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.
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
Even when my luck is down
I take joy in that our love grows
But if my vices are a burden
Please don't let me off
Cast me from your home
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
Because lately I've wronged you
And not been on your side, love
Maybe I have been dumb
Please don't ask me why
I turn away just when you want me
And I know that home is where you want me
There's not much for me there
Never gave a thought to an honorable living
Always had sense enough to lie
It's getting hard to keep pretending I'm worth your time
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
Never gave a thought to an honorable living
Always had sense enough to lie
It's getting hard to keep pretending I'm worth your time
Because lately I've wronged you
And not been on your side, love
Maybe I have been dumb
Please don't ask me why
Please don't ask me why
Please don't ask me why
Please don't ask me
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
Even when my luck is down
I take joy in that our love grows
But if my vices are a burden
Please don't let me off
Cast me from your home
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
Because lately I've wronged you
And not been on your side, love
Maybe I have been dumb
Please don't ask me why
I turn away just when you want me
And I know that home is where you want me
There's not much for me there
Never gave a thought to an honorable living
Always had sense enough to lie
It's getting hard to keep pretending I'm worth your time
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
Never gave a thought to an honorable living
Always had sense enough to lie
It's getting hard to keep pretending I'm worth your time
Because lately I've wronged you
And not been on your side, love
Maybe I have been dumb
Please don't ask me why
Please don't ask me why
Please don't ask me why
Please don't ask me
Lyrics submitted by axiomatize
Madder Red Lyrics as written by Christopher E Keating Anand Mathew Wilder
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"'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."
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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Sometimes it's hard to understand why someone loves you so much, especially when you feel like you're always doing the wrong thing or neglecting them. It's hard to say this song is completely literal in that the narrator is necessarily being a bad guy... The perspective is skewed. If he really was dishonorable, what remorse would he feel for wronging his lover? He just doesn't have confidence that he can do better, and feels she (implied gender, not enforced!) would be better off spending her time on someone who was already right for her. Relationships are complex.
WHAT IS WITH THE CLIP FOR THIS SONG?! I love it, but I'm mutually terrified by it.
i love the clip too. it made me cry haha
"Never gave a thought to an honorable living"
Pls correct. Great song though.
This is a song about guilt and cheating.
Most people cannot describe "why" they cheat, but may feel the guilt and shame of it. They do not want to hurt their partner, but they are unhappy and seek pleasure elsewhere. This song accurately describes the emotions of the cheater, at least in this case.
"But if my vices are a burden Please don't let me off Cast me from your home" Here the vice is sex. he is trying to tell his partner he is not worthy of staying in the home.
".. lately I've wronged you And not been on your side, love Maybe I have been dumb Please don't ask me why" This is the admission of cheating, though the cheater does not know or want to answer why.
"I turn away just when you want me And I know that home is where you want me There's not much for me there"
Not getting any sex at home? Perhaps not wanting to get it at home. Perhaps the excitement is gone.
"Never gave a thought to an honorable living Always had sense enough to lie It's getting hard to keep pretending I'm worth your time"
It is hard not to admit his cheating ways.
I disagree -- I don't think it's necessarily about cheating. My interpretation is that it's more about feeling inadequate in general, and the lyrics are vague enough that the reason for that could really be anything. Yeah the vices could be sex, but they could be a million other things too. <br /> <br /> I also don't think it's limited to romantic love -- I think it could be directed toward anyone who loves you in any sense of the word (friends, parents, etc.). The music video supports this idea because it's about a girl and her pet, and this song totally applies to that type of relationship too, where a pet will love you unconditionally even though you might not think you're worthy or deserving of it. A parent/child relationship works well here too. <br /> <br /> I'm not saying your interpretation is wrong; I just don't think it's the only way to look at it.
The clip IS weird. But maybe the creature is the guys self imagine after what he is doing (or not doing) to the girl of the clip.
fantastic song. i thing it's pretty straightforward - two people in a relationship and the one singing obviously really appreciates their relationship and love (Even when my luck is down, I take joy in that our love grows) but recently this person has not been treating the other as well as they should be, which they realize (Because lately I've wronged you And not been on your side, love Maybe I have been dumb) and they're realizing more and more that the other person deserves better (It's getting hard to keep pretending I'm worth your time) but they're not ready for that yet and don't want to acknowledge it / just keep pretending like everything is fine (Please don't ask me why)
the lyric is "maybe I've been gone"
Well my opinion about the meaning of the video goes like this..
It's singed from a pets perspective. As you can see from the video, in the beginning the "lump" is on top of the bed, just like cats and dogs are.
After that, Kristen is eating breakfest and the "lump" comes into kitchen and wants to eat. Well it can't coz s/he is ill.
After that Kristen goes to somekind of audition, but the lump gets sicker and she has to leave.
She grabs the lump and rushes in to veterinary hospital, notice the dogs as she is inside.
Well the doctors cant save her and the lump dies.
kuubone,<br /> Im pretty sure youre right. I recently read this release about the song:<br /> <br /> "Anyone who’s lost a beloved cat or dog can relate to the absurd, heartbreaking new video for Yeasayer’s “Madder Red”. The clip stars Kristen Bell (“Veronica Mars”,Forgetting Sarah Marshall) as a distraught owner of a sick pet. The pet happens to be an amorphous, one-eyed (and oddly lovable!) mass of flesh. It was made by wildly talented Swedish director Andreas Nilsson (Fever Ray, MGMT) and you can check it out below or at Pitchfork.tv."<br /> <br /> definitely an interesting song!
I think this song is definitely about his drug problem affecting his relationship: But if my vices are a burden (drugs) Please don't let me off (make me get help) Cast me from your home (make me go to rehab dont be an inhibiter) Because lately I've wronged you (maybe ive stolen money or been emotionally vacant or abusive because im withdrawing) And not been on your side, love (cuz ive been doing those things) Maybe I have been dumb (because im weak and addicted) Please don't ask me why (addiction is hard)
This was my favorite off this album. Never really thought about the words until now.
This song is about Gambling Addiction. The writer of the song confirmed this. The lyric "even when my luck is down" kinda confirms this. And the rest is basically how its effecting their relationship him saying that he shouldn't be forgiven for his failings but please don't ask him why as he clearly can't put into words why he is doing the things he is.
Love this song and a few on the album.