Lyrics with meaning

[Griff]

Steve Earle
Jerusalem

I woke up this mornin' and none of the news was good
And death machines were rumblin' 'cross the ground where Jesus stood
And the man on my TV told me that it had always been that way
And there was nothin' anyone could do or say

And I almost listened to him
Yeah, I almost lost my mind
Then I regained my senses again
And looked into my heart to find

That I believe that one fine day all the children of Abraham
Will lay down their swords forever in Jerusalem

Well maybe I'm only dreamin' and maybe I'm just a fool
But I don't remember learnin' how to hate in Sunday school
But somewhere along the way I strayed and I never looked back again
But I still find some comfort now and then

Then the storm comes rumblin' in
And I can't lay me down
And the drums are drummin' again
And I can't stand the sound

But I believe there'll come a day when the lion and the lamb
Will lie down in peace together in Jerusalem

And there'll be no barricades then
There'll be no wire or walls
And we can wash all this blood from our hands
And all this hatred from our souls

And I believe that on that day all the children of Abraham
Will lay down their swords forever in Jerusalem

[glatt]

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day, you fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way. Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town, waiting for someone or something to show you the way.

Tired of lying in the sunshine, staying home to watch the rain.
You are young, and life is long, and there is time to kill today.

And then the one day you find, ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
and racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in the relative way, but you're older,
shorter of breath, and one day closer to death.

Every year is getting shorter. Never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines.

Hanging on in quiet desparation is the English way.

The time is gone. The song is over. Thought I'd something more to say...

[lumberjim]

must be glatt's birthday.

you feelin old?

[ladysycamore]

"The sun is the same in the relative way, but you're older,
shorter of breath, and one day closer to death."

Whoa..that just hit me real hard.

But, it's so true.

[glatt]

When I was a teenager, that song always made me feel anxious. Like I was missing out, while everyone else was doing cool stuff. The line about missing the starting gun really hit home back then. But that's because I would always crank it when I was hanging out alone in my room, doing nothing. I actually was missing out when I was listening to it.

Now that I'm in my late 30s (and yes, lumberjim, my 37th birthday was on friday - good guess) it's changed its meaning. I realize I had all the time in the world when I was young. It was a blessing and a curse at the same time. Now, if I never seem to find the time to do anything for me, it's because I have a great wife and couple of wonderful little kids. They take all my time, and I freely give it to them.

So, life's a trade-off. For everything you choose, you are leaving something that you could have had. No surprise there.

This song is very powerful, and I like it for that reason. But it's also an evil song. It sows anxiety, when you should be feeling content and rejoicing in your life, simple as it may be.

[lumberjim]

happy birthday, you old bastard.


evil song?

I think it simply ( if you are paying attention to the lyrics) makes you take a look at the big picture. What's so evil about that? more of a cautionary tale

[godwulf]

I don't care about your karma
I don't care about what's hip
No space cadet's gonna tell me what to do

I won't swim in your Jacuzzi
You can't make me settle down
I'd rather kick and jump and bite and scratch
And scream until I'm blue

I may as well be hyper
As long as I'm still around
'Cause I'll have lots of time to be laid back
When I'm six feet under ground

I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)

I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)

When are you
Cosmic cowboys
Gonna get it through your head

I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)

I can't stand the smell of incense
I don't really like to jog
No Joni Mitchell eight-tracks in my car (ooh)

I hate anything organic
Even health food makes me sick
You won't catch me sipping Perrier
Down in some sushi bar

I tell you, now's the time to go for
All the gusto you can grab
You'll have plenty of time to be low key
When you're laid out on the slab

I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)

I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)

When are you
Cosmic cowboys
Gonna get it through your head

I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)

I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)

I don't want no part of that vegetarian scene
I won't buy me a pair of designer jeans
No redwood hot tub to my name

I got all that I want
And if it's all the same to you
I don't need a course in self-awareness
To find out who I am

And I'd rather have a
Big Mac or a Jumbo Jack
Than all the bean sprouts in Japan

So don't ask me what I'm into
I don't need to prove I'm cool
I'll break your arm
If you ask me what's my sign

I won't tell you where my head's at
I don't need to see no shrink
Psychosis may be in this year
But I'm really not that kind

And I'm in no hurry to be casual
In fact I think I'll wait
Until I'm pushing up the daisies
(Like, wow, man, can you relate)

I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)

I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)

I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)

I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)
I'll be mellow when I'm dead (I'll be mellow when I'm dead)

- 'Weird Al' Yankovic

[glatt]

Poor Weird Al.

I feel for the guy.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Seems like a dream now, it was so long ago
The moon burned so bright and the time went so slow
And I swore that I loved her and gave her a ring
The bluebird was high on the wing

Whatever happened to Saturday night
Finding a sweetheart and holding her tight?
She said,"Tell me, oh, tell me, was I all right?"
Whatever happened to Saturday night?

The years brought the railroad
It ran by my door
Now there's boards on the windows
And dust on the floor
And she passes the time at another man's side
And I pass the time with my pride

What a tangled web we weave
Go 'round with circumstance
Someone show me how to tell the dancer
From the dance

What ever happened
To Saturday night?
Choosin' a friend and loosin' a fight
She said,"Tell me, oh, tell me, are you alright?"
Whatever happened to Saturday night?
Whatever happened to Saturday night?

[lumberjim]

Dave Matthews Band

Big Eyed Fish

Look at this big - eyed fish swimming in the sea oh
How it dreams to be a bird swoop and diving through the breeze
So one day caught a big old wave up on to the beach
Now he’s dead you see beneath the sea is where a fish should be

But oh God
Under the weight of life
Things seem brighter on the other side

You see this crazy man decided not to breathe
He turned red and blue - purple, colorful indeed
No matter how his friends begged and pleaded the man would not concede
And now he’s dead you see the silly man should know you got to breathe

But oh God
Under the weight of life
Things seem brighter on the other side

Oh God
Under the weight of life
Things seem so much better on the other side

No way, no way
No way out of here

You see the little monkey sitting up in his monkey tree
One day decided to climb down and run off to the city
But look at him now lost tired living in the street
As good as dead you see what a monkey does - stay up your tree

But oh God
Under the weight of life
Things seem brighter on the other side

Oh God
Under the weight of life
Things seem so much better on the other side

No way, no way, no way
No way out of here

Rain in my dreams

Fall away

[Crimson Ghost]

One - Metallica

I can't remember anything
Can't tell if this is true or dream
Deep down inside I feel the scream
This terrible silence stops me

Now that the war is through with me
I'm waking up, I cannot see
That there's not much left of me
Nothing is real but pain now

Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please, God, wake me

Back in the womb it's much too real
In pumps life that I must feel
But can't look forward to reveal
Look to the time when I live

Fed through the tube that sticks in me
Just like a wartime novelty
Tied to machines that make me be
Cut this life off from me

Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please, God, wake me

Now the world is gone, I'm just one
Oh God, help me
Hold my breath as I pray for death
Oh please, God, kill me

Darkness, imprisoning me
All that I see
Absolute horror
I cannot live
I cannot die
Trapped in myself
Body my holding cell

Landmine has taken my sight
Taken my speech
Taken my hearing
Taken my arms
Taken my legs
Taken my soul
Left me with life in hell





This song has always hit me hard. On Sundays, my wife and I volunteer at the Vets Home, taking guys to and from church services. There is a young infantryman there, my age, in fact, that stepped on a mine and lost his arms, legs, face. His mother is there every day, bathing him, talking to him. I've driven her home on the occasions that his father couldn't get there (he's a Captain in the Air Force). I said to my wife, after she heard this song, "One wrong step, and it could have been me or anyone in the service."

I'll shut up now that i've depressed everyone......

[wolf]

Talking about things like this helps you to be able to keep doing them.

Is "One" the song that had the "When Johnny Got His Gun" video?

[Crimson Ghost]

Yup, that it is, wolf. If you read the book, it is quite the look inside the thoughts of the young trooper in this condition. The video, of course, can't go into all the different things that the book went into. However, the video is certainly not a happy "everything will be fine" thing. A DVD is out called "Two Of One". If you liked the book, get the DVD. I'm not sure if the DVD has all three videos. YES! Three. The two from "Two Of One", and a video that used to be on MTV. That one starts with Jason Robards and the boy (name?) saying -

"What is Democracy?"

"It has something to do with young men killing each other, I belive."

"When it comes time, would you want me to go?"

"For Democracy, any man would give his only begotton son."

The movie is one that you don't want to see when you're depressed. But a classic, anyway.

[wolf]

I read the book when I was in high school, saw the movie in college, so I got the cultural context when "And Justice For All" was released.

[DanaC]

Common People by Pulp
I heard this song sung in his unpreposessing style ....saw him (Jarvis) stood there on stage with his old brown chords and an even more ancient velvet jacket....a sheffield lad who doesnt look like much but somehow holds your attention as soon as he sidles onto the stage......The guy with the electric violin pretty much rocks too, but it all comes together because the lyrics are just so good.


She came from Greece, she had a thirst for knowledge

She studied sculpture at Saint Martin's College

That's where I caught her eye.

She told me that her Dad was loaded

I said "In that case I'll have a rum and coca-cola"

She said "fine"
And in thirty seconds time she said,

"I want to live like common people

I want to do whatever common people do,

I want to sleep with common people

I want to sleep with common people like you"

Well what else could I do?

I said "I'll see what I can do"


I took her to a supermarket

I don't know why

But I had to start it somewhere

So it started there.

I said "Pretend you've got no money"

But she just laughed

And said "oh you're so funny".

I said "yeah?

Well I can't see anyone else smiling in here".


Are you sure you want to live like common people

You want to see whatever common people see

You want to sleep with common people,

You want to sleep with common people like me.

But she didn't understand,

She just smiled and held my hand.


Rent a flat above a shop,

Cut your hair and get a job.

Smoke some fags and play some pool,

Pretend you never went to school.

But still you'll never get it right

'cos when you're laid in bed at night

Watching roaches climb the wall

If you called your Dad he could stop it all.

You'll never live like common people

You'll never do whatever common people do

You'll never fail like common people

You'll never watch your life slide out of view,

And dance and drink and screw

Because there's nothing else to do.


Sing along with the common people,


Sing along and it might just get you thru'

Laugh along with the common people

Laugh along even though they're laughing at you

And the stupid things that you do.

Because you think that poor is cool.


Like a dog lying in a corner,

They will bite you and never warn you

Look out, they'll tear your insides out

'cos everybody hates a tourist

Especially one who thinks

It's all such a laugh

Yeah!

And the chip stains' grease

Will come out in the bath

You will never understand

How it feels to live your life

With no meaning or control

And with nowhere left to go

You are amazed that they exist

And they burn so bright

Whilst you can only wonder why

Rent a flat above a shop

Cut your hair and get a job

Smoke some fags and play some pool

Pretend you never went to school

But still you'll never get it right

'cause when you're laid in bed at night

Watching roaches climb the wall

If you called your dad he could stop it all

Yeah!


You'll never live like common people

You'll never do whatever common people do

You'll never fail like common people

You'll never watch your life slide out of view

And then dance and drink and screw

Because there's nothing else to do

I want to live with common people like you.....


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