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.
I've got a million to choose from
A million ways things could be
In dull moments I feel like
There's a million options I see
The trouble is choosing one
The trouble is doing one
A slave in the fields one night
He's running along
Gets far enough to be a free man
And he's feeling so strong
That's how actions should be
Freeing
Step after step is our only choice in a walk
When we run at the mouth we jump back and forth
There's only one place I'm going
There's only one destiny
And if my mind tells me otherwise
Then it's a poor guide for me
All of the energy in life
Is nothing more than a spark in a fire
The whole course of time is the blink of an eye
Rain in the slums
Ah Yom
Into the cards
Ahm Yum
Rain in the slums
Ah Yom
Into another world
Ahm Yum
A million ways things could be
In dull moments I feel like
There's a million options I see
The trouble is choosing one
The trouble is doing one
A slave in the fields one night
He's running along
Gets far enough to be a free man
And he's feeling so strong
That's how actions should be
Freeing
Step after step is our only choice in a walk
When we run at the mouth we jump back and forth
There's only one place I'm going
There's only one destiny
And if my mind tells me otherwise
Then it's a poor guide for me
All of the energy in life
Is nothing more than a spark in a fire
The whole course of time is the blink of an eye
Rain in the slums
Ah Yom
Into the cards
Ahm Yum
Rain in the slums
Ah Yom
Into another world
Ahm Yum
Lyrics submitted by young_jables
Ah Yom Lyrics as written by Norma Jean Martine Giorgia Todrani
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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
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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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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
In difficult time, there are still a million options you can choose. Since they all have their do's and don't's it's difficult to choose one, the path you're about to follow. You'll feel very fullfilled when you've reached you're objections after trying real hard, following that one option. In the end it's freeing. To reach the coal...this will take a step by step long walk. Frusciante is pointing to the way he choose his path. "Follow your heart" and if my mind tells me otherwise...it's a poor guide to me. And we should remember that all we do is just some sort of meaningless. We are only a simple person in the wide universe. All our actions are meaningless to 'the great spirit'. Just a spark in the fire. Meaningless ..Tiny...but glowing and able to start a new fire. Great Song.
Always loved his music until i started listening to his lyrics. Remarkebly Historical Greatness. Absolutely a bigger mind then john thinks he has. More people should hear and love this.
Kinda disappointed it was a bonus track only released in Japan. Beautiful album with or without it. Its John Frusciante at his poetic best...
i didn't get the main idea but i know that 'ah yom' means 'today' in hebrew
@SirPsychoSexy7 And what does Ahm yum mean in Hebrew?
My interpretation of this was that you are constantly in motion towards something, and that there are many ways to reach it, many things you can do to reach it. I would think that something is afterlife or some kind of liberation..that's what I believe myself, and what I personally think John was trying to express with this song.
Strange, but is this bonus track developes more and more to one of my favourite songs on that brilliant album. i especially love the singing
It's a beautiful track. I totally agree with the people above me about how beautiful the singing is for this particular song. I don't know, but personally I felt that this song was about seizing the day because tomorrow never comes? That we should go ahead with whatever course of action we intend to take because they all lead us to the same (eventual) realization as opposed to stagnating or talking about it (which never gets us anywhere). It's one of those tracks that just really calms me and helps me to believe that I can pursue whatever it is I want to... and I don't know, I'd love to know what it means for other people.
I love this song so much because it sounds like to me it's emphasizing on the transition into a type of change in your life.
"Rain in the slums Ah Yom Into the cards Ahm Yum Rain in the slums Ah Yom Into another world"
I think he could have put this on the main album, as opposed to only the Japanese version as a bonus. I´d have put it in between Before the Beginning and Song to the Siren. It seems to make sense to me there.
I think this song is about having all these different paths in life, a whole bunch of options that you can take as careers or whatever and trapping yourself into something that ultimately won't make you happy. And the decision to do what you want, even if it isn't a good idea (such as aspiring to become a musician when it's rare that you'll make it anywhere) and freeing yourself from the confines that would make you a prisoner in your own life. Making the decision to take a risk and jump into the unknown, and being free to follow what you want to.
OM, pure OM.