In regards to the meaning of this song:
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.
Oh, hello, Mr. Soul, I dropped by to pick up a reason
For the thought that I caught that my head is the event of the season
Why in crowds just a trace of my face could seem so pleasin'
I'll cop out to the change, but a stranger is putting the tease on
I was down on a frown when the messenger brought me a letter
I was raised by the praise of a fan who said I upset her
Any girl in the world could have easily known me better
She said, "you're strange, but don't change," and I let her
In a while, will the smile on my face turn to plaster?
Stick around while the clown who is sick does the trick of disaster
For the race of my head and my face is moving much faster
Is it strange I should change?
I don't know, why don't you ask her?
Is it strange I should change?
I don't know, why don't you ask her?
Is it strange I should change?
I don't know, why don't you ask her?
Is it strange I should change?
I don't know, why don't you ask her?
For the thought that I caught that my head is the event of the season
Why in crowds just a trace of my face could seem so pleasin'
I'll cop out to the change, but a stranger is putting the tease on
I was down on a frown when the messenger brought me a letter
I was raised by the praise of a fan who said I upset her
Any girl in the world could have easily known me better
She said, "you're strange, but don't change," and I let her
In a while, will the smile on my face turn to plaster?
Stick around while the clown who is sick does the trick of disaster
For the race of my head and my face is moving much faster
Is it strange I should change?
I don't know, why don't you ask her?
Is it strange I should change?
I don't know, why don't you ask her?
Is it strange I should change?
I don't know, why don't you ask her?
Is it strange I should change?
I don't know, why don't you ask her?
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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.
"'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."
No Surprises
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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.
Amazing
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
The song was writen by Neil. Arranged by Neil. Buffalo Springfield was the band he recorded it with. "For what it's worth" is a Stephen Stills song. Buffalo Springfield did it with him. I go by who wrote it. You go by the whole band.
Agreed. If you write a song, you can take credit for it regardless of the band you played it with. Esp bands that are put together with individual artists.
Anyway, this is what I think. Take it for what it is.
"Oh, hello Mr. Soul, I dropped by to pick up a reason: For the thought that I caught that my head is the event of the season.
(I see this first part to mean that he is sitting and thinking, probably in a very interspective way. Like talking to himself. And he is saying "I had this thought that I am a big time event and people want to know what I have to say (songs), but give me one reason why I should think I am that important")
Why in crowds just a trace of my face could seem so pleasin'?
(Now he is thinking "Why is it that just seeing me in a crowd of people or on the street would make others so happy to see me")
I'll cop out to the change, but a stranger is putting the tease on.
(Not really sure here, but I think maybe he means he will just give in to the fame but now strangers are coming on to him or being overly friendly and he is not sure if talking to them is selling out and playing the game or just being himself: Like should he really go along with fake kindness)
I was down on a frown when the messenger brought me a letter.
(He was sitting around kinda depressed from all of this when he gets a letter)
I was raised by the praise of a fan who said I upset her.
(Some fan sent him a letter saying he "upset her". I think this means that his music was able to make someone change the way they think and her praise "raised" him or lifted his spirits)
Any girl in the world could have easily known me better.
(obviously, he is saying she was a complete stranger to him)
She said, You're strange, but don't change, and I let her.
(I think he is saying she loved his music and although it made her challenge herself she wouldn't have it any other way so he should not change: But just her saying that changed the way he thinks about himself and fame)
In a while will the smile on my face turn to plaster?
(Am I always going to be so happy with this fame or am I gonna grow weary and irritated with it?)
Stick around while the clown who is sick does the trick of disaster.
(Stay and watch me be famous and do my thing, but take note: I am not well (mental or drugs) and eventaully all this fame is gonna be bad for me)
For the race of my head and my face is moving much faster.
(things are moving so fast and his well being and state of happiness are on the line while all these forces race to decide his fate)
Is it strange I should change? I don't know, why don't you ask her?"
(Is it bad that fame makes me change if I am aware of it? Will it ruin my art and make me a different person or will it increase my art make people love me more. He doesn't seem to have an answer for himself and is saying only the fans can answer that question)
@mrMojoRisen Good analysis. I was just thinking how I've heard this song hundreds of times but never really thought about what the lyrics might mean, just getting caut up in that driving beat and Neil's voice.
@mrMojoRisen Normally when I come upon the curiosity of the meaning of a song I will visit here. Fascinating to read the opinions. It’s illuminating and it’s a relatively calm and peaceful place here. <br /> <br /> I also generally prefer when the song is written here that it’s entirety is written about as a whole vs line by line. With that said, your write up above was a GREAT READ!!<br /> <br /> It encapsulated the overall theme of the song; being on the threshold of perhaps FAME, there are so many emotions; Joy, excitement, fear, indecisiveness, and relationships both personal and the music business? Neil’s song catalog is near the top and what a prolific talent. <br /> <br /> Liked the Line by Line assessment too. Happy I saw this today and THANK YOU. I hope this reply about 17 years to the date connects with someone like your writing connected with me.
“Oh, hello Mr. Soul, I dropped by to pick up a reason” Initiates introspection of himself
“For the thought that I caught that my head is the event of the season” He pondering how that the songs that come out of his head has taken him to a level of fame to which his appearance is a big event.
“Why in crowds just a trace of my face could seem so pleasin' “ Having become famous, fans are so happy to see him. He’s a star. I think the fact that he’s pondering all of this denotes he’s not comfortable with it.
“I'll cop out to the change, but a stranger is putting the tease on. “ He begrudgingly accepts the ‘change’ of him now being famous and what comes with that. But a ‘stranger’ probably a fan or groupie makes a flirtatious advance. I believe he rejects her advance which sets up the rest of the song.
“I was down on a frown when the messenger brought me a letter” I think this letter came from the fan he rejected. Who knows how long after the initial contact, which he may not even remember.
I was raised by the praise of a fan who said I upset her In the letter she would have told him how much she love him, and how much his music means to her, and how she feels she understands him etc., but of course she was upset because to him she’s a stranger and he had rejected her advance.
Any girl in the world could have easily known me better Is a great statement about fans relationships with celebrities. The truth is we only know the persona and through their art. He’s saying that anyone who has dealt with him on a personal or associate level would know him as a person more that a fan; in particularly her.
She said, You're strange, but don't change, and I let her. I think these were lines that the rejected fan put ended her letter with. But the one who had changed was really her and her perception of him upon her rejection. When some people get famous they say ‘I’m the same, but the people around me changed, and started treating me differently’. This is an example of that.
In a while will the smile on my face turn to plaster Eventually the letter annoys him and he detaches himself from the emotions that this fan is feeling.
Stick around while the clown who is sick does the trick of disaster This is a statement about his humanity. In defiance of the rejected fan’s letter that (raised him and praised him) he’s saying no, I get sick and I can screw up…I’m human. Perhaps he is actually sick at the time but the fan wouldn’t know that because she’s a stranger.
For the race of my head and my face is moving much faster I think at this point he gets kinda pissed off (red faced) and finds the whole fan interaction with her feeling she new him, and feeling rejected, and writing him this letter of praise and bitterness, absurd.
Is it strange I should change? I don't know, why don't you ask her? He has detached himself from the fan and her letter and her praise, and attempts at making him feel guilty or attached to her in any way. It would make sense that the letter is what caused him to put his relationship with his fans in perspective. And this closes his thoughts…Whatever!!!
***You can see why the reprise has the cheering audience applause, as he sings defiantly the 1st two line of the song, and then it just cuts it off like ‘F’ it and goes in to another (thought that he caught)…’Broken Arrow’ another song about celebrity and expectations.
Interesting...I have it on Decade, but did not know it was a Buffalo Springfield song.
So as far as meaning goes, is it Neil's self critique about fame going to his head? That's what it seems like to me.
I just found a Rush cover of this song. It's on their Feedback album if you want to check it out. I love covers, but you can't beat Neil. Just to say, he wrote this thats why he performed it without Springfield, and why he never performed For What it's Worth without them, because thats a Steven Stills song.
this song is really gd. which album is it on?
@longliveconrad <br /> It's on decade and a buffalo Springfield album forget which one but they didn't record many any way. But this is one of my favorite songs lyrically. At first the girl says your strange but didn't change then I let her. Then at the end. Is it strange that I changed? I didn't know why don't you ask her
It's on Buffalo Springfield Again.
One of my favorite lyrics ever...
"Stick around, while the clown who is sick Does the trick of disaster"
i agree with mrMojoRisen except for the bit about
"Any girl in the world could have easily known me better."
i think this is about his own promiscuity
This is the Neil Young and Crazy Horse cut, if you want to comment on Buffalo Springfield then go to that one, we all know Young was part of Springfield.