This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
What you did to me made me
See myself something different
Though I try to talk sense to myself
But I just won't listen
Won't you go away
Turned yourself in
You're no good at confession
Before the image that you burned me in
Tries to teach you a lesson
What you did to me made me see myself somethin' awful
A voice once stentorian is now again meek and muffled
It took me such a long time to get back up the first time you did it
I spent all I had to get it back, and now it seems I've been outbidded
My peace and quiet was stolen from me
When I was looking with calm affection
You were searching out my imperfections
What wasted unconditional love
On somebody
Who doesn't believe in the stuff
You came upon me like a hypnic jerk
When I was just about settled
And when it counts you recoil
With a cryptic word and leave a love belittled
Oh what a cold and common old way to go
I was feeding on the need for you to know me
Devastated at the rate you fell below me
What wasted unconditional love
On somebody
Who doesn't believe in the stuff
Oh, well
See myself something different
Though I try to talk sense to myself
But I just won't listen
Won't you go away
Turned yourself in
You're no good at confession
Before the image that you burned me in
Tries to teach you a lesson
What you did to me made me see myself somethin' awful
A voice once stentorian is now again meek and muffled
It took me such a long time to get back up the first time you did it
I spent all I had to get it back, and now it seems I've been outbidded
My peace and quiet was stolen from me
When I was looking with calm affection
You were searching out my imperfections
What wasted unconditional love
On somebody
Who doesn't believe in the stuff
You came upon me like a hypnic jerk
When I was just about settled
And when it counts you recoil
With a cryptic word and leave a love belittled
Oh what a cold and common old way to go
I was feeding on the need for you to know me
Devastated at the rate you fell below me
What wasted unconditional love
On somebody
Who doesn't believe in the stuff
Oh, well
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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.
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"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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I was at a concert in Saratoga, CA on July 3rd 2006, and Fiona explained this song (along with a funny story)...
She was dating a guy at the time (one would assume Paul Thomas Anderson), who then cheated on her with a very pretty, very famous "starlet". Fiona was, of course, massively upset... and at the time, this girl was starring in a movie so her picture was everywhere, magazine covers, TV screens, everywhere.
So Fiona was going to buy a box radio with her brother, just for some reason or another... but on her way to the store, everywhere she turned was this girl. Newsstands, billboards, everywhere Fiona turned the girl was there. Fiona was getting more and more upset, to the point where she just couldn't stop sobbing. When she finally reached the store, she was feeling better; but this electronics store was one which had walls taken up entirely by dozens of TV's. And at the exact moment Fiona walked in, every single TV in the store was showing the face of the girl.
Fiona looked at her brother, and for just a small, tiny, one second window, they were able to laugh... just for a second. Until, well... yeah.
After the story, right before Fiona began to play the song, she said, "And being the inspiration for this song may be the only decent thing this girl has ever done."
ahaha thank you!
This song got me through a tough time in my life. I was dating this guy for the third time - we were very serious in our relationship, although he did talk down to me all the time. The relationship ended when I found out that he had cheated on me - illegally at that - so the whole "Won't you go away - Turn yourself in - You're no good at confession" part had extra meaning to me.
I Love You Fiona! I Can not wait for the next album! Spring 2011!!
This song is about having a relationship with a narcissist.
Where at first you are important and valuable. Then you are not quite good enough. Then you feel belittled for giving two fucks. So you work hard to make it right giving them all your love and affection. (Meanwhile stroking their ego)
You know that something isn't quite right...But you try and make it right...even changing yourself just to make them happy. Suddenly they dump you out of nowhere...oh well
Fiona got it wrong though...they can't "believe" because they don't "understand "
I think of it being about putting so much energy and love into someone and they take it and you for granted, possibly manipulating you because of your vulnerability and love. You take this really hard and don’t understand what you did wrong because you care so much about them and their opinion. That applies to friends and lovers. Oh Well also reminds me of a guy wanting me for my body.
this song is so powerful. freefiona.com people! we want this album.
tentorian is not a word. i'm pretty sure she's saying "stentorian" which means loud and strong. that fits.
this is probably the saddest song i've ever heard. it's so beautiful.
oh also, its "somone who doesn't believe in THE STUFF" not "this life".
she says stuff the first time and life the second. listen close. gorgeous song.
wow
this song great i love it from the frist time i listen to it ......the line i was looking for calm affection you were serching my inperfections is the best this song is right up there with i know love ridden and never is a promise why wont thay come out with the fucking album if a lot of wont to listen to ???