This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Hey sit down and listen and they'll tell you when you're wrong
Eradicate but vindicate as progress creeps along
Puritan work ethic maintains its subconscious edge
As Old Glory maintains you consciousness
There's a loser in the house and a puppet on a stool
And a crowded way of life and a black reflecting pool
And as the people bend the moral fabric dies
Then the country can't pretend to ignore its people's cries
Cause you are the government
You are jurisprudence
You are the volition
You are jurisdiction
And I make a difference too
Eradicate but vindicate as progress creeps along
Puritan work ethic maintains its subconscious edge
As Old Glory maintains you consciousness
There's a loser in the house and a puppet on a stool
And a crowded way of life and a black reflecting pool
And as the people bend the moral fabric dies
Then the country can't pretend to ignore its people's cries
Cause you are the government
You are jurisprudence
You are the volition
You are jurisdiction
And I make a difference too
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The Night We Met
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Mountain Song
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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."
Punchline
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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
This song is telling people that they can make a difference and they need to take action, so that things in this world can be changed for the better.
To me this song is frustration due to the mass short sighted, unwise, unwilling, stupidity of the people. People do their part by voting, but they seem to think that is where it ends. I think the song is telling you that you can't let politicians fuck you over. Bureaucracy is not the government, politicians are not the government, You Are The Government. Think about it, if the people demanded George Bushes head on a platter when he was committing all of those crimes as president, it would have been done. People are too caught up in their own bullshit and never ending rat race to see why things are difficult for them in the first place. Most of the time it is because of a jacked up system. Our constitution is set up for us to revise and change things for the better, but we choose not to do it. This song is a cry to the masses. The masses didn't get it in 1988 and they still haven't gotten today.
I can see where you're coming from madcappunk but, I've always viewed this song as a little sarcastic. I always thought Greg meant that people do elect their congress but in the end the congress has the ultimate control and if you can't really disagree with them but you have to bend to their rules...
i believe hes stating "we" as in the people, the public, the peasants, whatever, are the government. we elect who should be in government anyway. phat song.
Modern seem's closest.. I see it as we vote who we want in power then they do some damn F@*#ing war and do shit and we get mad. But we're electing those who we hate.
jesus oxigen you could be right.
Uh... more like Pro-freedom. You own your life.
Bad Religion are not anarchists, unfortunately...
You've all got pretty thick skulls. This song is about ANARCHY. In our society we aren't the government. But in an Anarchist society you are "the government." This is old punk, not the new pussy Green Day bullshit, and old punk bands were almost all Anarchists.