele. Overall, "Eight-Ball, Coroner's Pocket" by Hail The Sun explores the dark and destructive world of addiction from the perspective of a fictional physician, highlighting the cycle of reliance, escapism, and loss of control.
