"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
A carnival for the human race
Cotton candy, happy face
A child talking with his mouth full
Girlfriend gets stuffed animal
A festive mood is all around
Another world is what we've found
Step right up, let's make a deal
Let's ride on the ferris wheel
You know there's something lurking underneath the shape
With a mask over it's head and makeup on his face
Into the house of mirrors goes a clown and his elf
Take a look in the mirror and see the clown in yourself
If you want to know what's behind the show
You ride my carousel and enter life's jail cell
Love and blood begin to meld, you've lost the self that you once held
Merry go round your head - awake, asleep, alive, or dead.
The clown that painted a smile on you
Is now the one unmasking you
Animated scenes unwind
Dormant figures come to life
Entangled in your own web
A twisted tunnel overhead
A glimpse of light, a drop of dew
You slide into the swimming pool
A roller coaster ride into the rivers of your mind
The currents merge, your feelings surge, your life's a pantomime
Beauty is the spiral going round & round the beast
Without the vampire effect the carnival is deceased
Fun.
Roly Poly
Topsy turvy
Hang upside down
Fall to the ground
I think I'm going to be sick
Cotton candy, happy face
A child talking with his mouth full
Girlfriend gets stuffed animal
A festive mood is all around
Another world is what we've found
Step right up, let's make a deal
Let's ride on the ferris wheel
You know there's something lurking underneath the shape
With a mask over it's head and makeup on his face
Into the house of mirrors goes a clown and his elf
Take a look in the mirror and see the clown in yourself
If you want to know what's behind the show
You ride my carousel and enter life's jail cell
Love and blood begin to meld, you've lost the self that you once held
Merry go round your head - awake, asleep, alive, or dead.
The clown that painted a smile on you
Is now the one unmasking you
Animated scenes unwind
Dormant figures come to life
Entangled in your own web
A twisted tunnel overhead
A glimpse of light, a drop of dew
You slide into the swimming pool
A roller coaster ride into the rivers of your mind
The currents merge, your feelings surge, your life's a pantomime
Beauty is the spiral going round & round the beast
Without the vampire effect the carnival is deceased
Fun.
Roly Poly
Topsy turvy
Hang upside down
Fall to the ground
I think I'm going to be sick
Lyrics submitted by Fear_Of_Mole_Rats
Carousel Lyrics as written by Daniel Heifetz Clinton Mckinnon
Lyrics © Exploration Group LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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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To me, this song narrorates on the whole album, everything is fine until you realize theres a secret dark side to everything and everyone "something lurking underneath the shape". When you start digging deeper and deeper into the essence of pure evil you realize that its complete chaos and the pure evil is in you too "clown...now the one unmasking you" and thats enough to make you want to kill yourself or " be sick".
"Will Warner Brothers put our record on the shelf?" I am glad someone took the time (or went to Bunglefever.com) to hear he doesn't say what the booklet does!
woa! i just realized something, "a carnival for the human race" think about it... corporations, goverment (US at least) all they do is bullshit us around sell us uselles junk and useless 'nessesities,' "whirling, twirling, confusion..." its what life has become. all the propaganda and shit like that. 'Take a look in the mirror and see the clown in yourself' everyone has been caught in this carnival and we are happy to be here... sad really, well i'm also all twisted in my head, not druged out, just not normal.. so think outside the box and re-read what i wrote, maybe you'll get it
Perhaps it's about getting in touch with your darker side. Clowns, circuses and carnivals are often seen as innocent and all-American, but they have their darker sides (Clowns in particular - John Wayne Gacy, anyone?) The lines about 'the clown in yourself' could be about how everyone looks down on those who get in touch with their darker side (scatologists?), and yet everyone has one.
Oh, and 'Will Warner Brothers put our record on the shelf?' is pure genius in my eyes.
It's like he's encouraging insanity! "It's just better to give in!!!" Take a look in the mirror and see the clown in yourself!
I think there are alot of messages hear. It's amazing how Mr Bungle, Mr Bungle has such a dense lyrical contect, whereas California is much more "too the point?" maybe... I think this song is about "the all american dream" aswell as what justedbin talked about. He sets the scene in verse one. It's where we all wanna be, having fun, the good old kid stuffin his mouth "awwww" the lil sis wins the animal. Classic. (I'm English Btw). Being given something and it taken away, or promises which turned out untrue seem to prevail aswell (in my ears anyway) Most verses are self-explanatory but written in a "fun fair" way. I think the re-occurance of the clown is himself, or "ourselves", he says "take a look at the clown in yourself" then speaks in the 3rd person "the clown that painted..." it's different views on this beautifully, easy life we all have! (or i may be wrong)
I..I..I think.. I think I'm gonna.. gonna be siick!
i love this. i mean what's better than clowns, going crazy, and killing a whole lot of people?
one of the highlights of the album! Puts me in a good mood. Lovin' that sax.