Not Enough by Juice WRLD Lyrics Meaning – A Deep Dive into Love’s Limitations and Addictive Escapes
Lyrics
Oh, uh
Now I’ve been drownin’ in this liquor bottle
But drowning’s not enough
They tell me that I won’t live to see tomorrow
But I don’t give a fuck
I’m runnin’ out of patience, out of pleasure
And runnin’ out of luck
I’m really scared that we won’t stay together
What if you run out of your love?
You run out of your love
I hope you know, if I said it, baby, I meant it
Straight lovers, we ain’t goin’ to a friendship
Fell for you, I don’t know how it happened, uh
When we kissin’, I taste all the passion
Time worth more than money, but I’ll spend
All of it on you, me and you, until the end
No talkin’, baby, I’m about that action
All these other hoes are so irrelevant
Honest, you taught me what real love is
Now I’ve been drownin’ in this liquor bottle
But drowning’s not enough
They tell me that I won’t live to see tomorrow
But I don’t give a fuck
I’m runnin’ out of patience, out of pleasure
And runnin’ out of luck
I’m really scared that we won’t stay together
What if you run out of your love?
You run out of your love
I need you
To make it through
My bad for all of the stressful times that we had
I know you scared that I’m gon’ relapse, I love that
Where the drugs at? You know that I love that
Let’s go out tonight, where the clubs at?
Endless drugs, I remember dub sacks in my blunts
Now we sippin’ Wock’ out a double cup, yeah
That’s codeine love
You fill me up like the drugs do
Ink on my brain like a tattoo
Glad we ain’t meet in high school
Wasn’t real love in high school
Now I’ve been drownin’ in this liquor bottle
But drowning’s not enough
They tell me that I won’t live to see tomorrow
But I don’t give a fuck
I’m runnin’ out of patience, out of pleasure
And runnin’ out of luck
I’m really scared that we won’t stay together
What if you run out of your love?
You run out of your love
I need you
To make it through
In the oeuvre of the late Juice WRLD, songs paint vivid tales of love, heartbreak, and self-medication. ‘Not Enough,’ a posthumously released track, is a haunting confessional that weaves these themes into a melancholic tapestry. The song’s reflective nature and powerful simplicity resonate with listeners navigating the tumultuous waves of intimate relationships and personal demons.
The spectral chorus, ‘But drowning’s not enough,’ encapsulates a feeling that is universally human yet distinctly personal to the artist’s journey. As we dive into the lyrics, we unravel the intricate layers of passion, fear, and addiction that are laced into Juice WRLD’s raw narrative, providing a window into the existential crisis that haunts the pursuit of love and solace.
The Paradox of Love’s Sufficiency
Juice WRLD blurs the lines between romantic devotion and self-destructive habits. The repeated phrase ‘it’s not enough’ is a desperate cry for something greater than what earthly pleasures can provide. Despite the intensity of his feelings, the song hints at the presence of a void that neither devotion nor substances can fill. It’s an age-old paradox where love’s presence is both overpowering and yet insufficient.
The artist conveys a pervasive sense of inadequacy that permeates his emotional state. Perhaps it’s a reflection on the insatiable nature of human desire, or an intimate confession about the impossibility of complete emotional fulfillment, even in the arms of a lover. The lyric becomes a metaphor for the unquenchable thirst for something more, something beyond reach.
Substance as Substitute: A Viscous Cycle
Juice WRLD’s candidness about his relationship with drugs is no secret, offering a glimpse into his personal battles. ‘Not Enough’ denotes substance use as both a coping mechanism and a shared indulgence within a relationship. There’s an insidious double meaning at play here – the liquor bottle and narcotics signify a bond between lovers, yet also illuminate the artist’s inner turmoil.
While the song may seem to glorify substance use through the euphoric release it brings (‘That’s codeine love’), it also touches upon the darker reality of dependency. ‘Drowning’ is not just a metaphor but a literal description of being overwhelmed by both emotions and intoxicants, the latter providing a fleeting, yet ultimately inadequate, respite.
Ephemeral Pleasures and the Fear of Loss
In a relationship steeped in intensity, the fear of love’s expiration becomes a haunting specter. ‘I’m really scared that we won’t stay together’ suggests an apprehension that is painfully relatable. The lyric encapsulates the universal anxiety that the fire of romance could extinguish, leaving behind the ashes of familiarity or indifference.
This fear may stem from the ephemeral nature of pleasure and passion that Juice WRLD experiences. As he sings of pleasures running out, it paints a picture of a present moment fraught with the uncertainty of the future. The listener is compelled to consider the impermanence of their joys and wonder if love is a finite resource that might one day be depleted.
Deciphering The Song’s Hidden Depths
At first listen, ‘Not Enough’ may seem like a visceral indulgence in life’s excesses, but a deeper exploration reveals more. Juice WRLD’s lyrics operate as a tableau for intimate struggles, depicting the balance between vulnerability and the fortress of apathy (‘But I don’t give a fuck’).
The song functions as a cry from a profound well of existential fear and romantic insecurity, set against a backdrop of false bravado. There’s a dualistic sorrow of someone who wants to feel everything authentically but finds solace in numbness. The hidden depth is in the grasping for unattainable wholeness through love and intoxication, and the bleak reality of that pursuit.
A Kaleidoscope Of Memorable Lines
‘When we kissin’, I taste all the passion’ stands out as a testament to the bittersweetness of the romantic experience. Juice WRLD magnificently illustrates that vivid, sensory experiences still penetrate the shield he’s erected against the world’s harshness – an optimism in the redemptive power of love, even when it’s not enough to save him.
‘You fill me up like the drugs do’ is another line that resonates with emotional complexity. It recognizes a partner’s ability to bring fulfillment and contrasts it with the temporary satiation substances provide. These lyrics and many others within ‘Not Enough’ linger in the listener’s mind long after the music fades, echoing the intertwined narratives of yearning for more and the impending sense of loss.
