_{^{(Scanned from my Jane’s Addiction – Nothing’s Shocking cassette inlay 1/2)}}

I first started listening to Jane’s Addiction in the 90s and back then I owned the albums ‘Nothing Shocking’ and ‘Ritual de lo Habitual’ on cassette tape. I really liked the singles from the 1st album which were ‘Jane Says’, ‘Mountain Song’ and ‘Ocean Size’ – and it was one of the lyrics from ‘Ocean Size’ that always particularly struck a chord … I would always sing-a-long as follows …

Wish I was Ocean Size

No one moves you and

No one tries

No one pulls you

Out from your hole

Like a tooth aching in jawbone

This was my own version based on singing along and are pretty much spot on.

The lyrics printed on the cassette inlay are …

Wish I was ocean size

They cannot move you

No one tries

No one pulls you

Out from your hole

Like a tooth aching a jawbone

It was always that first verse that meant the most to me.

So why did it?

In my own interpretation maybe it expressed a desire just to be left alone or just to be accepted for what you are? The song carries on and again I quote from the cassette inlay …

I was made with a heart of stone

Now that makes me think of a very hard person – until the next line comes …

To be broken

With one hard blow

And then we are back to the ocean …

I’ve seen the ocean

Break on the shore

Come together with no harm done

On one hand we have the man with the heart of stone which has broken. And on the other we have the ocean, which crashes all over the rocks and shore sending water everywhere. Then it all just makes its way back to the ocean, which remains unbroken – with no harm done.

Next comes the lines …

It ain’t easy living

I want to be

As deep

As the ocean

Mother Ocean

In many ways it’s a sad song in which the lyrics come from an individual dealing with some problems. They look to the ocean and its power as a source of consolation. The lyrics were written by Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell and are about homelessness which I believe he experienced. That must have been hell…

I myself, fortunately, have never been in that boat (pun intended but not in a dismissive way) and I hope this remains the case. But the song is great in lifting you up when facing some shit in life. The lyrics are inspirational. Please allow me just to share that first verse again and let’s pause for a moment to take the words in …

Wish I was ocean size

They cannot move you

No one tries

No one pulls you

Out from your hole

Like a tooth aching a jawbone

Just think about how it would be to truly ‘Ocean Size’ …

_{^{(Scanned from my Jane’s Addiction – Nothing’s Shocking cassette inlay 2/2)}}

I have been lucky enough to see Jane’s Addiction at Brixton Academy in London with my best friend from Kent. During the gig I tried unsuccessfully to capture the song Ocean Size …

I’d be really happy if you did watch my video – but accept that you may prefer this instead 😀