Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
Oh, the razor in your apple
The affection of your glove
The prison of your company
The snake oil of your love
The heights to which you drag me
Just to hurl your scorn
The trumpets play the livelong day
But they blow so forlorn
Did you hold the hand that held me down?
Did you laugh at my expense?
When there's rust upon your ragged crown
Who will stand at your defense?
And when I unveiled my weakness
On your rodeo of tears
You stood there so vacantly
Your fingers in your ears
And you left by the morning
With all that's left to steal
But every time you say farewell
There's breadcrumbs at your heels
Did you kiss the hand that held me down?
Was your kindness just pretense?
When there's no one left for you to clown
Who will stand at your defense?
But it's ashes, Lord, it's ashes
Soon we all fall down
You take your place among the saints
Make not a single sound
And the hills that held our childhood
The flowers grow there still
You lay beneath them, pushing weeds
And I guess you always will
Could you be the hand that held me down?
When I was sick with common sense
And now your statuettes are all torn down
There's no one left to lean against
And ever since your epitaph
Was spattered on my wall
No one comes to call
They can't stand the stench
But I still sing your praises
Every time the curtain calls
The burden on me falls
Yeah, I alone stand at your defense
The affection of your glove
The prison of your company
The snake oil of your love
The heights to which you drag me
Just to hurl your scorn
The trumpets play the livelong day
But they blow so forlorn
Did you hold the hand that held me down?
Did you laugh at my expense?
When there's rust upon your ragged crown
Who will stand at your defense?
And when I unveiled my weakness
On your rodeo of tears
You stood there so vacantly
Your fingers in your ears
And you left by the morning
With all that's left to steal
But every time you say farewell
There's breadcrumbs at your heels
Did you kiss the hand that held me down?
Was your kindness just pretense?
When there's no one left for you to clown
Who will stand at your defense?
But it's ashes, Lord, it's ashes
Soon we all fall down
You take your place among the saints
Make not a single sound
And the hills that held our childhood
The flowers grow there still
You lay beneath them, pushing weeds
And I guess you always will
Could you be the hand that held me down?
When I was sick with common sense
And now your statuettes are all torn down
There's no one left to lean against
And ever since your epitaph
Was spattered on my wall
No one comes to call
They can't stand the stench
But I still sing your praises
Every time the curtain calls
The burden on me falls
Yeah, I alone stand at your defense
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
The Spy
Doors, The
Doors, The
when rules change
Life in Your Way
Life in Your Way
High life
Step
Ministry
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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."
alternate lyrics from live version; youtube.com/watch
The hollow of the evening, the flicker of your love the shadow of your bedside lamp outshines the stars above the heights to which you drag me, just to hurl your scorn the trumpets play the livelong day, but they blow so forlorn
do you hold the hand that held me down? is your kindness just pretense? when you stumble on your last go-round who will come to your defense?
among your pigs and cowards, i take my daily meal you said farewell so tastelessly with breadcrumbs at your heels and i've unveiled my weakness on your rodeo of tears and you hum under your breath, pretending not to hear
did you kiss the hand that held me down? was your kindness just pretense? and when there's dust upon your ragged crown who will stand at your defense?
when i come back from this evening, to the flicker of your love and madness from the hearts you claim as though you come for love (??? unsure about this) and you watch me come for miles, from your white ivory tower i've been around your every house, i come back every hour
could you be the hand that held me down? when i'm sick with common sense when your lowliness wants me around when I (??? can't make this out)
and ever since your epitaph was splattered on my wall no-one comes to call, they can't stand the stench but i still sing your praises every time the curtain calls I alone will stand at your defense.