Dave Matthews Band: Jimi Thing Meaning

Song Released: 1994

Jimi Thing Lyrics

Lately I’ve been feeling low
A remedy is what I’m seeking
I take a taste of what’s mellow
Come away to something better
What I want is what I’ve not got
And what I need
Is all around me
Reaching searching never stop
And I’ll say...

If...

1. masterbaker

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   Jan 7th 2008 !⃝

   I have been in deep discussion with people about what this song really means, so here goes. To me this song is about being strung out. "a remedy is what Im seeking, what I want its what I've not got..." "reaching searching never stop..." Dope sick comes to mind. A jimi thing could be a joint to keep jonesing down "slides my way and keeps me swinging" The reference to him smoking makes it an obvious pot song, but really think about it, its really about what he needs/wants but does not have, and drinking and smoking are referenced as something to keep the withdraw away. So I could be completely wrong and that's ok, but I really think the meaning is something else not just smoking pot.
2. anonymous

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   Jan 6th 2008 !⃝

   Maybe he wants it to be an open ended interpretation. You can look at it however you want. Sex or drugs it obviously means something to him but instead of being blatantly obvious either or he is a genius and can apply to more people by doing it the way he does.
3. charlottepatterson83

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   Dec 14th 2007 !⃝

   Oh god I laughed so hard while reading that fetus one, and then the responses to it. (wipes away tears). The beauty of DMB lyrics is the pluralism. It is easily about both. The references to sex are MORE than obvious as stated already above in a comment (hmm, what is swinging other than having sex with multiple partners while in a commited relationship?). Jimmi Thing IS a slang term for a condom (and while I haven't heard of it- it could easily be a drug reference as well). Dave uses Come in his songs A LOT, and I can assure you that as intelligent as this man is- he knows what he is doing when he places it in a song. Just like the word Grace in Grace is Gone- it can apply to not only a person, but to an adjective/noun/verb whatever as well. This is a common poetic device which he is obviously very familiar with.
4. tweakcha

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   Dec 6th 2007 !⃝

   Whoever said this song is about dave being a fetus is a fucking dumbass. That was the most terrible interpretation of lyrics I've ever seen. Anyway, this song clearly is about marijuana. In an interview the band responded with these answers when asked about the songs meaning.
   -"This is a song about getting high"
   -"The song MIGHT be about marijuana cigarettes, but I'm not quite sure..."
   -"I'm sorry for seeming a little crazy. I kinda hurt my hand; the doctor gave me a bunch of steroids that got me all fucking crazy, and then I smoked a bunch of fucking pot, and that got me REALLY fucking crazy! Here's a song about getting HIIIIIIIGH."
5. BigEyedPhish

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   Dec 1st 2007 !⃝

   Jimi thing is just something that Dave turns to when he's down. It's sex and drugs
6. anonymous

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   Jun 28th 2007 !⃝

   OK is everyone ready to here what Jimi Thing really is all about. (and keep in mind not every line should be taken literally-of course). Dave is telling a story about him being an almost 9 month old fetus inside of his mother and how he is struggling with whether or not to enter the world. "lately I've been feeling low and a remedy is what I'm seeking". (8-9 month old fetus' migrate lower with increased size and near birthing time) and "I take a taste of what's below, come away to something better"-he doesn't want to leave his mother. He continues to struggle with whether to be born..."What I want is what I've not got, but what I need is all around me" ..."and I'll say if you could keep me floating (inside his mothers womb) just for awhile till I get to the end of this tunnel...MOMMY". Ok then this is where it gets weird. Apparently his mother is having pregnant sex and..."sometimes a jimi things slides my way and keeps me swingin" and ..."I'd like to show you what's inside I shouldn't care if you do or don't like it." And describes the turbulent environment of being inside a human body without control of his surroundings..."chaos rule all about sometimes I walk there well yes, God knows sometimes I take a bus there" and how he's just chillin feeling good inside his mom..."the day is gone I'm on my back staring up at the ceiling". AND the finale..."What I want is what I've not got, but what I need is all around me, reaching, searching never stop and I'll say if you could keep me floating just for a while I'll get back to you. -put that in your pipe and smoke it.
7. DarkNick

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   Jan 18th 2007 !⃝

   Dave actually refers to the meaning of this side in the "Under the Table and Dreaming" tab book. It's about sex.
8. anonymous

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   Jul 26th 2006 !⃝

   This is from the urban dictionary website. http://www.Urbandictionary.Com/define.Php?Term=jimi+thing
   
   Sounds like a drug thing and I believe he mixes the sex in there too for good effect.
9. anonymous

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   Jun 2nd 2006 !⃝

   Any one who says this song is about sex is wrong, there might be some sexual references, but jimi thing is definately about not only smoking marijuana, but mainly about a bowl for that particular purpose. whoever said that "stoners" invented that meaning is very ignorant.
10. niknak

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    Mar 16th 2006 !⃝

    I believe everyone is right, it about what makes him feel good, drugs and sex, the two mixed together, most of his songs are either of drugs or sex, this has both, there are refrences to sex and drugs, whether it is mostly one adn not the other doesn't matter, its what takes him to a higher place
11. anonymous

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    Feb 21st 2006 !⃝

    You idiot, whoever said that the song is about sex dowsn't know anything. "Smoke my mind make me feel Better for a small time" he says smokeing makes him feel better."If you could keep me floating Just for a while" what makes you float when your high not when your having sex idiot. Its about drugs not sex.
12. anonymous

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    Nov 13th 2005 !⃝

    Well, Dave Matthews kindad bases his life around sex and drugs, but I think this one is mostly about sex too. There are only a couple of references to drugs, so maybe it's about what makes him feel good.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
13. number41

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    Oct 3rd 2005 !⃝

    Acid trip. Enough said.
14. anonymous

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    Sep 24th 2005 !⃝

    This song is about sex. For those who don't know Dave's drug of choice was heroine. But anyway, the line about sometimes walking and sometimes taking a bus there is about the duration of sexual prowess (I am sorry for the euphamism). Being from Richmond and Charlottesville (Where Dave got his start) I have had the opportunity to see him live many times; he even played at my Homecoming in 1992. This song is about sex as was previously discussed, and not about drugs. That interpretation is just the product of his music being adopted by stoners, and fit into their view that every song that mentions getting high is about drugs entirely. The song's title is Jimi Thing for f's sake.
15. mledre

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    Sep 19th 2005 !⃝

    Clearly this song is about drugs and the way he feels getting high. Whoever said it is about sex has their head in a gutter. Maybe he should read the lyrics again.

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