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.
"So when they continued asking him
He lifted up himself, and said unto them,
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her"
Listen closely, to what I'm about to say
I think I've heard just about enough of your hypocritical ways
Don't try to stop me now
Don't you make a sound
You've built yourself up oh so high just to tear me down
I'm so tired of you telling me
How to live and what I should not be
And I'm so tired of you telling me
What to do and what I don't believe
And after all that you're telling me
Why is it hate and only you can see
And I'm so sick of you telling me that I will burn
I will not be free
This is my song
My red crusade
What will I say?
What will I do?
Maybe it's fear that leads your rage
Maybe you're me and I am you
So go ahead and point your fingers
Tell me who to love is it him or her?
When will you see this is who I am
S-i-n-n-e-r
Natural born sinner
I'm not gonna change
Stay out of my way
I don't need you to understand
That I'm already saved
Maybe you should stop, question all your pain
Can you look me in my eyes and say we're not the same.
Did you really think by pushing me
I would become what you want me to be?
And did you really think by hurting me
I'd open up and just hand you the key?
I know you're scared and don't understand
This is my life, this is who I am
What I do know is come judgement day
Before the lord can you say the same?
This is my song
My red crusade
What will I say?
What will I do?
Maybe it's fear that leads your rage
Maybe you're me and I am you
So go ahead and point your fingers
Tell me who to love is it him or her?
When will you see this is who I am
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
So go ahead and point your fingers
I'll love who I want, whether him or her
When will you see that God made me a
S-i-n-n-e-r
Natural born sinner
Go ahead and point!
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
Natural born sinner
So go ahead and point your fingers
Tell me who to love is it him or her?
When will you see this is who I am
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
So go ahead and point your fingers
I'll love who I want, whether him or her
When will you see that God made me a
S-I-n-n-e-r
Natural born sinner
He lifted up himself, and said unto them,
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her"
Listen closely, to what I'm about to say
I think I've heard just about enough of your hypocritical ways
Don't try to stop me now
Don't you make a sound
You've built yourself up oh so high just to tear me down
I'm so tired of you telling me
How to live and what I should not be
And I'm so tired of you telling me
What to do and what I don't believe
And after all that you're telling me
Why is it hate and only you can see
And I'm so sick of you telling me that I will burn
I will not be free
This is my song
My red crusade
What will I say?
What will I do?
Maybe it's fear that leads your rage
Maybe you're me and I am you
So go ahead and point your fingers
Tell me who to love is it him or her?
When will you see this is who I am
S-i-n-n-e-r
Natural born sinner
I'm not gonna change
Stay out of my way
I don't need you to understand
That I'm already saved
Maybe you should stop, question all your pain
Can you look me in my eyes and say we're not the same.
Did you really think by pushing me
I would become what you want me to be?
And did you really think by hurting me
I'd open up and just hand you the key?
I know you're scared and don't understand
This is my life, this is who I am
What I do know is come judgement day
Before the lord can you say the same?
This is my song
My red crusade
What will I say?
What will I do?
Maybe it's fear that leads your rage
Maybe you're me and I am you
So go ahead and point your fingers
Tell me who to love is it him or her?
When will you see this is who I am
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
So go ahead and point your fingers
I'll love who I want, whether him or her
When will you see that God made me a
S-i-n-n-e-r
Natural born sinner
Go ahead and point!
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
Natural born sinner
So go ahead and point your fingers
Tell me who to love is it him or her?
When will you see this is who I am
S-i-n-n-e-r
S-i-n-n-e-r
So go ahead and point your fingers
I'll love who I want, whether him or her
When will you see that God made me a
S-I-n-n-e-r
Natural born sinner
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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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Plastic Bag
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As a Christian I like to read this song pro-God. While some might dismiss these lyrics as mockery, I think it can offer a good moral meaning. I think it's about not judging others. The beginning of the song quotes Jesus Christ himself, from when he told the citizens who tattled on a woman for sexual sin, saying the punishment for that is to be stoned, Jesus told them that he who does not sin, throw the first stone.. So everyone backed off. So I think it's using Jesus's words to be kind to one another and do not shame others who sin differently than you... because we're all natural born sinners.
@Lexican this is a song clearly talking about being Bisexual. “Tell me who to love him or her.” Shows the idea of having your wants placed below “What’s Right”. And then later it’s says, “I love who I want wether him or her.” Which shows hey I am bisexual we exist. The Bible is a touchy subject with LGBTQ+ people because Christians will sometimes say that God doesn’t love all his creations. When God loves everyone it’s his whole thing. I actual can imagine being found out in a early American colony that I was sleeping with another mans wife and she throws me under the bust and the pastor who would often times be the law in that age says this as they stone me to death over who I love.
@Lexican this is a song clearly talking about being Bisexual. “Tell me who to love him or her.” Shows the idea of having your wants placed below “What’s Right”. And then later it’s says, “I love who I want wether him or her.” Which shows hey I am bisexual we exist. The Bible is a touchy subject with LGBTQ+ people because Christians will sometimes say that God doesn’t love all his creations. When God loves everyone it’s his whole thing. I actual can imagine being found out in a early American colony that I was sleeping with another mans wife and she throws me under the bust and the pastor who would often times be the law in that age says this as they stone me to death over who I love.