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:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
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:
"I had all and then most of you"
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
"Some and now none of you"
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.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Melt Antarctica, savin' Africa
I failed algebra and I misused some times
We're at war again, save the world again
You can all join in, but you can't smoke inside
You said "Take me home, I can't stand this place
'Cause there's too many hipsters and I just can't relate"
You're my neon gypsy, my desert rain
You're my "Helter Skelter", oh how can I explain that
You're the best I ever had
And I'm trying not to get stuck in my head
But I read that soda kills you and Jesus saves
On the bathroom wall where I saw your name
You're the best I ever had
I won't be the same
Night sky full of drones, this neighborhood of clones
I'm looking at the crowd and they're staring at their phones
They groom the coast line here, the sun will disappear (oh God!)
And maybe once a year, I think they'll clean my car
Caught my reflection, drop the call
I've been medicated with cigarettes and alcohol
I got vertigo, no I can't see straight
I got obligations though I'm usually late but
You're the best I ever had
And I'm trying not to get stuck in my head
But I think I dropped my wallet in Santa Fe
Lost the only picture I had of you that day and
You're the best I ever had
I won't be the same
Hey West Virginia, hey North Dakota
I think I love you, but don't even know you
Hey Massachusetts, hey Minnesota
I think I love you, but don't even know you
Hey Carolina, hey Oklahoma
I think I love you, but don't even know you
Hey Alabama, hey California
I think I love you, but don't even know you
You're the best I ever had (you're the best I ever had)
And I'm trying not to get stuck in my head
But I passed the longest sign on the interstate
Saying "Find someone before it gets too late"
You're the best I ever had (you're the best I ever had)
I won't be the same
Hey West Virginia, hey North Dakota (Oh why, oh why)
I think I love you, but don't even know you (I won't be the same)
Hey Massachusetts, hey Minnesota (you're the best I ever had)
I think I love you, but don't even know you (I won't be the same)
Yeah, I won't be the same
I failed algebra and I misused some times
We're at war again, save the world again
You can all join in, but you can't smoke inside
You said "Take me home, I can't stand this place
'Cause there's too many hipsters and I just can't relate"
You're my neon gypsy, my desert rain
You're my "Helter Skelter", oh how can I explain that
You're the best I ever had
And I'm trying not to get stuck in my head
But I read that soda kills you and Jesus saves
On the bathroom wall where I saw your name
You're the best I ever had
I won't be the same
Night sky full of drones, this neighborhood of clones
I'm looking at the crowd and they're staring at their phones
They groom the coast line here, the sun will disappear (oh God!)
And maybe once a year, I think they'll clean my car
Caught my reflection, drop the call
I've been medicated with cigarettes and alcohol
I got vertigo, no I can't see straight
I got obligations though I'm usually late but
You're the best I ever had
And I'm trying not to get stuck in my head
But I think I dropped my wallet in Santa Fe
Lost the only picture I had of you that day and
You're the best I ever had
I won't be the same
Hey West Virginia, hey North Dakota
I think I love you, but don't even know you
Hey Massachusetts, hey Minnesota
I think I love you, but don't even know you
Hey Carolina, hey Oklahoma
I think I love you, but don't even know you
Hey Alabama, hey California
I think I love you, but don't even know you
You're the best I ever had (you're the best I ever had)
And I'm trying not to get stuck in my head
But I passed the longest sign on the interstate
Saying "Find someone before it gets too late"
You're the best I ever had (you're the best I ever had)
I won't be the same
Hey West Virginia, hey North Dakota (Oh why, oh why)
I think I love you, but don't even know you (I won't be the same)
Hey Massachusetts, hey Minnesota (you're the best I ever had)
I think I love you, but don't even know you (I won't be the same)
Yeah, I won't be the same
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The Night We Met
Lord Huron
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Hayalperest
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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."
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Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
I feel like he is a traveling artist. He met a woman, had a fling, maybe not even remembering where he met her. Then lost track of where he met her and now has memories of how "good" it felt and how "good it was". Sort of like "the one that got away".