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.
Hey Jack it's me,
I don't mean to bother you but somethings been on my mind.
At the end of this road that climbs the horizon, will be reached in a matter of miles.
And when the wheels cease to spin, the walls and the fences will grow higher than redwood trees.
And I know your demise.
And I fear what will happen when the road fails to flow under me.
Oh Jack you see, I felt like your mirror with the wind ripping through my hair.
When the wheels ceased to spin and I incase my surroundings, I realized I hadn't gone anywhere.
When the problems I'd left with couches in alleys, where no one would ever claim.
And the hardest part was sifting through the pieces of the rain soaked and rotten remains when I got home.
I don't mean to bother you but somethings been on my mind.
At the end of this road that climbs the horizon, will be reached in a matter of miles.
And when the wheels cease to spin, the walls and the fences will grow higher than redwood trees.
And I know your demise.
And I fear what will happen when the road fails to flow under me.
Oh Jack you see, I felt like your mirror with the wind ripping through my hair.
When the wheels ceased to spin and I incase my surroundings, I realized I hadn't gone anywhere.
When the problems I'd left with couches in alleys, where no one would ever claim.
And the hardest part was sifting through the pieces of the rain soaked and rotten remains when I got home.
Lyrics submitted by marexvitalis
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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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.
"'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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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.
Woah. This song is really cool, man. :) listen to it, and comment!! :D
I don't get what this song means.. .
It sounds like he is trying to get away from his problems. that no one will take claim of them and they just sit there never going away. That he goes and goes and he is afraid that he is not getting anywhere, that he is stuck and cannot escape. Jack? i guess thats who he is talking to. confiding to about what he is struggling with.
thats how i hear it. i like this song alot. just a guy who is stuck and asking for help.
I heard this for the first time the other day, and I've been listening to it all day today (the artist is Styrofoam, since that doesn't appear to be listed on here) and I'm a little lost on the lyrics.
I get the feeling that Jack is dead since the lyrics deal with some kind of a journey. The lines "I felt like your mirror," "what will happen when the road fails to flow under me" stood out in particular. It sounds to me like he's headed down the same road as Jack and is worried about what might happen to him, so he's asking Jack's advice.
Complete shot in the dark there.
Something I left out...he also refers to some kind of disaster at the end. Basically I think he's singing about mortality.
I've heard that the "Jack" he's referring to is Jack Kerouac, famous "On The Road" author who has a penchant for wanting to see the world/get away. When he wants to leave his problems like couches in alleys (fantastic visual image by the way) he feels like Kerouac's "mirror". The rest of the song seems rather self-explanatory.
he once said in an interview that his favorite book was On The Road by Jack Kerouac. Ben Gibbard is a beat-nic to the bone.
Yes, it is about Kerouac. Anyone who has read On the Road would pick up on the refrences easily.
the previous posters are correct, ben is talking to kerouac in the song. it's summed up in the line 'i fear what will happen when the road fails to flow under me', in other words, what happens when ben reaches the end of the road, and his endless search of self-discovery and search of a home actually ends?
but that's when he realizes that 'he hasn't gone anywhere', and that any journey along a road he thought he took was mostly for naught, because all the problems he had sought to leave behind by going down this road in the first place are 'couches in alleys' that he's simply got to deal with once he gets home, only now they're 'rainsoaked and rotted'.
so there's an obnoxious line-by-line translation of an extremely depressing but wonderful song.
wow, i really like when artists write about books. it becomes really personal, when you've actually read the book yourself too. I should probably pick this "on the road" up.