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.
On promenades where drunks propose to lonely arcade mannequins
Where ceremonies pause at the jewelers shop display
Feigning casual silence in strained romantic interludes
Till they commit themselves to the muted journey home
And the pool player rests on another cue
Last nights hero picking up his dues
A honeymoon gambled on a ricochet
She's staring at the brochures at the holidays
Chalking up a name in your hometown
Standing all your mates to another round
Laughing at the world till the barman wipes away the warm wet circles
The warm wet circles
I saw teenage girls like gaudy moths
A classrooms shabby butterflies
Flirt in the glow of stranded telephone boxes;
Planning white lace weddings from smeared hearts and token proclamations,
Rolled from stolen lipsticks across the razored webs of glass
Sharing cigarettes with experience
With her giggling jealous confidantes,
She faithfully traces his name
With quick bitten fingernails
Through the tears of condensation
That'll cry through the night
As the glancing headlights of the last bus
Kiss adolescence goodbye
In a warm wet circle
Like a mothers kiss on your first broken heart,
A warm wet circle
Like a bullit hole in central park,
A warm wet circle
And I'll always surrender to the warm wet circles
She nervously undressed in the dancing beams of the fidra lighthouse
Giving it all away before it's too late
She'll let a lovers tongue move in a warm wet circle
Giving it all away and showing no shame
She'll take a mother's kiss on her first broken heart
A warm wet circle,
She'll realise that she played her part in a warm wet circle
Teenage war brides
It was a wedding ring,
Destined to be found in a cheap hotel
Lost in a kitchen sink or thrown in a wishing well
Where ceremonies pause at the jewelers shop display
Feigning casual silence in strained romantic interludes
Till they commit themselves to the muted journey home
And the pool player rests on another cue
Last nights hero picking up his dues
A honeymoon gambled on a ricochet
She's staring at the brochures at the holidays
Chalking up a name in your hometown
Standing all your mates to another round
Laughing at the world till the barman wipes away the warm wet circles
The warm wet circles
I saw teenage girls like gaudy moths
A classrooms shabby butterflies
Flirt in the glow of stranded telephone boxes;
Planning white lace weddings from smeared hearts and token proclamations,
Rolled from stolen lipsticks across the razored webs of glass
Sharing cigarettes with experience
With her giggling jealous confidantes,
She faithfully traces his name
With quick bitten fingernails
Through the tears of condensation
That'll cry through the night
As the glancing headlights of the last bus
Kiss adolescence goodbye
In a warm wet circle
Like a mothers kiss on your first broken heart,
A warm wet circle
Like a bullit hole in central park,
A warm wet circle
And I'll always surrender to the warm wet circles
She nervously undressed in the dancing beams of the fidra lighthouse
Giving it all away before it's too late
She'll let a lovers tongue move in a warm wet circle
Giving it all away and showing no shame
She'll take a mother's kiss on her first broken heart
A warm wet circle,
She'll realise that she played her part in a warm wet circle
Teenage war brides
It was a wedding ring,
Destined to be found in a cheap hotel
Lost in a kitchen sink or thrown in a wishing well
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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.
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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."
Blue
Ed Sheeran
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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.
The imagery in this song is wonderful. The different connotations of the "warm, wet circle". From the innocence and comfort of a mother's kiss - to a bullet hole. I also think he's referring to a woman's sexual organ in this song - as in a young girl desperately giving it away (her virginity, perhaps) before it's too late. Ad, of course, the reference to the warm wet circles left on the bar by drinks.
Brilliant lyrics.
To me it's Fish's observations of situations (probably mirroring his own) that young people get into. And finding that link between them - a warm, wet circle.
Ultimately it's about a girls first relationship with a guy where she thinks it's love and he's only after one thing. The girl meets a cool guy, falls in love, starts planning the future and talking about him to her friends. She's happy. Then they meet up and get down to it. And then it's all over.
The circle reference is not just of the warm, wet types. It's a vicious circle that many young girls find themselves in. She feels rejected and will seek love even more - thus leading her to find the next guy who will inevitably end up doing the same thing.
Hence the last line "She'll realise that she played her part in a warm wet circle".
Superb imagery (I've always considered Fish more a poet than just a songwriter) and very clever songwriting.
I think the song is an observation of the inexperience of youth. It is obviously about the effects of alcohol but goes further than that. "On promenades, where drunks propose to lonely arcade mannnequins". But it goes deeper than alcoholism. It goes into the feelings. "Teenage girls like gaudy moths". Girls make themselves up to look attractive. They're looking for love. The men are looking to get their rocks off. "The pool player (macho man) rests on another cue, last night's hero (he got laid) picking up his due". He's "resting on his cue". He's taking the plaudits from his male friends because he got the shag and they didn't. "She'll take the mother's kiss on her first broken heart". It meant more to her than it did to him and somebody will need to pick up the pieces. He promised her the world to get inside her knickers. "A bullet hole in central park" I think is a reference to the murder of John Lennon. "She'll realise that she played her part in a warm wet circle". Eventaully, she will see that whatever happened, she fell for it. She will end up another f***ed up individual because of it. Cynical and bitter
This song is the breakdown of a longterm relationship.
The protaganist is in a committed relation and engaged, however he really doesnt want to get married "Where ceremonies pause at the jeweller's shop display Feigning casual silence in strained romantic interludes" eg shes picking out wedding rings etc but all hes wants to do is drink in the pub with his mates and really isnt commited to the realtionship "A Honeymoon gambled on a ricochet". He then starts having an affair with a young teenager, deflowering her in the Lighthouse.
Also the last 2 lines are missing from this song, which sort of tie up the whole thing
"It was a wedding ring destined to found in a cheap hotel, lost in a kitchen sink, or thrown in a wishing well'
The protaganist does get married in the end, but the marriage is bound to fail.
I'm not sure of the whole meaning of the song but it obviously has a lot to do with Fish's alcoholism : "Laughing at the world till the barman wipes away the warm wet circles". It is obvious he is referring to the circles left by a glass on a bar's table. Further than that I don't know
I always thought it was just about having a great time and laughing at the world until closing time when "the barman wipes away the warm wet circles".
Having read the comments on hear theres obviously a lot more too it. Fascinating
I always thought it was just about having a great time and laughing at the world until closing time when "the barman wipes away the warm wet circles" and the reality of humdrum life beginning again takes over.
Having read the comments on here theres obviously a lot more too it. Fascinating
Fidra lighthouse is in East Lothian - close to Fish's home
From what I gathered the warm wet cicrle is respresenting Alchol, and the charcters veiws on it, and his own situation. Alchol is his comfort, "it's like his mother hug", but on the other hand he knows its dangerous, and just "like a bullet hole in central park" he knows it will eventually kill him. Regardless of this though he "will always surrender to the warm wet circle" aka. the alchol. Also I think the last two verses may, be like the story of how his relationship with is wife is so dissfunctional. In all, especially when coupled with the rest of the album, this song is alomst like Prolouge to the story the album tells.
I see this as the life on a local bar. The life of regular people in front of the writer. Warm wet circles are the marks of the glass on the table, beautiful metaphor! The writer ponders about his own struggles, including the addiction to alcohol. Love this hole album.