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."
I found God on the corner of First in Amistad
Where the west was all but won
All alone
Smoking his last cigarette
I said "where you been?"
He said, "ask anything"
Where were you
When everything was falling apart?
All my days
Spent by the telephone
That never rang
And all I needed was a call
That never came
To the corner of First and Amistad
[Chorus]
Lost and insecure
You found me, you found me
Lying on the floor
Surrounded, surrounded
Why'd you have to wait?
Where were you? Where were you?
Just a little late
You found me, you found me
In the end
Everyone ends up alone
Losing her
The only one who's ever known
Who I am, who I'm not, and who I wanna be
No way to know
How long she will be next to me
[Chorus]
Early morning
City breaks
I've been calling
For years and years and years and years
And you never left me no messages
You never send me no letters
You got some kind of nerve
Taking all our love
Lost and insecure
You found me, you found me
Lying on the floor
Where were you? Where were you?
[Chorus]
Why'd you have to wait
To find me?
To find me?
Where the west was all but won
All alone
Smoking his last cigarette
I said "where you been?"
He said, "ask anything"
Where were you
When everything was falling apart?
All my days
Spent by the telephone
That never rang
And all I needed was a call
That never came
To the corner of First and Amistad
[Chorus]
Lost and insecure
You found me, you found me
Lying on the floor
Surrounded, surrounded
Why'd you have to wait?
Where were you? Where were you?
Just a little late
You found me, you found me
In the end
Everyone ends up alone
Losing her
The only one who's ever known
Who I am, who I'm not, and who I wanna be
No way to know
How long she will be next to me
[Chorus]
Early morning
City breaks
I've been calling
For years and years and years and years
And you never left me no messages
You never send me no letters
You got some kind of nerve
Taking all our love
Lost and insecure
You found me, you found me
Lying on the floor
Where were you? Where were you?
[Chorus]
Why'd you have to wait
To find me?
To find me?
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More Featured Meanings

Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction

When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.

Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/

Another Love
Tom Odell
Tom Odell
I think the meaning is pretty clear. This person got really burned in a previous relationship, and because of this is unable to love and show care in his present one, even though he so badly wants to. It's lovely song, and very sad. You can really feel how defeated and frustrated he is with himself.

Somewhere Only We Know
Keane
Keane
Per the FAQ on Keane's website, Keane's drummer Richard Hughes, stated the following:
"We've been asked whether "Somewhere Only We Know" is about a specific place, and Tim has been saying that, for him, or us as individuals, it might be about a geographical space, or a feeling; it can mean something individual to each person, and they can interpret it to a memory of theirs... It's perhaps more of a theme rather than a specific message... Feelings that may be universal, without necessarily being totally specific to us, or a place, or a time..."
With the nostalgic sentiment and the overall tone of the song, I think Keane is attempting to express a Portuguese term known as 'saudade', which does not have a direct English translation but roughly means "that which we remember because it is gone."
Isaac posted this on thefray.net website along with the video.
"You Found Me is a tough song for me. Its about the disappointment, the heart ache, the let down that comes with life. Sometimes you're let down, sometimes you're the one who lets someone else down. It gets hard to know who you can trust, who you can count on. This song came out of a tough time, and I'm still right in the thick of it. There's some difficult circumstances my family and friends have been going through over the past year or so and can be overwhelming. It wears on me. It demands so much of my faith to keep believing, keep hoping in the unseen. Sometimes the tunnel has a light at the end, but usually they just look black as night. This song is about that feeling, and the hope that I still have, buried deep in my chest."
The song is truly amazing. I myself have been battling my own problems small and large among family, friends, school, work, personal, everything. Caring about everyone around me and trying to put smiles on faces and make people happy during the hardest of times. But when you can't do it, it begins to eat at you, and others problems become your own demons. Eventually hitting rock bottom. And even today I struggle with my demons every other day. And while I am not religious, nor do I believe in God, I continue to believe there might be a higher power that will help those I love with their problems.
I think this song takes everything about life into account while placing God into it as well. But the song does something rarely what other musicians attempt to do, it shows the emotional range and true insecurities which we all have but rarely reveal.
Can't wait to see them live, definitely some of the greatest musicians, and certainly great people among a world so messed up as ours.
To blame god for what the world's become is ridiculous,he gave us a choice,he gave us freedom,and what we chose to do with it,wasn't his fault.People die,people lie,people kill and steal.Did god tell them to do so,did he command them to do so?No.He gave them freedom,he gave them love.Christ not only died for the sins we've done,but he was crucified,for the sins we did make,the ones we are making,and the ones we will make in the future.We are not perfect.We are not obligated by god to belive in him.Times are hard,but when worry sets in,i suggest you go to the god in prayer to make things clear.I don't belive you should force religion upon someone because if god didn't force those who don't belive,then why would we.We are led to be humble about it,to show people the way we love god.Not to embark it on them.To force them to love him,because then it isn't real.I am christian,and yes I want everyone to love god like I do,but I won't force it upon them.You ask and wonder why the world is so cruel,why people do these things,why god doesn't stop this.It's all to let us grow.To love,to be your own person.But god wasn't the one who took a little girl and killed her,he wasnt the one who robbed a bank and took citizens hostage,he wasn't the one who filled this earth with trash and pollution.Us humans did so,and yet he forgives and loves us anyway.There will come a day,you will need him more than anything and he will be there for you like always,its your choice whether to reach out to him or not.There's a book I read called the Shack.(a spoiler,sorry)A man is slipping with his love for god after his little girl has been kidnapped and murdered.they find shes been murdered in a shack,but can't find her body.Three years later,this man recieves a note saying to meet him at the shack and it is signed papa.A name his wife calls god.And you'd have to be close to know so.He only tells his friend willie where he's going,he appears and see's the bloodstain and no god.He shouts at the lord and leaves the shack.As he leaves,magnificent things happen.The shack is now a cabin,and winter has changed to spring,there he meets god.God appears as three people.A light flowing woman(the holy spirit)A big african american woman(god)and a non-humanly striking man(jesus)he is taught many things,and grows to trust god and jesus.He gets to see his daughter,but does not meet her,he sees her through a wall were he can see her but not touch her and she cant see him,but she knows he's there.She asked for it to be like this.God walks with this man and asks him to forgive the man who has killed his little girl.They have a long emotional talk and he forgives him.God then guides the man to her body,they return with her and have a funeral in this place,she is laid in a cascet carved by jesus himself,ingraved with all her life meomories,that she designed herself.She is buried in the mans garden which is described as his soul.He returns to normal,happy and relieved.He follows the red marks that god showed him when he found the girls body and he really finds her and gives her a proper burial.He then tells the police and they follow other red marks and find the other girls.During this trip he is angry with god because he didnt stop the killer,but he learns that he gives us choices and that he cant hold that on god.He loves god free-willingly and he lives life happily.It helps you understand that its not easy for god to judge someone he loves,his child.It's like telling a parent to pick two to got to hell and 3 in heaven,but he would like to go in there place.And it represents how jesus went in our place.This happens in the book and the man sees the way.
To me some parts of this song could almost be a conversation between God and the singer:
I said, “Where you been?” He said, “Ask anything.” (God)
Singer: Where were you? When everything was falling apart? All my days Were spent by the telephone It never rang And all I needed was a call It never came To the corner of First and Amistad- (He was looking for God and actively trying to find him when this traumatic experience was starting or happening but he didn’t feel like God was responding or there)
Singer: Lost and insecure- (I was alone, hurting, etc. Why did you let me experience this pain?)
God: You found me, you found me- (Sometimes it takes really a hard time or bad experience for someone to turn to or “find” God, this is how it happened for me)
Singer: Lying on the floor - (He was hurting so badly, a really devastating thing happened to this person)
God: Surrounded, surrounded (I was there with you even though you didn’t realize it)
Singer: Why'd you have to wait? Where were you? Where were you? (Why did God let this bad thing happen?)
God: Just a little late. You found me, you found me- (This bad thing happened to the singer and he was devastated by it, his faith (if he would have had it then) could have helped him deal with it but, he did eventually find God).
God: I've been calling for years and years and years and years- (It may not have been bells and whistles and obvious but, I have been in your life even though you didn’t realize it) Singer: And you never left me no messages. You never send me no letters (Maybe this is while he was trying to decide if there actually was a God…why didn’t you help me?)
The last lines of the song really speak to me:
Singer: Why'd you have to wait? –(Let me experience this pain?) God: To find me, to find me (Otherwise the singer might not have come to Christ)
This kind of reminds of the story about the footprints dream: the guy thinks God abandoned him during the worst times of his life but really God was carrying or “surrounding” him. (For those not familiar with the story: footprints-inthe-sand.com/index.php)
I’ve read the previous posts and realize this is probably not the “real” meaning of the song but, it’s how I choose to view it …sorry if I have annoyed you with my Christian view
wow this was a really beautiful interpretation of it i hadn't really thought about it that way and it makes complete sense. i'm leading a retreat in a couple days called Kairos and i'm giving the talk "Search for God" and i'm using this song at the beginning of my talk and the way you described it is exactly the message i want to convey to the people who are hearing it. That we do need the pain to experience the healing, so that we might be able to find God, and even though it might have not been visible at the dark time, he was "surrounding" us the entire time. This is a really interesting perspective but what i think makes this song so great is that it can be interpreted in so many ways, and that is what art truly is. It speaks to us how we want it to, how we need it to, and that is our own personal God talking to us.
thanks for that. i couldnt get it straight in my head what exactly this song meant to me, but through your interpretation of this song i can now see that this song is describing a place where i have been. at the lowest of lows... and finding my way to Him.<br /> <br /> i find comfort in the fact that God will never put anything on my plate that i cannot handle. He believes in me. He thinks i'm strong.
i think this is a beautiful interpretation, especially the interpretation of my favorite line, the last line "Why'd you have to wait? To find me, to find me." I love it. Thank you.
wow,, i dont think you could have said it any better.<br /> thats seriously what i got out of it. <br /> i love songs like this.<br /> it's songs like these that i run to my youth minister <br /> and say "LISTEN LISTEN ITS AMAZING JUST LISTEN" <br /> and he thinks im insane until he listens to it. <br /> :]<br /> i love the fray.<br /> and i absolutely love this song.<br /> and basically im going through what the lead singer is going through right now,
I seriously think this is the whole message. <br /> <br /> It makes me want to cry. lol.
I love your interpretation of the song and it makes more sense and in my opinion makes the song more beautiful(:
I think this is an AMAZING interpretation of the song! I never thought of it this way!<br />
Thank you for explaining it to me this way.
I really enjoyed reading your interpretation of this song. It really makes me look at it in a way better and different way. I just love it...it is so beautiful....like someone else said....it makes me want to cry too! lol :)
that's a great interpretation, i definately understand it. the song makes more sense if it's seen as a conversation
you are amazing. your interpretation is amazing. this song is amazing too, and you really bring out its amazingness :D<br /> <br /> the way you look at it is REALLY.. just.. WOW :O it actually makes a lot of sense, although i dont know if that is actually the way whats-his-name intended to write the song, but if he did he was one REALLY REALLY smart and 'deep'[hate using that word sounds so cheesy XD] guy :)<br /> <br /> thank you for sharing this interpretation, it is a really amazing one :)<br /> <br /> and dont apologise to those who dont like your christian view of the song! the whole point of this site is that everyone can share their views and shouldnt have to defend them or prove them, if someone doesnt like it then they can keep that to themselves, you've been very considerate in your view-sharing :)<br /> <br /> x
You nailed it. Thank you for this...truly. Aloha!
That really is an amazzziiinnnggg interpretation.<br /> Especially how you broke down the parts!<br /> It's almost like you could picture the situation in your head and it really is a beautiful thing.<br /> <br /> Love this song :)
The Fray does an amazing job by leaving their songs open for different interpretations. I've read some of the interpretations and they usually go along with how I've personally interpreted it. But you did a fantastic job breaking it down to your interpretation. I too think the lyrics is suppose to be a conversation between the singer and someone else. I'm not a 'believer', but in this context I think it makes a lot of sense that he's having a conversation with God. However, I think you would be able to use anybody as a substitute.<br /> <br /> Again, I like how you break it down, kudos to you.
Christ = God? =\ I'm Jewish.
This song has currently been placed on my heart and I have been searching for some answers. I'm so glad you posted this. This interpretation is what I have been looking for.
I Don't Believe In God But I Like Your View :)
That was beautiful. I never saw this song that way before and your interpretation of it basically explains by life.
to alf0509: you hit the nail on the head your interpretation fits the song exactly.
@alf0509 This is how I FELT, when I heard it, but I didn't even understand why. You have articulated exactly how I felt, and given things song so much more depth for me.<br /> <br /> I would LOVE if a duet was done of this song, with a baritone has God, and maybe an alto as Isaac... So if any of you are youtube geniuses, please link me! :P
@alf0509 : I've always absolutely loved this song. After all of these years and the hundreds of times (if not more) that I've listened to it, it still invokes so much emotion in me. I have always felt this song was about the singer's father, either heavenly or biological. <br /> <br /> Honestly though, I always thought everyone assumed it was about his talk with God. The first line is "I found God on the corner of First and Amistad." It's such a deeply personal, relatable song and I really love it, but I am a big fan of The Fray as a whole. <br /> <br /> Anywho...just wanted to join the long list of other's who were moved by your interpretation of this song and tell you what a beautiful job you have done explaining it. Thank you!!
@alf0509 Just a great interpretation... I felt exactly the same way about the song, glad many of us agree with such point of view. Will like to complement on the second verse: <br /> <br /> "In the end<br /> Everyone ends up alone<br /> Losing her<br /> The only one who's ever known<br /> Who I am, who I'm not, and who I wanna be<br /> No way to know<br /> How long she will be next to me"<br /> <br /> I think "her" might be talking about wisdom. Wisdom is within us and it is certainly the only that truly knows "who you are", "who you've been", "who you want to be". Wisdom is also how Christ can talk to us. So within his struggle, the singer "finds Christ " through "wisdom" speaking to him, yet he knows he might loose wisdom again (taking another road). Just a quick thought.
To me this song means so much. I struggled with depression and anxiety for 10 years, from ages 11 till 21. I lost many friends, situations didn't work out, brutal teasing, and I felt very alone. That changed Christmas of 2007, when I got saved again by God. I still have days where my anxiety or sad thoughts will come, but it's much easier for me to use my faith in God to combat it.
To me the overall song is about that anger and envy feelings you get when God finally comes to help, but you wonder why it too so many years. Never realing the struggles you go through end up making your faith get stronger. Just like what Jesus did and took all the sins for us on the cross. Like the line "Where the West was all but won." When Jesus died, his hands on the cross represent his saving us and how far the East is from the West, his scarred hands.
The girl in the 2nd verse represents the loved ones lost or gone from your life during this time. The ones who got you and could have helped you through this.
It's actually a hope filled song, wrapped up in the feelings of anger at wanting God's grace and mercy sooner. Because the sinner was FOUND. He's just human and wanted it sooner. ;)
buffyfan145, i'm so glad that you went into god's outstretched arms.<br /> i'm really happy for you.<br /> i totally agree with, "Never realing the struggles you go through end up making your faith get stronger."<br /> It all makes sense now.
I agree. The statement that is quoted in the reply above me is so amazingly correct. For a long time, I was just one of those ho-hum christians that just kinda went to church and didn't understand it. Then, my life took some pretty difficult turns, and I found myself embracing God more than ever.<br /> <br /> In my own opinion, my friends who say, "well... I believe in science." haven't been through tough enough times to realize His grace and mercy. <br /> <br /> And for those of you who have turned away from God in the tough times, I'm sorry.
Amen. That's all I got to say....
buffyfan145, You made my day hearing that. It gives me chills hearing another coming to Christ wholeheartedly. God Bless.
i never thought that finding this site i could meet people who had the same views as me when it comes to my faith. it just proves that God gives us everything we will ever need it's just a matter of figuring out how to use it all. God bless you all:]
what an inspirational story.. God is great!!
3xX, you say you have been through some difficult circumstances, and have trouble fighting your demons, yet you still believe in the a higher power that helps your friends and family. But you do not believe in God? To me it sounds like you certainly believe in something. That higher power you speak of is God. It doesn't have to be a man in the sky with a beard watching when we screw up or playing puppeteer. Can God not be found in the people in our lives? Aren't the people who are there for us in the toughest times God reaching out to us? People want some divine miracles where a lightning bolt flashes and everything is fixed, and in doing this we see the small miracles every day. The love of our family and friends is the love of God. When we turn to a friend in a time of need we turn to God. The gift of being a live and having other people is a miracle from God.
And I think it is extremely appropriate how Isaac portrays God as a human on earth "who sends him no letters" or doesn't call when being waited for. A watched pot never boils, and we miss the other things going on in our lives. We miss the small miracles that keep us going when we hope for something more.
I personally believe in a balance, so if we don't at times lose God, how can we find him? Sometimes you have to go there to come back. It's the hard times in our lives that we really get the opportunity to see God and his work in this world. The work of our loved ones. Things get hard in life, yet we are still hear today. We are living and breathing and that is all that matters. People say that God has abandoned us, but Isaac eventually found him while on his search in the song. There is still hope buried inside hurt of his heart, and that small ounce of faith is all that is enough. God will do the rest.
At best, I would consider myself Agnostic. I refuse to believe in God, or more so any religion because I have just found all religions hypocritical. I won't bash religion, God, your preaching, or other peoples beliefs. I am certainly open to the possibility that God may exist, but with my life experiences, I find it difficult to believe in such with how cruel and selfish our world is.<br /> <br /> I would agree with you poolshark9 that God can be defined in many ways by many different people. Which the Fray does exceptionally well in this song, to each his own in how they interpret the song. <br /> <br />
I'd agree that some facets of religion are hypocritical, but thats why it's left up to our will to decide what we want to believe. I think though, as the song could relate, that without the selfishness and cruelty in the world, we wouldn't have selflessness and kindness to overcome it. And I think that's the Fray's story in this song, their journey back.
I read these two posts and almost started crying... Thank you for not getting in a huge fight and start bashing each others' beliefs.<br /> <br /> <br /> You have given me hope. :)
Poolshark- I agree wholeheartedly with your interpretation<br /> Also give props to the both of you for not getting into an argument or heated debate.
Thank you pool shark, all i can say is that God is real and we feel him in our lives every once in a while, whether or not we admit it, he is there, watching us, waiting for us to find him, to listen to him, to love him the way he loves us.
I think it is great to be respectful of each others beliefs. 3xX, you mention how hard it is to believe in a JUST God with how cruel the world is. I think many people ask the wrong question here. The question really is, " How can God not kill me in my sleep after what I did and said yesterday." What I mean by that is you ask what is wrong with the world.... Me. I have screwed this world up. I am greedy, selfish, lustful, prideful human. I am full of sin. Full of deceitfuls ways. People then ask why did He make us that way. Well, then the question of how do we love eachother.... Through the power of choice. That is where morality comes in. We can choose to do wrong or right, be be cruel or loving. If God didn't give us choice we would be like a bunch of machines with no personality and all the exact same. And I also ask people when they ask me, "How can I believe in a JUST God with how cruel and UNJUST the universe is?" I ask you. But how had you this idea of JUST and UNJUST? A man calls a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What are you comparing this universe with when you called it UNJUST? A man feels wet when he falls into water, because man is not a water animal: a fish would not feel wet. Of course I could have given up my idea of justice by saying it was nothing but a private idea of my own. But if I did that, then my argument against God collapsed too- for the argument depended on saying that the world was really UNJUST, not simply that it did not happen to please my fancies. Thus in the very act of trying to prove that God didn't exist- in other words, that the whole of reality was senseless- I found I was forced to assume that one part of reality- namely my idea of justice- was full of sense. Consequently atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be a word without meaning. I apologize for rambling a little, and I by no means am telling you that you shouldn't have your own beliefs in all this. I respect that completley. Many Christians sadly have the stigma of looking down upon everyone who is not Christian. But Christ wasn't like that. He was humble in all this. If I am after being just like Him then I should be the same. God Bless.
3xX and poolshark have both made really good points. With all due respect, 3xX, the one thing i kinda disagree with about is how you said religions are hypocritical. Are they really, or have their messages been corrupted by people. Jesus said to love all even your enemies. He never taught that we should hate gays or Jews or others unlike us. Those messages were spread by people who corrupted his messages for personal gain and because they were afraid of people who are different. They were not true disiples of Christ. I'm sure there are other examples of that in other religions. Like with Muslims and terrorists. I know many people who are Muslim and live by the true Muslim message of peace and harmony and respect for Allah or God or Yahwen's creations. <br /> I'm a devote Roman Catholic, so I might be a little bias. but thats what I think.
reading everything that you guys have said makes me think...uclaornd1313 said they were a devote roman catholic and i also happen to be roman catholic and poolshark also seems to have a very strong faith Str8706 also made some very strong points so it just makes me think what is God trying to tell us through what we are learning from eachother at this very moment? God's voice is soo powerfull that i can't help but to hear it through these comments even though there are no sounds. silence can be the loudest thing sometimes and i am experiencing what it is like as i type these words. it is all left up to our choice on how we take each and everything placed before us
To kdawg08, poolshark8, and 3xX.<br /> <br /> I, too, almost started crying reading your posts. I have a friend who is quite antagonistic, while I am a firm believer in God. Your conversation, even though you two have never met (I think) was much more meaningful then any conversation I've had with my friend.<br /> <br /> Anyone ever read Angels and Demons? I personally have never seen the movie, but the book spiritually tells about a conversation a guard had with a priest how God can be omnipotent and benevolent: (posted from wikiquotes)(warning, this may be a spoiler for those of you reading the book!)<br /> <br /> Lieutenant Chatrand: I don’t understand this omnipotent-benevolent thing.<br /> <br /> Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca: You are confused because the Bible describes God as an omnipotent and benevolent deity.<br /> <br /> Lieutenant Chatrand: Exactly.<br /> <br /> Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca: Omnipotent-benevolent simply means that God is all-powerful and well-meaning.<br /> <br /> Lieutenant Chatrand: I understand the concept. It’s just… there seems to be a contradiction.<br /> <br /> Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca: Yes. The contradiction is pain. Man’s starvation, war, sickness…<br /> <br /> Lieutenant Chatrand: Exactly! Terrible things happen in this world. Human tragedy seems like proof that God could not possibly be both all-powerful and well-meaning. If He loves us and has the power to change our situation, He would prevent our pain, wouldn’t he?<br /> <br /> Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca: Would He?<br /> Lieutenant Chatrand: Well… if God Loves us, and He can protect us, He would have to. It seems He is either omnipotent and uncaring, or benevolent and powerless to help.<br /> <br /> Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca: Do you have children?<br /> <br /> Lieutenant Chatrand: No, signore.<br /> <br /> Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca: Imagine you had an eight-year-old son… would you love him?<br /> <br /> Lieutenant Chatrand: Of course.<br /> <br /> Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca: Would you let him skateboard?<br /> <br /> Lieutenant Chatrand: Yeah, I guess. Sure I’d let him skateboard, but I’d tell him to be careful.<br /> <br /> Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca: So as this child’s father, you would give him some basic, good advice and then let him go off and make his own mistakes?<br /> <br /> Lieutenant Chatrand: I wouldn’t run behind him and mollycoddle him if that’s what you mean.<br /> <br /> Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca: But what if he fell and skinned his knee?<br /> <br /> Lieutenant Chatrand: He would learn to be more careful.<br /> Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca: So although you have the power to interfere and prevent <br /> your child’s pain, you would choose to show you love by letting him learn his own lessons?<br /> <br /> Lieutenant Chatrand: Of course. Pain is part of growing up. It’s how we learn.<br /> <br /> Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca: Exactly.<br /> <br /> One of my fav parts in that book...<br /> <br /> Anyway...This song speaks to me of a man who never found meaning in his life, until the proclained day in the song. I think he's happy that God has helped him, but still really frustrated that God took so long to do it.
Stop inserting your beliefs into others'. This what breeds hatred towards religion. If he believes in a higher power, he believes in a higher power. It does not mean that he's incorrectly referring to God. I'm tired of people pointing out God as the source of human kindness, nullifying the effort of humanity. I believe human kindness springs from humans compassion, or perhaps just their egoistical motifs.
Yeah, I think I agree with buddha_the_god. I personally am really agnostic, believe in a higher power but I would never be part of religion... of choice, of course. The vast amount of religions out there, the vast amount of possible Gods out there, there's too many for my head! haha<br /> If you're religious, then I respect that. It takes a lot. My mother is very Christian and my dad is very atheist, I've had a taste of both worlds :)<br /> This is an alright song, anyway!
Yeah, I think I agree with buddha_the_god. I personally am really agnostic, believe in a higher power but I would never be part of religion... of choice, of course. The vast amount of religions out there, the vast amount of possible Gods out there, there's too many for my head! haha<br /> If you're religious, then I respect that. It takes a lot. My mother is very Christian and my dad is very atheist, I've had a taste of both worlds :)<br /> This is an alright song, anyway!
poolshark...God is considered by Christians as "the man in the sky with a beard watching when we screw up or playing puppeteer." other religions have different titles or names for their respective deities, but God refers to the Christian deity, the father of Jesus, Creator of the universe. According to Christians, man was created in God's image, however, to search for his role in everyday life seems to be getting carried away. If god were merciful and benevolent, would he allow atrocities such as rape, kidnapping, and genocide to exist? Furthermore, if all powerful, why does Satan even exist anymore? If God is all powerful, as Christians believe and as the Bible states, then he should be able to crush Satan. Finally...consider this: more people have died in the name of Jesus Christ than of any other man, idea, or deity...<br /> <br /> personally, I love this song. I also believe that your beliefs are your own. If Christianity brings you peace, happiness, hope, and makes you a better person, then by all means, devote yourself to it's dogma. I respect that and realize that it is a path to assurance, and hope...hope that can sometimes be the only driving force behind a person's very existence. I believe that the whole point of this song is simply to show that hope is a gift to treasure. something we have to love and to which we must hold. no matter where you find hope...cherish it, and never let it slip away.
(so i heard this song playing in a hardware store recently and i began to dance a little, even as my soul seemed to echo along =))<br /> <br /> perhaps God does leave all of us messages and sends letters, and sometimes we heed them, but sometimes we might read them and ignore them, or we might not read them at all because we do not consider them relevant or worthy of our time, energy, and attention, which can be seen as resources entrusted to us by God, so we ought to use them in a way that is most beneficial in accordance to His perfect wisdom and will and not what we might think is most beneficial. sometimes we might listen to the messages He leaves us, that can be through a feeling of warning, and read the letters he sends us, that can be His Word and through the people we encounter, and sometimes we forget what His messages and letters said, like we might forget our reflection, as seen in our hearts, when we walk away from a mirror, which can be the holiness of God. <br /> <br /> perhaps He does all of these things, leaves us messages and sends us letters, through His Spirit. for as some might believe did not the Spirit inspire the Word of God? and does not the Word of God consist of messages and letters of love including encouragement and wisdom, among other things? also, do not some of us believe that God used people, perhaps similar to how a person uses a writing instrument, not only to write His Word when it was physically written down, but also might He not through the Spirit use us in a similar way, to write on tables of human hearts, with all that we do in love and for the glory of God? so that His glory might be more fully known? <br /> <br /> people who say that they love God, a holy and perfect God, and yet do not act wholly in love, are not reflecting His love at all or as fully as they might. as humans, we are tempted to let the desires of the flesh, or our sinful nature control us, which among other things might include hatred. people who might act, perhaps more obviously so, and less obviously so as well, in a hypocritical manner are rebuked many times in the Word of God, such as in Matthew 23:27: 'Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hyprocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.' (while writing this, i am reminded of how beautiful the language of the Word of God is and how creative among other things) <br /> <br /> with regard to hypocrites, people might act hypocritically because they are not submitting wholly to the Spirit of God, and still might let themselves be primarily controlled by the desires of the flesh, or their old self as some might refer to it, even though they claim to be born again in Christ. perhaps being born again in Christ does not mean a person will act perfectly in love for the rest of their lives on this earth. rather, it might mean that we ought to live by faith in the Spirit of God that might lead and counsel us in His holy and perfect ways. this is contrary to living by our own desire or effort in a way that we try futilely to establish a righteousness of our own, instead of relying on the righteousness of God and the Son of God, who some might believe fulfilled the penalty of the law, for the penalty of sin is death by dying on the cross, and not only physically dying on the cross, but by experiencing complete separation from God and His love. <br /> <br /> people who profess to believe in God are urged by His Word to walk humbly in love. perhaps in part that means acknowledging before God and man when you have not acted in love and asking for forgiveness, for offending another person or people, and perhaps more importantly for offending the holiness of God, and of the Son of God who died so that if a person believes in the One God sent and the sacrifice He made, that he or she might have His righteousness and be called a son of the living God. in this way, when a person who believes in God sins, if he or she humbles him or herself and repents before God, and things not only about how what they have done has hurt other people, and themselves, but how it has grieved God, he or she might not feel utterly hopeless, for he or she has faith, and hope that in God's eyes, he or she is covered by the blood of Christ, and so therefore, his or her life has been redeemed from slavery to sin, and that when the day of judgement, the Son of God will be his or her advocate and His blood covering him or her will save him or her from being condemned to death for his or her transgressions. and in that we can rejoice. <br /> <br /> it might also be that we might be more humble, patient, and loving with people that we might encounter as Christ was humble, patient, and loving when He lived on the earth, and how God, if a perfect and holy God exists, must be patient with us, who use the free will He has given us to sin. i do not know fully why he allows us to sin and grieve one another and Him so deeply. perhaps in part He gives us free will because if we 'have to be perfect' because we have no other choice than to be perfect, then we might be similar to perfectly programmed robots, and though it might seem to be a 'perfect' existence, it perhaps is flawed in some ways. also, perhaps we can appreciate His glory including perhaps His perfect love even more because we who live on this earth are now imperfect, and will become perfect when perfection comes. <br /> <br /> then we might return to the question of what His reasoning might be, for if it is said that perfection, as mentioned in a translation of the Word of God, will come, and there will be no grief any longer, and God will live with man, then why not have man experience it from the beginning? Some people might say that man did live in perfection in the beginning, or at least close to it, because sin still have the capacity to exist. And yet, because man was disobedient to God, in order for the law to be fulfilled, or justice to be done, there must be a punishment for their disobedience, so they were evicted from the garden of Eden and no longer did God walk among them. and some time later, Christ came and died for all of man's disobedience to God, and for all of their sins. Christ, who was holy and perfect, was condemned, and suffered the penalty we deserve, so that we might have life, and so that God in all of His glory including His holiness, might be able to live with us because covered by the blood of Christ, we are as holy as He is. <br /> <br /> perhaps because some of us know the extent of our transgressions, that we have broken although perhaps indirectly every commandment of God, we are more humble and patient and loving to even those who grieve us. and though we might constantly mourn for them grieving us, we also might acknowledge that perhaps they grieve God, who is holy and perfect, even more. and some of us might believe God has forgiven us much, so that we forgive others much as well and submit to His will so that we might love them the way He and Christ did and does. with regard to what some might consider the commandments of God, one of them is translated as 'thou shalt not murder' without cause, but only God, if He is indeed, holy and perfect, can determine if it is just for a person to be killed. also, it is written that to not do the good one ought to do is sin. so even if we, for instance, did not murder someone without cause, almost 16,000 children die every day of hunger and poverty related causes, that is almost 6,000,000 deaths a year, and approximately one death every five seconds. <br /> <br /> in reference to the above, i would like to make it clear that i am not saying that every person is called to help some of these particular children stay alive. though some might feel a special burden on their heart to reach out to these people. for some of us as members of a body, whose head is Christ, are as a body, called to meet the needs of others. in this case, some might feel called to meet this need by, for instance, making a contribution to a reputable charitable organization that might not only help children by providing direct aid for them to survive physically on a daily basis, but also invests in their community, so that together through other opportunities, such as job skills training, the community might thrive as well. <br /> <br /> as mentioned, it might be that each person is called to use the resources including talents, time, and money given to him or her to meet the needs of others in various capacities. at the same time, perhaps each one of us is also called by God to love our neighbor as ourselves, which is perhaps where the so-called golden rule of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you comes from. for would we not want someone to reach out to us if we were starving in a physical sense or spiritual sense? perhaps in part because it is by chance, or the grace of God that we are not them, that some of us were not born into a poverty that leads to physical or spiritual starvation, thus ought we not to be concerned for them? and to those who might believe in the One He sent, who also met the physical and spiritual needs of those He encountered, as referred to in 2 Corinthians 7, ought we not to have earnestness, which godly sorrow has produced in us, what eagerness to clear ourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done? <br /> <br /> yet, if we do not love our neighbors as ourselves and do not do unto others as as we would have them do unto us, and we thereby, cause the death of our neighbor, are we not responsible in part, or perhaps in whole, and have we not murdered them, though perhaps indirectly, by not doing the good we ought to have done? also, we might be trapped even when we do good deeds if we seek to establish a righteousness of our own. if we say we are good because we do good things every so often, but do not live sacrificially as Christ did, perhaps by only giving what we have that is 'extra' instead of giving to others through the Spirit even if it hurts. and still, even if we do these things, we might not be a cheerful giver, we might be resentful, and we might boast in gifts that we do not give, for the things we give are not completely ours in that they are entrusted to us by God, and it is He who gives to us, or blesses us, so that we might give to others, so that others might be blessed by Him through us. to those who might believe, i hope that you all might remember that you do not belong to yourselves but to one another in Christ. for we are not only one body, whose head is Christ, but we are also called to be one family, and as children of God, we ought to have concern for the members of our family in God as well as those who may not yet believe, or may never believe, for all are our neighbors, whom we are called to love.<br /> <br /> if the law of God can be summed up as 'Love your neighbor as yourself' then if we turn a blind eye to this and other social injustices that we are called not to ignore, for Christ did not and God does not ignore them (even though we might think that He does), then we are not obeying God and what is love for God but to obey His commands? (1 John 5) yet, we who say we believe in Christ and God, perhaps are even more responsible, for to whom much is given, much is expected. (apparently, this is found in the Word of God and not just spiderman movies) it is written that we are all made in the image of God; at the same time, those who profess to believe in God and the One He sent, have perhaps an even greater responsibility to love their neighbor because they say they believe. those who are called to be like Christ and God, are called to be God's hands and feet to meet the needs of others including physically and materially among other things. <br /> <br /> yet, even those who desire to seek after God's own heart, to love as He does in a holy and perfect love, fall short of His glory. and when we do, He is still there to encourage us, to remind us that nothing can separate us from His love. if you read the Word of God, you might find expressed in it many, if not all of your longings and all of your sorrows. and yet amidst mourning, you might also find cause for rejoicing and a peace that transcends all understanding, rest for your soul that can only be found in Him. for He gives us perhaps the only words that can comfort us in our inmost being, and He also in His word, gives us songs that only a heart who knows Him can sing, and He also in His word, promises that He will live with His people, and He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will no longer be any cause for grief.<br /> <br /> there is perhaps cause for grief now, though some people might be able to rejoice in the Lord and His promises as well. the life of a person who believes in God is perhaps characterized as mourning throughout the Word of God, including in Psalms, Job, Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs among others and groaning in Romans 8 among other places, and the man of sorrows, or suffering, that is referred to in Isaiah 53 might indeed be Christ. i used to think that i was 'depressed' because i would often feel a strong sense of sorrow, and in some ways i was indeed afflicted, in part from my heart being far away from God, but by turning more wholly to His word, and by being humbled by what i found including how unfaithful i and mankind is to God, i realized that some of that which i had felt sorrowful about consisted of worldly sorrow, which is perhaps in part how what i and other people have done to hurt or grieve one another, which might produce despair that leads to death, and not godly sorrow, which is how what i and other people might have done to grieve God. for if i, who am not holy and perfect, can feel so grieved, how much more will God, who some might believe is holy and perfect, be grieved? <br /> <br /> as mentioned, realizing more clearly how much i have grieved God and continue to grieve God, though perhaps less than before helped me be more humble, patient, and loving. in Psalms, and in other places in the Word of God, David a king, often talks about the arrogant mocking him and insulting him without cause and sometimes seeking his own life, or seeking or murder him. he also talks about being abandoned and betrayed by those who he had trusted. yet perhaps He always praises God, for God remains faithful to him and has not forsaken him and he trusts in His promises, and rejoices in His unfailing love that endures forever. so even though he is afflicted, and is surrounded on all sides by enemies, he does utterly despair, but still rejoices in the Lord and praises His name. (i used to listen to music, searching constantly for songs that could express the feelings i felt, the sorrow, the anguish, and then when i finally quieted myself before God, and i looked in His word as if with new eyes, i found many of the feelings that i had expressed so profoundly in His word, perhaps better than all of the songs i had ever listened to in my life, and also, for those who might believe, the Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express)<br /> <br /> perhaps to end, i would like to refer to a verse in Galatians 5, since some of us live by the Spirit, and i wish that all of us would, let us keep in step with the Spirit. let us not become conceited, provoking, or envying each other. and it is perhaps in some ways true, that there are those who do not seem to live by the Spirit, and yet they seem to behave even more honorably than us in some ways. so let us be humble, and exalt others above ourselves, like Christ did when He humbled Himself, and exalted us above Himself, for if we are all made in the image of God, we in some ways bear His likeness. and for those who profess to believe in Christ, i prayerfully hope that as it is written in 2 Corinthians 3 you might show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink, but the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.<br /> <br /> and i hope that we might all remember, that above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins, and perhaps a multitude of sins might never have existed, if we had first acted in love.<br /> <br />
This in my interpretation; a song can mean whatever it wants to you, thats why people write them.
I found God on the corner of 1st and Amistad Where the West was all but won All alone, smoking his last cigarette I said, "Where you been?" He said, "Ask anything."
(I think guy has killed him self at this place. and now that he is dead he finds out there is a higher power)
Where were you, when everything was falling apart? All my days were spent by the telephone that never rang And all I needed was a call that never came To the corner of 1st and Amistad
(I think before he killed himself he was looking for a reason to live, possibly praying and looking for an answer from God. Whether this answer came from a friend or family. In the form of a letter or call when he needed it most. But he says that answer, that reason, never came)
Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me Lying on the floor, surrounded, surrounded Why'd you have to wait? Where were you? Where were you? Just a little late, you found me, you found me.
(he was feeling lost and insecure. and now that he is dead god is finaly there. lying on the floor surrounded is probly refering to him being dead. he is now probaly surrouned by police and EMS. Maybe friends or family that he needed are there now. And he's asking god why he had to wait til now to show him self. Hes saying its just alil late because he cant undo killing himself. )
But in the end everyone ends up alone Losing her, the only one who's ever known Who I am, who I'm not and who I wanna to be No way to know how long she will be next to me
(Maybe his gf left him beacuse of him always having a bad outlook on life, or maybe he was holding her down with him or something like that. And she was the person who knew more about him than anyone else. Now she is there next to him amongst the chaos. but he knows this is the last time she will be next to him because he is no longer alive.)
Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me Lying on the floor, surrounded, surrounded Why'd you have to wait? Where were you? Where were you? Just a little late, you found me, you found me.
(repeat)
The early morning, the city breaks And I've been calling for years and years and years And you never left me no messages You never sent me no letters You got some kind of nerve taking all I'm worth
(now he is tlkign to god again about how all this time he was waithing for an answer. and he sayin hes got some kinda nerve because god could have saved him if he woulda just shown him self. but he waited n it cost this guy everything, including his life)
Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me Lying on the floor Where were you? Where were you?
Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me Lying on the floor, surrounded, surrounded Why'd you have to wait? Where were you? Where were you? Just a little late, you found me, you found me.
Why'd you have to wait, to find me, to find me?
Agreed
yeaah I was thinking.. Why does he say "just a little late", now it's all clear to me.. He's dead. Thanks!
Unless they changed just recently, the members of The Fray are Christian so I don't think they would write a song saying there is no God. I think the song is about being impatient with God's timing. "It demands so much of my faith to keep believing, keep hoping in the unseen. Sometimes the tunnel has a light at the end, but usually they just look black as night. This song is about that feeling, and the hope that I still have, buried deep in my chest." He's impatient and sometimes has doubts, but deep down he still has hope and believes.
i strongly agree with you on how they were impatient with God's timing and how they still have doubts. But at the end of the day they still believe. =D
I know it has been done already but I think that the meaning of this song really stands out when it is veiwed a conversation. This is how I see it.
Narrator: I found God On the corner of First and Amistad Where the west Was all but won All alone Smoking His last cigarette I said, "Where you been?" He said, "Ask anything." (A man finds God just standing there, smoking! Not out helping anyone or even seeming to care!)
Man: Where were you, When everything was falling apart? All my days, Were spent by the telephone, That never rang. And all I needed was a call! That never came, From the corner of First and Amistad. (He asks God the first and most important question, Where was he when he needed God the most?)
Man: Lost and insecure
God: You found me, you found me
Man: Lying on the floor Surrounded, surrounded Why'd you have to wait? Where were you, where were you?
God: Just a little late. You found me, You found me.
Man: In the end Everyone ends up alone. Losing her, The only one who's ever known, Who I am, Who I'm not, and who I want to be No way to know, How long she will be next to me. (The man has lost someone very dear to him, and God wasn't there!)
Man: Lost and insecure
God: You found me, you found me
Man: Lying on the floor, Surrounded, surrounded! Why'd you have to wait? Where were you, where were you?
God: Just a little late. You found me, You found me
God: Early morning, The city breaks I've been calling. For years and years and years and years And you never left me no messages, You never sent me no letters You got some kind of nerve, Taking all I want. (God says what is in the mans heart, what he wants to say most. Hearing what he wants so desperately to say but can't find the words for the man realises that God was there, but he was so wrapped up in his own problems that he couldn't see it.)
God: Lost and insecure
Man: You found me, you found me, Lying on the floor
God: Where were you, where were you?
God: Lost and insecure
Man: You found me, you found me
God: Lying on the floor Surrounded, surrounded Why'd you have to wait? Where were you, where were you?
Man: Just a little late. You found me, You found me. (The man realises that he was the late one.)
God: Why'd you have to wait? To find me, to find me? (God asks why the man didn't let him help.)
I know that it is a very literal, and christian, interptretaion but that is how I see it. I have been through many hard trials in my life, and have turned to prayer - only to be met with silence. I think it would be nice to think that I had some help through those very dark times, that I was actually heard and that someone actually cared. But that is the great thing about this song - anyone can find meaning in it. Thanks, Arthurn.
That is a wonderful interpretation, but I think you have it a bit backwards. I believe the man was blaming God for his problems, and God told him he would've helped if he'd asked sooner. But that's just me.<br /> Farewell,<br /> -Ridd
I don't think this song is about God at all. I think the reference may have been briefly to describe clarity on the narrator's part... you can tell the narrator is frustrated and needed to let out pent up feelings from "years and years". In terms of my interpretation, I think (for the majority of the song) the person is singing to their ex who may be trying to come back into their life. The relationship or breakup may have been damaging and they're confronting their ex and their problems: "I've been calling for years and years and years and years And you never left me no messages You never send me no letters You've got some kind of nerve Taking all I'm worth"
Additionally, in another recent interview Isaac Slade declared that:<br /> "I kept getting these phone calls from home - tragedy after tragedy... If there is some kind of person in charge of this planet - are they sleeping? Smoking? Where are they? I just imagined running into God standing on a street corner like Bruce Springsteen, smoking a cigarette, and I'd have it out with him.".[5]<br /> <br /> As well as him mentioning God in the song.. it is about a higher being and the faith he wants to keep.
He said, “Ask anything.”' Without this part the meaning of the song would be completely different. With it, it's basically a man crying out to God and asking why it took so long, when really God was there all along but the man just lost sight of that. Without this part, the song wouldn't really be 'Christian'.
I think that darthfodder said it perfectly. For me, God came to me at the exact moment I needed him the most. I have battled with drugs and came very close to losing my life because of them and it was at that moment when I was in the hospital unconcience that I found God. It was late but it is NEVER too late.
i ADORE this song. it's sooo original and soo meaningful.. the first time i heard it i serouisly almost started crying.. it reminds me soo much of somebody that i care about soo much. gah the fray never fails to impress me.