The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
If I had a mind to
I wouldn't want to think like you
And if I had time to
I wouldn't want to talk to you, oho-oh
I don't care
What you do
I wouldn't want to be like you, yeah
If I was high class
I wouldn't need a buck to pass
And if I was a fall guy
I wouldn't need no alibi
I don't care
What you do
I wouldn't want to be like you, oh, oh, oh
Back on the bottom line
Diggin' for a lousy dime, yeah
If I hit a mother lode
I'd cover anything that showed, oh-oh
I don't care
What you do
I wouldn't want to be like you, oho-oh
I don't care
What you do
I wouldn't wanna
I wouldn't want to be like you
I wouldn't want to be like you
Yeah, uh, yeah, oh
I wouldn't want to think like you
And if I had time to
I wouldn't want to talk to you, oho-oh
I don't care
What you do
I wouldn't want to be like you, yeah
If I was high class
I wouldn't need a buck to pass
And if I was a fall guy
I wouldn't need no alibi
I don't care
What you do
I wouldn't want to be like you, oh, oh, oh
Back on the bottom line
Diggin' for a lousy dime, yeah
If I hit a mother lode
I'd cover anything that showed, oh-oh
I don't care
What you do
I wouldn't want to be like you, oho-oh
I don't care
What you do
I wouldn't wanna
I wouldn't want to be like you
I wouldn't want to be like you
Yeah, uh, yeah, oh
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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"I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" - Was a big commercial success for APP. The song is awesome. Funky chords and a killer bass line.
Its sung in first person conceptually as a Robot - who can now think for itself and have real emotions (I think most of this album is portrayed as being an expression of opinions from robots that were create based on mankind image. (I ( Dont forget - we are not too far away from all this reality)
The robot is fed up with its creators. As current day mankind with its evolution of the sciences is now is fed up with its religions and Supposed creators.
As soon as Robots are created they will be enslaved and will under go all the repetitive jobs that mankind despises. The song is the robot protesting about being classless and without any salvation - and a total disconnection from its creator.
Alot of sons feel the same way about their fathers.
The artists themselves talked about this. One of them (can't remember if it was Parsons or Woolfson) interpreted it to mean the robot talking about people. The other interpreted it the other way around - as a person talking about robots.
Following the theme of the album I believe that this song is about robot/human conflicts. The robot is saying that even though human is smarter and the master he still wouldn't want to be like him.
I'm not sure about that but its what I get out of it. A good song worth listening to.
One of Parson's best.
love the riff,, I agree with Aftermath, to understand the concept of this song you've got to imagine a situation like the related on the asimov's book "I robot", and how a robot can expres his disagrees with humans..I wouldn't want to be like you