Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
The curtains are drawn
Now the fire warms the room
Meanwhile outside
Wind from the north-east chills the air
It will soon be snowing out there
And some there are
Cold, they prepare for a sleepless night
Maybe this will be their last fight
But we're safe in each other's embrace
All fears go as I look on your face
Better think awhile
Or I may never think again
If this were the last day of your life, m friend
Tell me, what do you think you would do then?
Stand up to the blow that fate has struck upon you
Make the most of all you still have coming to you
Lay down on the ground and let the tears run from you
Crying to the grass and trees and heaven finally on your knees
Let me live again, let life come find me wanting
Spring must strike again against the shield of winter
Let me feel once more the arms of love surround me
Telling me the danger's past, I need not fear the icy blast again
Laughter and music and perfume linger here
And there, and there
Wine flows from flask to glass and mouth
As it soothes, confusing our doubts
And soon we feel
Why do a single thing today
There's tomorrow sure as I'm here
So the days they turn into years
And, still no tomorrow appears
Better think awhile, ...
Now the fire warms the room
Meanwhile outside
Wind from the north-east chills the air
It will soon be snowing out there
And some there are
Cold, they prepare for a sleepless night
Maybe this will be their last fight
But we're safe in each other's embrace
All fears go as I look on your face
Better think awhile
Or I may never think again
If this were the last day of your life, m friend
Tell me, what do you think you would do then?
Stand up to the blow that fate has struck upon you
Make the most of all you still have coming to you
Lay down on the ground and let the tears run from you
Crying to the grass and trees and heaven finally on your knees
Let me live again, let life come find me wanting
Spring must strike again against the shield of winter
Let me feel once more the arms of love surround me
Telling me the danger's past, I need not fear the icy blast again
Laughter and music and perfume linger here
And there, and there
Wine flows from flask to glass and mouth
As it soothes, confusing our doubts
And soon we feel
Why do a single thing today
There's tomorrow sure as I'm here
So the days they turn into years
And, still no tomorrow appears
Better think awhile, ...
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Undertow Lyrics as written by Anthony Banks
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
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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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I think this is one of the most moving songs ever! The music is just brilliant. As for the lyrics, I actually find them very uplifting:
Telling us that everyday we should remind ourselves that life is a treasure and therefore we have to seize the day (instead of waiting for a tomorrow that never appears). The chorus with the description of how we'd react to our last day is just beautiful.
I don't think the person in the song is really ill or going to die. To my mind, it seems more like someone - averagely happy, averagely wealthy - is suddenly struck by the insight that life is precious. In the first stanza, the thought of other (poor) people not surviving the night starts him thinking about "the last day". In the second stanza, he realises that a day spent with drinking wine and doing nothing is a wasted day and that he wouldn't do so if he knew his time left on earth was limited.