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.
[Chorus]
He's a mouse in a maze
With its so many ways
But there's only one way to get out
He's a mouse in a maze
With its so many ways
But there's only one way to get out
Ever nearing eyes
Watch him as he tries
To correct that one same mistake
It souldn't take long
Oh, where did he go wrong
He's tried so hard it must be in his fate
For everybody else
It's quick they need no help
Why must it take him so long
He's been this way before
Stares at the final door
The one he's missed
Each time he's been around, around
With plenty of advice
From all the other mice
Sets out and hopes he's got it straight
His audience will grow
As long as he is slow
They love to watch another man's mistakes
As more of them arrive
His path is more disguised
Confusion seems to cloud his every thought
But it's been this way before
Stares at the final door
The one he's missed
Each time he's been around, around
[Repeat Chorus]
[Repeat Chorus]
Ever nearing eyes
Watch him as he tries
To correct that one same mistake
It shouldn't take long
Oh, where did he go wrong
He's tried so hard it must be in his fate
For everybody else
It's quick they need no help
Why must it take him so long
But he's been this way before
Stares at the final door
The one he's missed
Each time he's been around, around
[Repeat Chorus]
He's a mouse in a maze
With its so many ways
But there's only one way to get out
He's a mouse in a maze
With its so many ways
But there's only one way to get out
Ever nearing eyes
Watch him as he tries
To correct that one same mistake
It souldn't take long
Oh, where did he go wrong
He's tried so hard it must be in his fate
For everybody else
It's quick they need no help
Why must it take him so long
He's been this way before
Stares at the final door
The one he's missed
Each time he's been around, around
With plenty of advice
From all the other mice
Sets out and hopes he's got it straight
His audience will grow
As long as he is slow
They love to watch another man's mistakes
As more of them arrive
His path is more disguised
Confusion seems to cloud his every thought
But it's been this way before
Stares at the final door
The one he's missed
Each time he's been around, around
[Repeat Chorus]
[Repeat Chorus]
Ever nearing eyes
Watch him as he tries
To correct that one same mistake
It shouldn't take long
Oh, where did he go wrong
He's tried so hard it must be in his fate
For everybody else
It's quick they need no help
Why must it take him so long
But he's been this way before
Stares at the final door
The one he's missed
Each time he's been around, around
[Repeat Chorus]
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Mouse in a Maze Lyrics as written by Steve Negus James Crichton
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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:
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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:
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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
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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.
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"'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."
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"Mouse in a Maze" is a metaphor for someone who is trapped and desperately trying to escape or overcome something. The character in this song is a person who despite trying his hardest to succeed and overcome his difficulties cannot escape them. "Everybody else, it's quick, they need no help, why must it take him so long?" immediately brings to mind a person with challenges that hold them back from being able to succeed like the majority of people. A person can see their goal in their mind but continues to falter ("He's been this way before, stares at the final door. The one he's missed each time he's been around"). Although he sees others around him succeeding at reaching the goal and seeks out advice, the end never seems to come. The same process just keeps repeating and repeating for him while the audience of onlookers grow to watch him continue to fail.
To me, this song can be compared to a person who just cannot get their life in order. They keep trying to get a job or quit their habits but it just doesn't work. Around them, they see others who are able to succeed and those people look down upon them because they keep faltering. They've come so close to winning the battle but again, they've failed. It's an endless circle.