12 Rawest Lines: Decoding MGK's 'Treading Water' Lyrics On Heartbreak, Rehab, And Megan Fox

Machine Gun Kelly, also known as Colson Baker, has never shied away from laying his personal life bare in his music, and his recent album, Lost Americana, is no exception. Released on August 8, 2025, the album features the intensely raw track "Treading Water," which immediately became a focal point for fans and media alike due to its unflinching look at his highly publicized separation from actress Megan Fox and his subsequent time in rehabilitation. This song is a gut-punch confession, serving as a lyrical diary of a man grappling with the consequences of his actions and the struggle for emotional survival.

The song title itself, "Treading Water," is a potent metaphor for feeling stuck, expending all effort just to stay afloat without actually moving forward. As of today, December 11, 2025, this track is considered one of the most significant and emotionally honest releases of his career, offering a stark contrast to some of his more high-energy pop-punk tracks. It’s a crucial piece of the *Lost Americana* narrative, detailing the heartbreak, the challenges of fatherhood, and the deep-seated issues that led to his personal crisis.

Colson Baker: A Brief Biography & Profile

• Full Name: Colson Baker
• Known As: Machine Gun Kelly (MGK)
• Born: April 22, 1990, in Houston, Texas
• Age (as of 2025): 35
• Occupation: Musician, Singer, Songwriter, Rapper, Actor
• Genres: Hip hop, Rap rock, Pop-punk, Emo rap
• Daughter: Casie Colson Baker (born 2009)
• Notable Albums: *Lace Up* (2012), *General Admission* (2015), *Bloom* (2017), *Hotel Diablo* (2019), *Tickets to My Downfall* (2020), *Mainstream Sellout* (2022), *Lost Americana* (2025)
• Key Relationships: Highly publicized relationship and engagement with actress Megan Fox (2020–2024/2025)
• Recent Events: Released the album *Lost Americana* in August 2025, which details his personal struggles, including a stint in rehab and the end of his relationship with Megan Fox.

The Overwhelming Weight of The Chorus: A Cry for Love

The core theme of "Treading Water" is established in its simple yet devastating chorus, a plea for emotional rescue that speaks to universal feelings of isolation and yearning. The lyrics here frame his entire struggle as a desperate need for connection and validation, a common thread in MGK's work, but delivered here with a newfound vulnerability.

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The opening lines set a melancholy tone:

• "And oh, what a life to live"
• "When you're dying for someone to give"
• "To give you their love"
• "To give you their love"

This section is a direct, unfiltered expression of feeling empty and unloved, despite the outward appearance of a successful life. The repetition of "To give you their love" underscores the depth of his emotional deficit. It suggests that even with fame, fortune, and a public relationship, the fundamental need for genuine, unconditional love remained unmet or was lost. This is a powerful LSI anchor for "mgk mental health lyrics" and "colson baker personal struggles."

The phrase "treading water" itself is a metaphor for a holding pattern—a state where he is exerting maximum energy just to maintain his position, without the ability to swim to shore or find stability. It perfectly captures the feeling of being overwhelmed by life's circumstances, a feeling many fans have resonated with, making the track a profound anthem for those dealing with their own struggles.

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Unflinching Confession: Megan Fox, Fatherhood, and Rehab

The verses of "Treading Water" are where the specificity and raw emotional detail truly emerge, providing a clear narrative timeline for the events that led to the song. MGK addresses the critical moments of his personal collapse, making the track a direct response to the speculation surrounding his breakup with Megan Fox and his reported time in a rehabilitation facility.

The Failed Relationship and Holiday Ruin

One of the most cited and revealing lines directly references the timeline of his split with Fox, which reportedly occurred around the end of 2024. The lyrics are a painful admission of fault:

• "I just ruined their holiday, and lies don't die, they grow"

This line is a stark reference to the public fallout and the emotional damage caused by the relationship's end, likely around the Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday season of 2024. The guilt is palpable, and the phrase "lies don't die, they grow" suggests that the foundation of the relationship was eroded by dishonesty or unresolved issues that compounded over time. The use of "their holiday" is a powerful entity reference, implying the impact extended beyond just him and Megan, likely including their children or close family.

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Another poignant line seems to be a direct quote or echo of his former fiancée’s wishes, highlighting the pain and finality of the separation:

• "Echoes of your words saying: 'Don't write a song for me'"

This is a meta-lyrical moment, acknowledging the tension between his artistic need to process pain through music and the private nature of the heartbreak. By including this line, MGK proves the depth of the rift, showing that his partner wanted distance even from his creative expression. This level of detail elevates the song from a simple breakup track to a profound piece of musical therapy.

The Weight of Fatherhood and Personal Demons

The song also provides a rare glimpse into MGK's struggles as a father (Colson Baker is a father to daughter Casie Colson Baker). He paints a picture of a man trying to shield his child from his internal chaos, a major LSI keyword for "mgk fatherhood songs."

• "I'm lookin' at the kids' faces"
• "Sittin' in the driveway while I..."

This snippet suggests a moment of profound reflection and self-loathing, perhaps a moment before entering the house or after a difficult period, where the reality of his personal mistakes clashes with the innocence of his child. The uncompleted thought—"while I..."—leaves the listener to fill in the blank, implying actions he is too ashamed to fully articulate, such as struggling with substance abuse or emotional turmoil.

Further exploring his internal state, MGK references his journey through rehab and his struggle with self-acceptance:

• "Everything is wrong in me, raised under wings of demons"
• "And even if God's with me, without you I'm still alone"

The "wings of demons" metaphor is a powerful entity, referring to his long-documented battles with addiction and mental health issues. It's an acceptance of his flaws, but the final line—"without you I'm still alone"—is the ultimate tragic realization. It suggests that even with sobriety and spiritual help, the loss of his partner has left a void that no external success or internal recovery can fill. This confirms the song’s status as a deep dive into "mgk rehab and recovery."

The Lasting Impact of 'Treading Water' on the *Lost Americana* Era

"Treading Water" is more than just a confessional track; it is the emotional centerpiece of the *Lost Americana* album. The album title itself, which MGK has described as a "rediscovery of the American dream" and an "uncompromising reinvention," is perfectly encapsulated by this song.

The song's raw, acoustic-driven style marks a shift back toward a more vulnerable, singer-songwriter approach, blending his pop-punk sensibilities with the lyrical depth of his hip-hop roots. It serves as a necessary act of public accountability, where Colson Baker takes responsibility for the downfall of his highly scrutinized relationship and his own personal setbacks.

The track's lasting legacy will be its brutal honesty about the reality of recovery and heartbreak. It reminds listeners that celebrity status offers no shield against emotional pain and that the process of healing often involves simply "treading water"—a difficult, exhausting struggle to survive until you can finally learn to swim again. The song is a powerful statement on the cyclical nature of addiction, love, and recovery, solidifying MGK's place as an artist unafraid to explore the darkest corners of his own life for the sake of his art and his audience.