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.
O I never asked to be your mountain
I never asked to fly
Remember when you came to me
And told me of his lies
You didn't understand my love
You don't know why I try
And the rain was falling on that day
And damn the reason why
The Flying Pisces sails for time
And tells me of my child
Wrapped in bitter tales and heartache
He begs for just a smile
O he never asked to be her mountain
He never asked to fly
And through his eye he comes his love
And tells her not to cry
She says, "Your scoundrel father flies
With a dancer called a queen
And with her stolen cards he plays
And laughs, but never wins"
O the child dreams to be his hands
In the counting of the rain
But only barren breasts he feels
For her milk will never drain
As I die I can't remember
Where I saw the rain:
Could it be that her laughter
Drove me down again?
Charming dancer will you stop,
Stop and talk to me?
Is there someone else you feel
In your dreams? you will, you see:
In midnight gazes
I've found you far from me:
If you lead me on
Please leave me down
O Flying Flying Fish
Please flutter by my door:
Yes you can drink my lies
If first you read my eyes:
Each one is titled
"I'm drowning back to you":
I can't swim your waters
And you can't walk my lands:
I'm sailing all my sins
And I'm climbing all my fears
And soon now I'll fly
O I never asked to be your mountain
I never asked to fly
Remember when you came to me
And told me of his lies
You didn't understand my love
You don't know why I try
And the rain was falling on that day
And that's the reason why
Sweet lover, will you come back
And love me for a while?
Please take my hand
Leave all your fears behind
I've been gone too long
Now I'm home to stay
Please don't leave me
Again this way
Please come home
I never asked to fly
Remember when you came to me
And told me of his lies
You didn't understand my love
You don't know why I try
And the rain was falling on that day
And damn the reason why
The Flying Pisces sails for time
And tells me of my child
Wrapped in bitter tales and heartache
He begs for just a smile
O he never asked to be her mountain
He never asked to fly
And through his eye he comes his love
And tells her not to cry
She says, "Your scoundrel father flies
With a dancer called a queen
And with her stolen cards he plays
And laughs, but never wins"
O the child dreams to be his hands
In the counting of the rain
But only barren breasts he feels
For her milk will never drain
As I die I can't remember
Where I saw the rain:
Could it be that her laughter
Drove me down again?
Charming dancer will you stop,
Stop and talk to me?
Is there someone else you feel
In your dreams? you will, you see:
In midnight gazes
I've found you far from me:
If you lead me on
Please leave me down
O Flying Flying Fish
Please flutter by my door:
Yes you can drink my lies
If first you read my eyes:
Each one is titled
"I'm drowning back to you":
I can't swim your waters
And you can't walk my lands:
I'm sailing all my sins
And I'm climbing all my fears
And soon now I'll fly
O I never asked to be your mountain
I never asked to fly
Remember when you came to me
And told me of his lies
You didn't understand my love
You don't know why I try
And the rain was falling on that day
And that's the reason why
Sweet lover, will you come back
And love me for a while?
Please take my hand
Leave all your fears behind
I've been gone too long
Now I'm home to stay
Please don't leave me
Again this way
Please come home
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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.”
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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This is a song Tim wrote for his son, Jeff Buckley. It's his song to both Jeff and Jeff's mother Mary, Tim's first wife. That's basically it, really. Tim's song for the son he never really knew, a song that Jeff covered magnificently as well.
I don't know why this had a negative vote. Your information is correct.
I love this song. It gives me shivers.
jeff performed it live in his exhibition for greetings from tim buckley, a tribute concert organized by hal willner that took place at st.anns church, new york, on april 26 1991.
You can hear Jeff's version for free online. I could give a link but I don't know if I'm supposed to do that here, and it may change anyway. Google is your friend.
Check out these interesting lyrics Jeff added to the end of this song in his performance of it:
My love is the flower that lies among the graves My love is the thousand souls that each saves, And all the insane madmen tell me I am not a smoky haze Lay me not in lands of men to spread my ash along the way
I want to feel the tide pull through me, like a woman drunk in sin, I want to feel the fish swim through me. Let the water take my skin Wrapped around the pebble that you choose to warm your hand Just as I dream every day, as I pray you’ll understand.
If you listen closely to Jeff's "River of Dope", you will see that he is referencing this song, specifically in the lines: "Look into my eyes and you'll see That I flow with the river And I'm a slave to his song And I will drown forever where so many have gone" which correlate to the lines in "I Never Asked To Be Your Mountain", a song written about Jeff and his mother: "Yes, you can drink my lies If first you read my eyes Each one is titled 'I'm drowning back to you'"
At the 1991 tribute for Tim, Jeff also added the lines: "I want to feel the tide pull through me like a woman drunk in sin/Let the fish swim through me/Let the water take my skin".
Lilynymph, thanks a lot for your comment. I couldn't help noticing the strange correlations with Jeff's death in the lines you chose to mention : "I flow with the river", "And I will drown forever where so many have gone", "I'm drowning back to you", "Let the water take my skin"... Did you do it on purpose ?
Because it's really scary how these words seem to predestine Jeff for what was to come...
May they be forever remembered and loved.