Bat Country

The song 'Bat Country' is an intense, mind-blowing journey inspired by Hunter S. Thompson's novel 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' and its film adaptation. The title 'Bat Country' also refers to a passage in the novel where the main character, Raoul Duke, sees bats while driving through the Nevada desert. The lyrics begin with a quote from Samuel Johnson, used as a preface to the book, which suggests that turning into a 'beast' is a way of escaping the pain of being human. This idea permeates the entire song, reflecting the highs and lows of a drug trip, both literally and metaphorically.

The song's narrative describes a journey through an arid and unforgiving desert, where the protagonist struggles to maintain his sanity and willpower. The references to extreme heat and the lack of an oasis symbolize desolation and despair. The line 'Too many doses and I'm starting to get an attraction' indicates an overdose of substances, leading to a loss of confidence and isolation. The song captures the feeling of being trapped in a cycle of self-destruction, where the search for freedom and relief leads to a downward spiral.

The chorus 'So sorry you're not here' and the line 'I've been sane too long, my vision's so unclear' reflect the protagonist's loneliness and mental confusion. He invites the listener to embark on this journey but warns that things are not what they seem. The song ends with a reflection on life and death, questioning why we prefer to live rather than die and looking for answers that often elude us.

The line 'I'm too weird to live, but much too rare to die' portrays the duality of feeling out of place in the world, but still unique and valuable, as well as being a reference to the final line of 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas', in which Thompson describes his fictional lawyer in the same way: "too weird to live, much too rare to die".

'Bat Country' was a huge hit and helped the band gain notoriety. It reached #60 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the band's first song to enter that chart. It also reached #2 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.