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.
We wandered off like children, in the woods
We let the searchers come and never find us
We tried to make a life among the trees
While your dreams collected planes and cars and cities
You slipped away from me while I was sleeping
To climb the tallest oak and see the lights
Your dissatisfaction gave you questions
Do you remember what the city sounded like?
Do you remember what the city sounded like?
So, stay up with me don't fall asleep
We only have this moment once in our lives
The next time we'll meet under city lights
But we're here tonight so, lets make it all it was meant to be
So, I held you but the cold was from inside
I knew I couldn't keep you if I tried
But I watched as the distance spread as the shadows grew
And the longings came like wolves to devour you
So, stay up with me don't fall asleep
'Cause we only have this moment once in our lives
The next time we'll meet under city lights
So, lets make it all it was meant to be
We let the searchers come and never find us
We tried to make a life among the trees
While your dreams collected planes and cars and cities
You slipped away from me while I was sleeping
To climb the tallest oak and see the lights
Your dissatisfaction gave you questions
Do you remember what the city sounded like?
Do you remember what the city sounded like?
So, stay up with me don't fall asleep
We only have this moment once in our lives
The next time we'll meet under city lights
But we're here tonight so, lets make it all it was meant to be
So, I held you but the cold was from inside
I knew I couldn't keep you if I tried
But I watched as the distance spread as the shadows grew
And the longings came like wolves to devour you
So, stay up with me don't fall asleep
'Cause we only have this moment once in our lives
The next time we'll meet under city lights
So, lets make it all it was meant to be
Lyrics submitted by Eversois
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Light Up The Sky
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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."
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
Blue
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“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
In the music video, the "main character" is in a wedding dress in a bath. A wedding dress in a wedding means being "dressed in white" at the end, and becoming "without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (Ephesians 5:27). Notice that we are dressed in white by God to become without stain, but a bath is our man-made way of being without stain. I may be way off base, but it seems to be about idolatry. It says "We wandered off like children, in the woods" away from God. The woods seem to symbolize a life alone away from God that we have chosen. But even before the end of the verse our "dreams collected planes and cars and cities". This civilization seems to symbolize a life with God. Even as we are in the mist of the thrill of the lostness of the forest, we are still longing for the city lights. Finally, when we meet God under city lights, we try to make every moment last, because we know that we are just going to wander off into the forest again.
Wow, I appreciate the above reader's thoughts on this song's meaning! I've been very deep into this song this week, comparing it some to passages in the Song of Songs, (a study of which is a life-time pursuit of mine) So here's my 2 cents worth, or maybe more to someone who may be feeling like they lost their way (like I have been, in this season), and long to "get back home."
My understanding is this song is being sung in the woods, which to me represents an adventurous and romantic life of intimacy with God, not unlike the pure and childlike life of the Garden in Eden. But this woman is being tempted away from intimacy with a man who deeply loves her, for a “city” life.
Now what this city represents, is personal. It could mean anything that we put on a pedestal, leading to an internal pull and distraction away from staying in that more vulnerable place of faith, and intimacy, with God and others.
But there’s another layer to the song, which is overwhelming to me. The man is obviously wooing her to stay with him, at least one night, but in his great love for her, he says he will meet up with her again - in the city!
Such amazing love this Man has. We can’t escape it, wherever we go.
How else would we get home?
The lyrics and the music video together make me think this song is about a girl who is being wooed into marriage/seclusion by a man who loves her, but she feels like she is drowning, focused instead of the "city" - which could be past lovers, freedom, or just larger community. It may be a Hosea-like marriage, where the husband is going after her, and she is focused on her past life or possibilities outside of the marriage, instead of being content in her situation.
Listening to this song today, and maybe it’s because I work in healthcare, but I hear a lament to someone who has drug addiction issues and keeps wanting to go back to them. When imlisten to it with that perspective, the song is very sad and meaningful.