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.
One cold winter of many tales
Trails of blood left in frozen snow
A family slaughtered by a loved one, forgive scarecrow
I turned against God and everything that I cared for most
Police arrived, candle light, butcher knives, bloody bedposts
Found staked on the floor soaked in evidence of the root of violence
Only a teen, sent to spend my final life in an insane asylum
So furious of past, I'm an adult I feel better now
But no matter, I tell them that I know they'll never let me out
I rot in this dread, my only world's the one in my head
I hate psycho-therapists, I walk amongst walking dead
Every day, yes every-single day, peepin' ways to escape
I got to find a way out this place, it's a must, gotta find a way
I'm pullin hair up out my freakin' head yo
They trippin' cause a nigga put his ass in a choke
I want to go psycho and kick this mutha fuckin' force but
In a padded room I know I'll never get up out this hole
I'm pacin' back and forth across this room
I gotta think of somethin, man I got to make a move
The day I killed my fuckin' family in a week or two
I got to get up back out there I want to do it again fool
Gettin' cool with the old ass maintenance man
I told him, "If you help me out I'd put a lotta papes in your hand
I stashed a lotta dough in dirt before a nigga left it
If you help me out when I get out I'll give you half on that there"
The old man ready, he grinnin', that stray
Look here gramps, meet me at my door for the plan round 'bout eight
Check it pops, you got to get a shovel and a pine box
Put me in the ground and dig me out once they talk to the cops
I'm gonna need a slight overdose of some mother fuckin' sleepin' pills
So while I'm waitin in the dirt I won't breathe up the air in here
Sneak in the office get the keys off of Dr. Malique
And while you doin that I'll take the pills so I fall asleep
I started feelin' my awareness fadin' away
I could slightly hear all the dirt gettin' tossed on to the pine crate
I awoke and in my square waiting to be freed
But from the light I seen
Someone killed the maintenance man and threw him in with me
I'm scared, is anyone out there?
Damn, I'm scared is anyone out there?
I'm scared, is anyone out there?
Damn, I'm scared is anyone out there?
Trails of blood left in frozen snow
A family slaughtered by a loved one, forgive scarecrow
I turned against God and everything that I cared for most
Police arrived, candle light, butcher knives, bloody bedposts
Found staked on the floor soaked in evidence of the root of violence
Only a teen, sent to spend my final life in an insane asylum
So furious of past, I'm an adult I feel better now
But no matter, I tell them that I know they'll never let me out
I rot in this dread, my only world's the one in my head
I hate psycho-therapists, I walk amongst walking dead
Every day, yes every-single day, peepin' ways to escape
I got to find a way out this place, it's a must, gotta find a way
I'm pullin hair up out my freakin' head yo
They trippin' cause a nigga put his ass in a choke
I want to go psycho and kick this mutha fuckin' force but
In a padded room I know I'll never get up out this hole
I'm pacin' back and forth across this room
I gotta think of somethin, man I got to make a move
The day I killed my fuckin' family in a week or two
I got to get up back out there I want to do it again fool
Gettin' cool with the old ass maintenance man
I told him, "If you help me out I'd put a lotta papes in your hand
I stashed a lotta dough in dirt before a nigga left it
If you help me out when I get out I'll give you half on that there"
The old man ready, he grinnin', that stray
Look here gramps, meet me at my door for the plan round 'bout eight
Check it pops, you got to get a shovel and a pine box
Put me in the ground and dig me out once they talk to the cops
I'm gonna need a slight overdose of some mother fuckin' sleepin' pills
So while I'm waitin in the dirt I won't breathe up the air in here
Sneak in the office get the keys off of Dr. Malique
And while you doin that I'll take the pills so I fall asleep
I started feelin' my awareness fadin' away
I could slightly hear all the dirt gettin' tossed on to the pine crate
I awoke and in my square waiting to be freed
But from the light I seen
Someone killed the maintenance man and threw him in with me
I'm scared, is anyone out there?
Damn, I'm scared is anyone out there?
I'm scared, is anyone out there?
Damn, I'm scared is anyone out there?
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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.
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.
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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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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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