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.
Sick of drugs and dancing feet
Sick of bars where people meet
Smell of crotch and sheets not clean
Hairy men in magazines
Every city looks the same
Running from the threat of rain
Pillow talk that's just for one
Saturday get nothing done
Lie to me
It takes less time
To drink you pretty
Lie to me
It takes less time
To drink you pretty
Human seas of apathy
Nuclear catastrophe
Jumbos crash into the ground
Governments sleep safe and sound
Mornings glisten cold and bright
Organs stolen every night
Can of beans and fast bouquet
Double jackpot give away
Lie to me
It takes less time
To drink you pretty
Lie to me
It takes less time
To drink you pretty
Hello, pretty, hello
Hello, pretty, hello
Hello, pretty, hello
Hello, pretty
Lie to me
It takes less time
To drink you pretty
Lie to me
It takes less time
To drink you pretty
Sick of bars where people meet
Smell of crotch and sheets not clean
Hairy men in magazines
Every city looks the same
Running from the threat of rain
Pillow talk that's just for one
Saturday get nothing done
Lie to me
It takes less time
To drink you pretty
Lie to me
It takes less time
To drink you pretty
Human seas of apathy
Nuclear catastrophe
Jumbos crash into the ground
Governments sleep safe and sound
Mornings glisten cold and bright
Organs stolen every night
Can of beans and fast bouquet
Double jackpot give away
Lie to me
It takes less time
To drink you pretty
Lie to me
It takes less time
To drink you pretty
Hello, pretty, hello
Hello, pretty, hello
Hello, pretty, hello
Hello, pretty
Lie to me
It takes less time
To drink you pretty
Lie to me
It takes less time
To drink you pretty
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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."
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I think this song is about how he has a loathing towards the world and his lifestyle he just decides to drink it all away. Drink it so it's pretty and not horrible and ugly. I have doubts it's about 9/11, one reason being he lives in Britain. I also think it's about hating all the people that can just shrug it all off like the government, second verse. How they make horrible choices and decisions but they don't care and he thinks they ought to wake up and see what they're doing to the world and their countries. I actually think it's about hating today's society mostly.
Drink you pretty means drinking alcohol and getting drunk to make things look better, pampimpom.
For example, when you're wasted, really wasted, Joan Rivers might look half fuckable, because you drank enough to blur the senses, so you can't see how much of a monster she is. I think that's being a bit melodramatic though. She really is a monster. No hope.
PLEASE tell me it's an accident no one has commented on this song. I would definately have to say it's one of Placebo's B.E.S.T. The tone, the lyrics, everything. It's amazing and the meaning is pretty in your face.
such a reaction to 9/11 and the terrorism thing...
good lord this song is.... indescribable. DEFINATELY should be more than a b-side.
Placebo have some of the most fantatsic b-sides although drink you pretty along with slackerbitch are by far the best =D I adore this song, I love the tone of it. One of their best kept secrets
I LOVE IT.
"lie to me...it takes less time to drink you pretty"
great lines.
I don't think this song has anything to do with 9/11!
Why is it that if anyone reads something that has anything to do with planes crashing they instantly think it's about 9/11? Planes crashed before then you know, and they'll continue crashing after too...it's just a fact of life (and gravity!)
I think in this song Brian is singing about his distaste for the world - the world and all it's ugliness, all the things wrong with it...but he first verse and such make me think of life on the road "every city looks the same" and how it's hard to find a meaningful relationship. But that's just my opinion, I could be far from the truth :P.
I agree with slackerbitch's comment. And yes, it should be more than a b-side.
I don't think this song is about 9/11 either, i think AFInside has the right idea. It also says "Jumbos crash into the ground" not buildings.