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.
They don't care about
You and me
Obviously
No not us
We're the mountain people
So far away from those
Tree lined streets
Look so neat
Not for us
No fat chance
We're the mountain people
They'll seek us in the valley
They'll seek us on the plain
They own the milk and runny honey
And they're not quite the same
And we
Live together under
Fantasy
Oak trees
In the dark
We make sparks
So unique
We're the mountain people
Curiosity comes to
Plead with me
Vanity
Strangles me
Pulls me
Shakes me down
We're the mountain people
They'll seek us in the valley
They'll seek us on the plain
They own the milk and runny honey
And they're not quite the same
Because
They don't care about
You and me
Obviously
Hand-me-down
Culture
Waiting for the vulture
Yes, yes, yes
We're the mountain people
Hibernation comes so early
This year
Dig the peat
Pile it high
Let it dry
One last chance at ignorance
No fat chance
We're the mountain people
One short blast was
Followed by
Two longer ones
Short blast
Long blast
Coming from the outcast
Put me in a deep freeze
And I'll sneeze
With the mountain people
From a distance
I can see them
Pacing
(Marching)
Upstream
Slowly
Ruthlessly
And then
Steady
Nets and cages
Open
Ready
Long-term
Memory
Serves me
Worry
Take me
Break me
Any way you fancy
Deep freeze put me in it and I'll sneeze
A deep freeze put me in it and I'll sneeze
A deep freeze put me in it and I'll sneeze
A deep freeze put me in it
(So I'll make history)
You and me
Obviously
No not us
We're the mountain people
So far away from those
Tree lined streets
Look so neat
Not for us
No fat chance
We're the mountain people
They'll seek us in the valley
They'll seek us on the plain
They own the milk and runny honey
And they're not quite the same
And we
Live together under
Fantasy
Oak trees
In the dark
We make sparks
So unique
We're the mountain people
Curiosity comes to
Plead with me
Vanity
Strangles me
Pulls me
Shakes me down
We're the mountain people
They'll seek us in the valley
They'll seek us on the plain
They own the milk and runny honey
And they're not quite the same
Because
They don't care about
You and me
Obviously
Hand-me-down
Culture
Waiting for the vulture
Yes, yes, yes
We're the mountain people
Hibernation comes so early
This year
Dig the peat
Pile it high
Let it dry
One last chance at ignorance
No fat chance
We're the mountain people
One short blast was
Followed by
Two longer ones
Short blast
Long blast
Coming from the outcast
Put me in a deep freeze
And I'll sneeze
With the mountain people
From a distance
I can see them
Pacing
(Marching)
Upstream
Slowly
Ruthlessly
And then
Steady
Nets and cages
Open
Ready
Long-term
Memory
Serves me
Worry
Take me
Break me
Any way you fancy
Deep freeze put me in it and I'll sneeze
A deep freeze put me in it and I'll sneeze
A deep freeze put me in it and I'll sneeze
A deep freeze put me in it
(So I'll make history)
Lyrics submitted by brainseatloser
Mountain People Lyrics as written by Dafydd Ieuan Cian Ciaran
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I've always taken this to be about attitudes to Wales and the Welsh. The patronising attitude of the London media that went with the whole 'Cool Cymru' and the pushing of all those bands, but equally it could be about attitudes of Cardiff / South Wales urban 'sophisticates' to smaller rural communities, particularly west or north walian welsh speaking ones.
@SuitBoy <br /> Hi, this is still an amazing song but I have a theory on the meaning. I just heard about Colin Turnbull the Anthropologist who studied a tribe in Uganda called The Ik. He described them as the most selfish and inhuman people on earth. <br /> <br /> They were historically a nomadic tribe but had been forced to stop travelling through ancestral lands due to borders established between Uganda Kenya and Sudan. They were essentially starving and the behaviour they displayed was that of desperate people who were trying to survive. <br /> <br /> Turnbull's book The Mountain People portrays the Ik in a very negative light. Years later his findings were discredited. The reason I think the song might be about The Ik is the line, "They don't care about you and me " and the mention of the mountain people. <br /> <br /> Certainly gives the song an even more poignant feel.<br /> <br /> Cheers<br /> Guy
omg i cant believe nobody has commented on this song. it is so fucking unbelievably amazing.
I agree! I didn't comment because I posted it, heh. I was amazed no one had posted it yet.
Wonderful song, my favourite from SFA.
Beautiful, and I take it to mean the way anyone who delights in natural beauty being hunted down by the everyone else just for being different. Weird techno breakdown though !
It's most definitely a song about the attitude towards the majority of Wales by the English authorities and those in English suburbia - out of touch with the reality of Welsh semi rural/valley life and seemingly apathetic to it, it's particularly about social neglect (investment and representation). You must remember that Wales was pretty much devastated in order to benefit the South East in the 1980's.
This feels like my personal theme song. I\'ve lived in 3 different mountain communities, all of which were like 20 minutes away from larger population areas, but people act like we\'re at the ends of the earth - nobody delivers, can\'t sell shit on Craiglist, can\'t even give it away for free. "Not for us - No fat chance - We\'re the mountain people!" Not my fave furries song as it get a bit repetitive at the end, but love the lyrics and the sentiment.