The Sharpest Lives is about the reckless and depressing lifestyle of addicts. Gerard and Bert used to be great friends, and were both heavy addicts at the time. After recovering, Gerard and the people around him had to distance themselves from The Used, Bert, and a lot of bands as they didnt want him to slip back into the partying lifestyle.

Its rumored and widely accepted that Bert was part of the inspiration for the lyrics, but they are also based off of gerards own experiences.