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.
I: Introduction/The Water
I am the water
I am the ocean king
I own the red sky
I am the one who makes...
Dreams...
Real
II: When It All Goes to Hell
There you are
It's soft and it's red
Floating free
In your own private bed
Then one day
You're pushed down a well
And you feel your funny bone crack
When it all goes to hell
You come into
A world cold and bright
And after a while
It all seems alright
You dance and play
But it's too soon to tell
That you'll find yourself scathed and attacked
When it all goes to hell
When it all goes to hell
And you don't even try to get up
When it all goes to hell
III: A Thief in the Night
I was a general
Of darkness and light
I was to be the major man
It was some kind of sight
I was going to stand alone
And do what was right
Now I'm just another stepping stone
A thief in the night
So where were all of those
Angels and priests
Who said they'd carry me
Beyond my beliefs
Where are all of them now
They're gone from my sight
My mother and father deserted me
Like thieves in the night
Yes, where are all of them now
They're gone from my side
My mother and father deserted me
Like thieves in the night
I was the water
I was the ocean king
I ruled the red sky
I could do anything
'Til you, you
You messed me up
You, you
You all messed me up
IV: FU/I'm Sorry
You gave me this home and then you left me alone
FUCK YOU
You act real nice while you're exacting your price
FUCK YOU
Everyone's got their opinions
They'll tell ya 'bout 'em all the time
What makes 'em think i wanna hear them
I wish that you'd all fucking die, die, DIE!
You don't give a shit about anything
FUCK YOU
I don't know why you even bother to live
FUCK YOU
Everyone's so pathetic
Always talking all the time
What makes them think that
I give half a shit what's on their minds, minds, MINDS!
FUCK YOU
[if the truth were told I really hate myself]
FUCK YOU
FUCK YOU
FUCK YOU
FUCK YOU!
I'm so sorry
I really am so, so sorry
If I ever hurt you or caused you pain
I can't help it
I really, really just can't help it
When the madman's on the rise again
Can you understand what it's like?
You all must understand what it's like
I can't help what happened to me
Sometimes it just comes out now can't you see
Please understand and don't
Don't hate me
I'm so sorry
I really am so, so sorry
If I ever hurt you or caused you pain
If you don't understand it's all the same
I guess I'll just be left alone again...
V: The Water (revisited)
I am the water
I am the ocean king
I own the red sky
I am the one who makes...
You...
Feel
VI: Runnin' the Race
Mocks and spots
Rip up your face
But all that counts
Is that you get to first base
Tension mouths
Then it's put in its place
And you're finally having some fun
When you're runnin' the race
Chinatown
Is off to your left
The motor pool
Is there on the right
Tension in dot matrix
Right in your face
And you're finally having some fun
While you're runnin' the race
And you're finally having some fun
While you're runnin' the race
Runnin' the race
Runnin' the race
VII: Reach for the Sky
After we've gone
After the moon rises
And the red flags fly
Gonna reach for the sky
Gonna hold my head up high
Gonna reach for the sky
Storm ragin'
That'll be alright
If we reach for the sky
Yeah we reach for the sky
Guess there never was...
A winner
Just a race against time
I was mean - I was kind
Eventhough I was blind
I still reach for the sky
Storm ragin'
That'll be alright
If we reach for the sky
Yeah we reach for the sky
Come on people
Reach for the sky...
I am the water
I am the ocean king
I own the red sky
I am the one who makes...
Dreams...
Real
II: When It All Goes to Hell
There you are
It's soft and it's red
Floating free
In your own private bed
Then one day
You're pushed down a well
And you feel your funny bone crack
When it all goes to hell
You come into
A world cold and bright
And after a while
It all seems alright
You dance and play
But it's too soon to tell
That you'll find yourself scathed and attacked
When it all goes to hell
When it all goes to hell
And you don't even try to get up
When it all goes to hell
III: A Thief in the Night
I was a general
Of darkness and light
I was to be the major man
It was some kind of sight
I was going to stand alone
And do what was right
Now I'm just another stepping stone
A thief in the night
So where were all of those
Angels and priests
Who said they'd carry me
Beyond my beliefs
Where are all of them now
They're gone from my sight
My mother and father deserted me
Like thieves in the night
Yes, where are all of them now
They're gone from my side
My mother and father deserted me
Like thieves in the night
I was the water
I was the ocean king
I ruled the red sky
I could do anything
'Til you, you
You messed me up
You, you
You all messed me up
IV: FU/I'm Sorry
You gave me this home and then you left me alone
FUCK YOU
You act real nice while you're exacting your price
FUCK YOU
Everyone's got their opinions
They'll tell ya 'bout 'em all the time
What makes 'em think i wanna hear them
I wish that you'd all fucking die, die, DIE!
You don't give a shit about anything
FUCK YOU
I don't know why you even bother to live
FUCK YOU
Everyone's so pathetic
Always talking all the time
What makes them think that
I give half a shit what's on their minds, minds, MINDS!
FUCK YOU
[if the truth were told I really hate myself]
FUCK YOU
FUCK YOU
FUCK YOU
FUCK YOU!
I'm so sorry
I really am so, so sorry
If I ever hurt you or caused you pain
I can't help it
I really, really just can't help it
When the madman's on the rise again
Can you understand what it's like?
You all must understand what it's like
I can't help what happened to me
Sometimes it just comes out now can't you see
Please understand and don't
Don't hate me
I'm so sorry
I really am so, so sorry
If I ever hurt you or caused you pain
If you don't understand it's all the same
I guess I'll just be left alone again...
V: The Water (revisited)
I am the water
I am the ocean king
I own the red sky
I am the one who makes...
You...
Feel
VI: Runnin' the Race
Mocks and spots
Rip up your face
But all that counts
Is that you get to first base
Tension mouths
Then it's put in its place
And you're finally having some fun
When you're runnin' the race
Chinatown
Is off to your left
The motor pool
Is there on the right
Tension in dot matrix
Right in your face
And you're finally having some fun
While you're runnin' the race
And you're finally having some fun
While you're runnin' the race
Runnin' the race
Runnin' the race
VII: Reach for the Sky
After we've gone
After the moon rises
And the red flags fly
Gonna reach for the sky
Gonna hold my head up high
Gonna reach for the sky
Storm ragin'
That'll be alright
If we reach for the sky
Yeah we reach for the sky
Guess there never was...
A winner
Just a race against time
I was mean - I was kind
Eventhough I was blind
I still reach for the sky
Storm ragin'
That'll be alright
If we reach for the sky
Yeah we reach for the sky
Come on people
Reach for the sky...
Lyrics submitted by Idan
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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.
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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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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,
Nobody has commented on this? Whaaat?!
Mm, I wish I understood more about the song in general, but I don't. Obviously, it can mean a lot of different things, but I'm sure there's one central theme that I'm not smart enough to catch on to. I was expecting other people to have come and explained this, but nooo...!
Anyways, I was just gonna comment and say that I LOVE the part in 'FU/I'm Sorry' where all of his emotions just go wild and he's all "FUCK YOUUUUUU!" and then he gets rational for a second and says "If truth were told, I really hate myself. SO FUCK YOU!!!" I was listening to this the other day, after I'd had this huge emotional breakdown-ish-thing, and I could relate SO well. It completely described my mood at that instant. To me, it's like, all of his anger coming out, his hatred towards other people and people in general. And then his insecurities just crash down on him and he realizes that this anger is all directed towards HIM. It's not anyone else. It's not about his parents deserting him or anything else that anyone else has done so much as it is about his own self-hatred.