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.
Hot breath, rough skin
Warm laughs and smiling
The loveliest words whispered and meant
You like all these things
But, though you like all these things
You love a stone
You love a stone
Because it's smooth
And it's cold
And you'd love most to be told
That it's all your own
You love white veins, you love hard grey
The heaviest weight, the clumsiest shape
The earthiest smell, the hollowest tone
You love a stone
And I'm found too fast, called too fond of flames
And then I'm phoning my friends
And then I'm shouldering the blame
While you're picking pebbles out of the drain, miles ago
You're out singing songs, and I'm down shouting names
At the flickerless screen, going fucking insane
Am I losing my cool, overstating my case?
Well, baby, what can I say?
You know I never claimed that I was a stone
And you love a stone
You love white veins, you love hard grey
The heaviest weight, the clumsiest shape
The earthiest smell, the hollowest tone
You love a stone
You love a stone, because it's dark, and it's old
And if it could start being alive, you'd stop living alone
And I think I believe that, if stones could dream
They'd dream of being laid side-by-side, piece-by-piece
And turned into a castle for some towering queen
They're unable to know
And when that queen's daughter came of age
But I think she'd be lovely and stubborn and brave
And suitors would journey from kingdoms away
Just to make themselves known
And I think that I know the bitter dismay
Of a lover who brought fresh bouquets every day
When she turned him away to remember some knave
Who once gave just one rose, one day, years ago
Warm laughs and smiling
The loveliest words whispered and meant
You like all these things
But, though you like all these things
You love a stone
You love a stone
Because it's smooth
And it's cold
And you'd love most to be told
That it's all your own
You love white veins, you love hard grey
The heaviest weight, the clumsiest shape
The earthiest smell, the hollowest tone
You love a stone
And I'm found too fast, called too fond of flames
And then I'm phoning my friends
And then I'm shouldering the blame
While you're picking pebbles out of the drain, miles ago
You're out singing songs, and I'm down shouting names
At the flickerless screen, going fucking insane
Am I losing my cool, overstating my case?
Well, baby, what can I say?
You know I never claimed that I was a stone
And you love a stone
You love white veins, you love hard grey
The heaviest weight, the clumsiest shape
The earthiest smell, the hollowest tone
You love a stone
You love a stone, because it's dark, and it's old
And if it could start being alive, you'd stop living alone
And I think I believe that, if stones could dream
They'd dream of being laid side-by-side, piece-by-piece
And turned into a castle for some towering queen
They're unable to know
And when that queen's daughter came of age
But I think she'd be lovely and stubborn and brave
And suitors would journey from kingdoms away
Just to make themselves known
And I think that I know the bitter dismay
Of a lover who brought fresh bouquets every day
When she turned him away to remember some knave
Who once gave just one rose, one day, years ago
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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:
"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
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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.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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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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i love this song. i agree with elstortez that it is in the first person... the singer is talking about how he is so very in love with a girl and goes out of his way to demonstrate his love to her, but she casts his love aside for another more "challenging" love interest. the stone is the "other man" who puts forth little effort to woo her, but wins her love anyhow. it is sort of the classic situation of someone who loves "the thrill of the chase", or who feels the relationship is only worthwhile if she is never quite sure of where she stands in it. she loves "the stone" because he makes her crazy trying to figure out of he really cares for her and she mistakes this emotion for love and romance. she passes by the singer because it is too easy... his heart is on his sleeve.