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.
Your issue may walk among fine moral spires
But if they went up somebody else built them
Your store is a small one, your goods have no buyers
Your parents are raising your children
O, I could have told you, the vices won't hold you
Warm in a coil where you lay
But high up behind you, seized by the temple
And bid you obey and obey
A heinous, heinous law
Of an endless, endless love, that governs your
Poor heart
In its velvety chambers
Where fellows foul me engage in exchanges
Whose ends are to put out your lights
Who know from the inside you won't put up a fight
To a heinous, heinous law...
Of an endless, endless love, that governs your
Poor heart
It's winter in my bedroom, I stir the broken spring,
And I have in my head to go crawling
When the hounds come around, I go to the bottle
Like every wet shadow before me
Now are you angry at me, 'cause I'm no longer free?
I don't sound it or say it or feel it
But out on the street, somebody told me
It happens to everyone
So I don't blame you, it's my foot in my shoe
And I seem to have easily filled it
While the thing in my charge, whether tiny or large
I fear I may slowly have killed it
Obeying a heinous, heinous law...
But if they went up somebody else built them
Your store is a small one, your goods have no buyers
Your parents are raising your children
O, I could have told you, the vices won't hold you
Warm in a coil where you lay
But high up behind you, seized by the temple
And bid you obey and obey
A heinous, heinous law
Of an endless, endless love, that governs your
Poor heart
In its velvety chambers
Where fellows foul me engage in exchanges
Whose ends are to put out your lights
Who know from the inside you won't put up a fight
To a heinous, heinous law...
Of an endless, endless love, that governs your
Poor heart
It's winter in my bedroom, I stir the broken spring,
And I have in my head to go crawling
When the hounds come around, I go to the bottle
Like every wet shadow before me
Now are you angry at me, 'cause I'm no longer free?
I don't sound it or say it or feel it
But out on the street, somebody told me
It happens to everyone
So I don't blame you, it's my foot in my shoe
And I seem to have easily filled it
While the thing in my charge, whether tiny or large
I fear I may slowly have killed it
Obeying a heinous, heinous law...
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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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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
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
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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.
this is such a haunting song. it has some sort of discourse of hard luck, out-on-the-streets, alcoholism which is complimented beautifully by the strangled vocals and sparse guitar. beautiful song.
couldnt agree more. awesome song, very bob dylan.
I think it's about torn modern families and the struggle they face.
I think this is about the hypocrisy of people who judge the destructive behaviour (in this case, alcoholism) of others without showing understanding or demonstrating an ability to think for themselves.
"Your parents are raising your children" implies passed down values (from your parents) and ignorance to their origination. These values may be blindly accepted from our parents, the media, the Church etc., even though it's heinous and wrong.
"O, I could have told you, the vices wont hold you warm in a coil where you lay" The typical mantra, that drugs and alcohol are not the answer, well everyone knows that. The idea that addicts don't deserve pity or help because they did it to themselves is commonly purported. The author is even saying they have a point. But it seems ignorant to stand on some pre-built high moral spire and judge without acknowledging the reason for the behaviour in the first place. Everyone struggles for power within themselves, so it's no good reason to get angry at someone just because you don't like the particular way they tried to cope.
Maybe to some extent we're all obeying some heinous law where we think we are right, but we are really just using some misguided principles to hurt other people and feel better about ourselves. If this cannot be avoided (and I don't think it can), then we should always question what is right and wrong in the hope of finding a more representative and fair standard.
Anyway, these lyrics say it much more eloquently. The poetic imagery Glenn uses is always so emotionally and intellectually provocative. I'll stop gushing now.
It is about addiction, the “heinous law of an endless love” and how we convince ourselves at first that the behavior is justified, dealing with “high moral spires” but ultimately the “vices won’t hold you”. The addiction will turn on you, “bid you obey and obey” and although you know it is your fault, your “foot in [your] shoe” and realize it is destroying your life, killing “everything in [your] charge”, you will continue to “obey the heinous law of an endless love that governs your poor heart”.