Did you know that the Used's iconic "4 o'clock in the fucking morning" lyric actually came from frontman Bert McCracken writing it at 4 AM?

The lyric, taken from the band's classic 2002 single "The Taste of Ink," was the subject of a recently-resurfaced interview between McCracken and Kerrang! in which the Used's vocalist details how he wrote the song.

“We had the demo recorded and they gave it to me to take home to write lyrics to," McCracken said. "And I think the guys were a little bit worried because they had just met me and they weren’t sure how motivated or ambitious I was because I had just come off drugs and was still really heavy in the NA meetings, going every day. So I think they were really worried about how long it might take me to write lyrics.

"But I took it home that night, and I remember I didn’t even start working on it ‘til like 3am. That’s where that ‘4 o’clock in the fucking morning’ line came from. But yeah, working in that cigarette, cat-pee room, it was like a prison in there. There was like one of those fluorescent light bulbs that are like static, distorted light. But I finished it up that night and when I showed it to the guys, we all kind of knew that it was special."

The self-titled album to which "The Taste of Ink" belongs remains a scene classic, with the LP having been certified platinum, representing sales of over 1,000,000 units.

The Used released their eighth album, Heartwork, earlier this year, with the record featuring guest spots from blink-182's Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, Beartooth's Caleb Shomo and Fever 333's Jason Aalon Butler.

Check out an interview with McCracken about Heartwork here.

The Used "The Taste of Ink" Lyrics (via Genius)

[Verse 1]
Is it worth it? Can you even hear me?
Standing with your spotlight on me
Not enough to feed the hungry
I'm tired, and I felt it for a while now
In this sea of lonely
The taste of ink is getting old, it's
Four o' clock in the fucking morning
Each day gets more and more like the last day
Still I can see it coming
While I'm standing in the river drowning
This could be my chance to break out
This could be my chance to say goodbye
At last, it's finally over
Couldn't take this town much longer
Being half-dead wasn't what I planned to be
Now I'm ready to be free

[Chorus]
So here I am, it's in my hands
And I'll savor every moment of this
So here I am, alive at last
And I'll savor every moment of this

[Verse 2]
Don't you think I'm pretty
When I'm standing top the bright-lit city?
And I'll take your hand and pick you up
And keep you there so you can see it
So long as you're alive and care
I promise I will take you there
We'll drink and dance the night away
We can drink and dance the night away

[Chorus]
So here I am, it's in my hands
And I'll savor every moment of this
So here I am, alive at last
And I'll savor every moment of this, I'll savor every moment of this

[Bridge]
As long as you're alive, here I am
I promise I will take you there
As long as you're alive, here I am
I promise I will take you there

[Verse 3]
Don't you think I'm pretty
When I'm standing top the bright-lit city?
And I'll take your hand and pick you up
And keep you there so you can see it
As long as you're alive and care
I promise I will take you there
So long as you're alive and care
I promise I will take you there

[Chorus]
So here I am, it's in my hands
And I'll savor every moment of this
So here I am, alive at last, and I'll savor every moment of this
Savor every moment of this, savor every moment of this!

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