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.
Tie yourself to me
No one else, no
You're not rid of me, mmm
You're not rid of me
Night and day I breathe
Hah-hah, ay, hey
You're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
I beg you, my darling
Don't leave me, I'm hurting
(Lick my legs, I'm on fire)
(Lick my legs, of desire)
I'll tie your legs
Keep you against my chest
Oh, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
I'll make you lick my injuries
I'm gonna twist your head off, see
'Til you say don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
I beg you, my darling
Don't leave me, I'm hurting
I've been lonely
Above everything
Above every day
I'm hurting
(Lick my legs I'm on fire)
(Lick my legs of desire)
(Lick my legs I'm on fire)
(Lick my legs of desire)
Yeah, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
I'll make you lick my injuries
I'm gonna twist your head off, see
'Til you say don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
(Lick my legs, I'm on fire)
(Lick my legs, of desire)
(Lick my legs, I'm on fire)
(Lick my legs, of desire)
No one else, no
You're not rid of me, mmm
You're not rid of me
Night and day I breathe
Hah-hah, ay, hey
You're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
I beg you, my darling
Don't leave me, I'm hurting
(Lick my legs, I'm on fire)
(Lick my legs, of desire)
I'll tie your legs
Keep you against my chest
Oh, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
I'll make you lick my injuries
I'm gonna twist your head off, see
'Til you say don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
I beg you, my darling
Don't leave me, I'm hurting
I've been lonely
Above everything
Above every day
I'm hurting
(Lick my legs I'm on fire)
(Lick my legs of desire)
(Lick my legs I'm on fire)
(Lick my legs of desire)
Yeah, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
I'll make you lick my injuries
I'm gonna twist your head off, see
'Til you say don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
(Lick my legs, I'm on fire)
(Lick my legs, of desire)
(Lick my legs, I'm on fire)
(Lick my legs, of desire)
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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"'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."
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."
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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.
i think it's really more about possession rather than actual love.
It's about the mantis. The female mantis, during mating time, bites off the male’s head. Brilliant. PJ is genious.
jesus, I've always wondered about the "twist your head off" line. Of course it refers to a mantis. Thank you, angeville. Though I don't think the song is about the mantis, just uses their behavior as a conceit for a more general comment on the potentially cruel nature of the female sex. Especially in light of the "lick my legs" bit; the legs of a mantis are covered in spines.
I stress "potentially" cruel nature, because in the animal world, this behavior isn't cruel, it's just nature. But humans have emotions to consider. So to me this song seems to be about women who use this idea that "the female species is deadlier than the male" as an excuse to behave this way. Which is fucked.
Maybe my favorite Polly Jean song EVER
It’s pretty disheartening how wrong people are about the obvious meanings of so many songs.
“Rid of Me” is not about “the cruelty of the female sex” (which is sexist, btw, and if it was, it would indeed be pretty fucked). Instead, it’s a fucking awesome song about becoming sexually empowered (overused word, but it applies here) as a woman and a sexual creature - very likely a woman who’s been objectified before, used, hurt, etc. It’s not “about” praying mantises, but it does apply their techniques during sex as a metaphor for making the predator the prey.
Women are very often seen by men as their sexual prey. In this song, the woman isn’t the prey - the man is. Simple idea, and again, fucking awesome - it isn’t not about women being cruel for no reason. Trust me, we have a lot of reasons to act in this way - the way men often do. It’s about not being weak and just “taking it”.
That’s clearly what it’s about. Any questions?
@RidOfMe86 I don't have any questions... I'm sure that the five years since you posted will have given you enough (and, I would hope, some comforting answers).<br /> What I do want to say is the... intelligence, the truthfulness, the beauty of your (and, meh, everyone else's) post is absolutely beautiful.<br /> with love.
What makes this song so profoundly affecting is the almost contradictory parts its made of: the fragile, weak, lonely, pleading up against the possesive, sadistic, torturous and violent. The gap is briged by PJs amaaaaazing vocal performance, she succeds in making this song as psychologicaly complex and disarming as it is. I think that most men that comit abuses to their couples act this way... It's a perfect song. Never get tired of it. So black, so desperate, so true.
yeah good points, and they say many abusive relationships remain solely because of incredible desire/chemistry.
@sinkorswim they act in WHAT way? You commented about the vocal performance, and yes, it's a wonderful performance. By a woman. Singing in the voice of a woman (not portraying the "male side" of a relationship. Then you sprung a non-sequitur about how (abusive) men act in relationships. WTF are you trying to say?<br /> <br /> You had a reply agreeing on what you said, so maybe it's me. But idk what either of you is on about.
its about obsession over someone maybe who cheated on her ("don't you wish you had never met her?")
"Don't you wish you'd never met her" is a quote from 'Dirty Blue Gene' by Captain Beefheart. The most accurate lyrics I can find are here: likebeingreadtofromdictionaries.blogspot.com/2009/04/shiny-beast-of-thought.html Not that it seems all that relevant - just thought I'd point it out.
The chorus frightened me the first time I heard it. In fact it still frightens me a bit.
This is about a relationship where one person has had enough but the other person still loves them and wants them.
who sings the "lick my legs..." part. it's pretty interesting, 'specially at the end, where it sounds more like a demand.