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.
The local rock group down the street
Is trying hard to learn their song
They serenade the weekend squire
Who just came out to mow his lawn
Another pleasant valley Sunday
Charcoal burning everywhere
Rows of houses that are all the same
And no one seems to care
See Mrs. Gray, she's proud today
Because her roses are in bloom
And Mr. Green, he's so serene
He's got a TV in every room
Another pleasant valley Sunday
Here in status symbol land
Mothers complain about how hard life is
And the kids just don't understand
Creature comfort goals, they only numb my soul
And make it hard for me to see
(Ah ah ah) ah thoughts all seem to stray to places far away
I need a change of scenery
Ta ta ta ta, ta ta ta ta
Ta ta ta ta, ta ta ta ta
Another pleasant valley Sunday
Charcoal burning everywhere
Another pleasant valley Sunday
Here in status symbol land
Another pleasant valley Sunday (a pleasant valley Sunday)
Another pleasant valley Sunday (a pleasant valley Sunday)
Another pleasant valley Sunday (a pleasant valley Sunday)
Another pleasant valley Sunday (a pleasant valley Sunday)
Another pleasant valley Sunday (a pleasant valley Sunday)
Is trying hard to learn their song
They serenade the weekend squire
Who just came out to mow his lawn
Another pleasant valley Sunday
Charcoal burning everywhere
Rows of houses that are all the same
And no one seems to care
See Mrs. Gray, she's proud today
Because her roses are in bloom
And Mr. Green, he's so serene
He's got a TV in every room
Another pleasant valley Sunday
Here in status symbol land
Mothers complain about how hard life is
And the kids just don't understand
Creature comfort goals, they only numb my soul
And make it hard for me to see
(Ah ah ah) ah thoughts all seem to stray to places far away
I need a change of scenery
Ta ta ta ta, ta ta ta ta
Ta ta ta ta, ta ta ta ta
Another pleasant valley Sunday
Charcoal burning everywhere
Another pleasant valley Sunday
Here in status symbol land
Another pleasant valley Sunday (a pleasant valley Sunday)
Another pleasant valley Sunday (a pleasant valley Sunday)
Another pleasant valley Sunday (a pleasant valley Sunday)
Another pleasant valley Sunday (a pleasant valley Sunday)
Another pleasant valley Sunday (a pleasant valley Sunday)
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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."
Just A Little Lovin'
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
The plastic artificial nature of suburban life. The empty and impersonal interactions of modernity.
Gerry Goffin and Carole King wrote this about how stagnant life is in West Orange NJ. This is where they lived during their employment at the famous Brill Building in the late 60's. To correct some errors involving the musicians on the Monkees recording, Mike Nesmith played lead guitar and harmony vocals, Peter Tork played piano, Micky did lead vocals, Davy played maracas and sang backing vocals, Chip Douglas was on bass, Bill Chadwick played acoustic guitar and Eddie Hoh was on drums.
thanx for addit info - good job
Monkees' best...great lyrics, vocals & subject. Highly underrated tune.
The meaning of this song was about a Vietnam Vet coming home with what was then called shell shock (now called PTSD). For clrification of this I shall give you the details in order: "The local rock group down the street is trying hard to learn their song" This refers to all the garage band songs that he listened to during the "raids/ actions. The chopper pilots played rock music VERY loud on speakers pointing out from the chopper to distract/disorientate/&annoy the enemy as guys jumped out to actions.
"They serenade the local squire who just came out to mow his lawn" Again this refers to being droped into an action area and the "local squire" was the enemy out to mow down the troops jumping from the chopper!
"Another Pleasant Valley Sunday" is referring to how beautiful and peaceful the valleys all seemed as you dropped in to battle actions.
"Charcoal burning everywhere" is about the locals having small cooking fires that were quite often charcoals or were only left as charcoal fires after killing the locals!
"Rows of houses that are all the same, And no one seems to care!" refers to the little villages all looking the same after about your third or fourth action (That was within the first week to 10 days of arrival in country!) and after that initial disconnect from the job of killing any signs of "enemy" you become disconnected from all sense of humanity so as to mentally cope with the job of a Soldier or Marine there!
"Mrs Grey is proud today because her roses are in bloom" First off, Mrs "Grey" refers to the PT boats that were of course battleship grey. And the "roses" are the bursts of shots that ring out into the jungle that spray blood from the bodies of "enemy" bodies that would fly into the air just a bit when shot with the high powered boat guns!
"Mr Green is so serene he's got a TV in every room!" Refers to the choppers that were Army green and could look down at and into the little villages from rather far away. "every room" was every village enemy or not!
"Another Pleasant Valley Sunday here in status symbol land" Refers to it's just another day, another drop in action and it was all about the stats and status that was to be sent back to HQ to get the next action mission!
"Mothers complain about how hard life is, and the kids just don't understand" Was about the "Mothers" AKA Motherfckrs" at HQ complaining about every little detail not reported and not actually knowing what was happening in the field. And of course "the kids" were the Soldiers and Marines who were mostly just fresh kids shipped in to replace the ones killed off! (Their names are ALL on the WALL in DC now!)
"The creature comfort goals, they only numb my soul, they make it hard for me to see." Refers to the pot and other drugs everyone used to "numb" to the daily and the lose of your own humanity to do the job!
And of course it continued every day you were there in "Status symbol land" with "charcoal burning everywhere" showing the world what a powerful nation the USA was so it all just fades into "Another Pleasant Valley Sunday Another Pleasant Valley Sunday Another Pleasant Valley Sunday Another Pleasant Valley Sunday"
So of course everything when you did get home (IF you did get home!) was mirrored in your mind so strongly in the simple suburban life that only saw this war from their TV sets news every night like it was some kind of TV Drama and not the horrors of WAR that you'd had to go through!
Sorry I had to bring such a beautiful song to the real meaning behind the lyrics to those who "just don't understand"! Scotty
@scottyboyd You should write children's books. Your gift for fiction is amazing! (In other words, you obviously made this stuff up.)
Agreed. One of my favourite Monkees songs!
one of them said in an interview that it's about an asylum, but I don't really buy that
in an interview, Peter Tork said that he played keyboards and Mike Nesmith played bass on this - these guys were the real deal, while Dolenz and Jones were the "frontmen" - Peter was a friend of Steven Stills (who tried out for the Monkees) and lent him some cash at one point to help get CSN underway
in an interview, Peter Tork said that he played keyboards and Mike Nesmith played bass on this - these guys were the real deal, while Dolenz and Jones were the "frontmen" - Peter was a friend of Steven Stills (who tried out for the Monkees) and lent him some cash at one point to help get CSN underway
Just a secondary note: There was a verse that didn't make it to the recording that was "Mr Blue's got lots to do, he'll drop in soon!" That verse referred to the Air Force bombers that would be expected but often were so over booked that they didn't make it to many "cover and collect intel" missions! And for those who may wonder why the Navy PT boat guys were referred to as "Mrs Grey" it was because the Soldiers and Marines often called the Sailors on their somewhat "safer" boats the "Ladies" of the navy! Scotty
A punk anthem, years before punk - written by an American - puts us rebellious Brits to shame. Compare the lyrics with the Boomtown Rats - Rat Trap. or Springsteen's Jungleland