Their self-titled album was chosen as one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005. In the Future was a finalist for the 2008 Polaris Music Prize and was also nominated for "Best Alternative Album" in the 2009 Juno Awards. The song "Stay Free" from In the Future was featured on the Spider-Man 3 soundtrack.
In 2005 the band opened for Coldplay on their Twisted Logic Tour for three weeks, with their final opening in San Diego.
In September 2010 Black Mountain performed in an amphitheater located in the woods of Oisterwijk at the Incubate (festival) in Tilburg, Netherlands.
Leader Stephen McBean also heads another similarly named band, Pink Mountaintops, who are the more experimental side of McBean's musical abilities. Black Mountain is the front line band for Black Mountain Army, a collective of musicians, artists and friends in Vancouver. In an interview the band said "Black Mountain is just the five of us. The Black Mountain Army… which has kind of gotten blown out of proportion, it was kind of just a joke, because everybody thought we were this hippie collective, like we all lived in one house. But it’s basically just our friends at home in Vancouver, just our extended family of creative people that we know."
Several members of the band have, for as long as a decade, worked for organizations that meet the basic living requirements of the chronically poor, drug addicted and mentally ill in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside neighborhood, such as Insite. In an interview, the band said: "After work we all try not to think too hard about the effect it has on our lives. It keeps us grounded."
Wilderness Heart was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize.
March 11, 2014 The Black Mountain song "Wucan" was featured on season 2 of the FOX drama "The Following" during the eighth episode entitled "Messenger".
The Black Mountain song "Druganaut" is featured in a June, 2014 Father's Day commercial for J.C. Penney.
No Satifaction
Black Mountain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm embarassed
Of what happened
Let's light up your down
And get things happening
We can't get no satisfaction
We can't get no satisfaction
Miss contractions
Let's light up your down
And get things happening
We can't get no satisfaction
'Cause everybody likes to
Claim things
And everybody likes to
Shame things
And everybody likes to
Clang bells around
Oh, muse
I'm embarassed
Of what happened
Let's light up your down
And get things happening
We can't get no satisfaction
We can't get no satisfaction
'Cause everybody likes to
Claim things
And everybody likes to
Shame things
Hang around
They like to clang around
'Cause everybody likes to
Claim things
And everybody likes to
Shame things
And everybody likes to
Clang bells around
The lyrics of "No Satisfaction" by Black Mountain are complex and open to interpretation. The song is about the struggle to find satisfaction in life despite the pressure to conform to society's expectations. The singer is addressing their muse, admitting their embarrassment over something that has happened, but suggesting they let it go and try to find satisfaction in the moment.
The lines "Let's light up your down/And get things happening" suggest that the singer wants to stimulate their muse and find inspiration. However, despite the effort to create some excitement, they still can't find satisfaction. The repetition of "We can't get no satisfaction" emphasizes this point and underscores the theme of the song.
The second half of the song takes a darker turn as the singer confronts the societal pressures that make it difficult to find satisfaction. The lines "Everybody likes to claim things/And everybody likes to shame things" suggest that people set unrealistic expectations and then judge those who fail to meet them. The repetition of "And everybody likes to/Clang bells around" reinforces the idea that society creates noise and distractions that make it difficult to focus on what's important.
Overall, "No Satisfaction" is a complex exploration of human desire and societal pressure. It suggests that finding satisfaction is difficult, but not impossible, as long as we can learn to tune out the noise around us and focus on what truly matters.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, muse
The singer is addressing a muse or source of inspiration.
I'm embarassed
The singer is ashamed or self-conscious about something.
Of what happened
The singer is referring to a specific event or happening that caused their embarrassment or discomfort.
Let's light up your down
The artist is suggesting they use drugs to lower inhibitions or stimulate creativity.
And get things happening
The artist wants to stir up some excitement or activity.
We can't get no satisfaction
The singer is expressing a sense of dissatisfaction or lack of fulfillment.
Hurry, hurry, hurry
The singer is urging someone to move quickly or efficiently.
Miss contractions
This line is unclear, but could be interpreted as a reference to labor contractions, implying a sense of urgency or intensity.
Cause everybody likes to claim things
The artist is making a commentary on human behavior, suggesting that people tend to make claims or assertions.
And everybody likes to shame things
The artist is commenting on the tendency to criticize or judge others.
And everybody likes to clang bells around
The singer is suggesting people like to make a lot of noise or draw attention to themselves.
Hang around
This line is unclear, but could imply a sense of waiting or lingering.
We can't get no satisfaction
The singer reiterates their feeling of dissatisfaction or lack of fulfillment.
Cause everybody likes to claim things
The singer restates their previous commentary on human behavior.
And everybody likes to shame things
The singer reiterates their observation about the tendency to criticize or judge others.
And everybody likes to clang bells around
The artist repeats their suggestion that people enjoy making noise or drawing attention to themselves.
Writer(s): Jeremy Schmidt, Joshua Wells, Matthew Camirand, Stephen Mcbean, Amber Webber
Contributed by Isaac J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@thecuckookid
This song reminds me of my mother, long since deceased.
@buzzingtonbee
Just a bloody good stomp. How can you NOT like this? Stomp, stomp, stomp...
@HermanWaldorf
this is so Velvet Underground. Beautiful.
@toinepsv21
nice song to skate on
@polidosk8
yea, amazing movie. really like this song :D
@TheAdamStandup
Again Noel! Mojo mag one of the best tracks on it after Pisces- Sam
@edwardgatey8301
Best cover ever. Better than the original, sorry Stones.
@comausaure
cool :D
@whyunohave
Karl Lagerfeld brought me here.
@baldassaredegenes
i prefer black angels's version but this one is good, reminds me of the velvet underground