Carry On My Wayward Son: Themes of Addiction
I initially heard Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas from the intro of the show Supernatural.
After hearing it repeatedly throughout Supernatural’s 15 season run, I decided to really listen to it. The themes made sense for the show and also my clients.
The Chorus
Carry on, my wayward son
There’ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don’t you cry no more
The chorus generally says to me that a person is telling another to continue with their wayward behaviors. However, there will be peace and ease when the person is finished doing behaviors that are not helpful.
Eventually an individual will find their inner peace when they stop their addictive behaviors and get into therapy.
On the dark side, the addict will only find peace when they die:
Lay your weary head to rest
The inevitable consequences of many addictions.
The First Verse
Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher
But I flew too high
Though my eyes could see, I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think, I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I’m dreaming
I can hear them say
The first verse reminds me of someone very early in recovery; someone on “The Pink Cloud.” The pink cloud, is where the addict in early recovery would think they have control since they have some sobriety. Unfortunately, nothing can be further from the truth. It’s an illusion of control.
Eventually they get to a place where the “high” confidence meets an unresolved trigger/urge. One that hasn’t been coped with in a healthy manner.
Finally, the addict comes crashing down like a comet due to a sudden relapse.
Some annotations regarding this song, make an excellent connection with the mythos of Icarus, which I think applies.
The addict thinks they understand more than they do about their addiction. But in reality, they don’t.
I could see, I was blind, my mind could think, I was a mad man
Even after the relapse, the sober support system’s voices still urges the addict to continue therapy. This could even be the addict keeping themselves motivated to continue in recovery.
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The Second Verse
Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man, well
It surely means that I don’t know
On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about, I’m like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune
But I hear the voices say
To continue the addiction allegory, this verse could represent a new sponsor. Or, perhaps, someone with a significant amount of sobriety who alludes to having all the answers.
However, there is always something they don’t know about themselves in addiction/recovery.
Being in recovery is an evolving journey. There is always something new to learn. The journey always has ups and downs, peaks and valleys. So will the emotions. There are going to be good and bad days, but being on the trajectory of recovery is the destination.
How we cope with these stormy days is the important piece.
Always one day at a time.
The Outro
Carry on my wayward son
There’ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don’t you cry no more, noCarry on, you will always remember
Carry on, nothing equals the splendor
Now your life’s no longer empty
Surely heaven waits for you
This stanza tells me that nothing inherently gives happiness.
Happiness only comes from what we put out into the world. Getting happiness from service is the key.
Re-framing it as “I am happy DOING x” rather than “I am happy when I GET x.”
Once we realize this, our lives will no longer be empty. We won’t constantly try to fill the void because it is insatiable.
Addicts would search for happiness or escape from their lives but it is a false sense of happiness or relief.
Searching for inner happiness is no easy task. But it can be done with consistency and time.
Lyrics Source: Genius.com
For more insights into therapeutic themes in movies and TV, check out my podcast, Watch This with Eli here on my website or wherever you find your favorite podcasts!
