After performing in a number of metal bands in high school, Townsend was discovered by a record label in 1993 and was asked to perform lead vocals on Steve Vai's album Sex & Religion. After recording and touring with Vai, Townsend was discouraged by what he found in the music industry, and vented his anger on a solo album released under the pseudonym Strapping Young Lad. He soon assembled a band under the name, and released the critically acclaimed City in 1997. Since then, he has released three more studio albums with Strapping Young Lad, along with solo material released under his own independent record label, HevyDevy Records. Townsend's solo albums, a diverse mix of hard rock and progressive metal, have featured a varying lineup of supporting musicians. In 2002 he formed The Devin Townsend Band, a dedicated lineup which recorded and toured for two of his solo releases.
In 2007, Townsend disbanded both Strapping Young Lad and The Devin Townsend Band, taking a break from touring to spend more time with his family. After a two-year hiatus, he began work on a four-album series called The Devin Townsend Project, with each album written in a different style. The first two entries in the series, Ki and Addicted, were released in 2009. Townsend scheduled tours throughout Australia and North America in 2010 in support of the albums, and released the next two, Deconstruction and Ghost, in 2011.
Townsend's trademark production style, featuring a heavily multitracked wall of sound, has been compared to the styles of Phil Spector and Frank Zappa. His versatile vocal delivery ranges from screaming to an opera-esque singing, and his songwriting is similarly diverse. Townsend's musical style is rooted in metal, and his albums are written to express different aspects of his personality.
Mountain
Devin Townsend Lyrics
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That bump in your armpit is Cancer
That bump was turbulence
I guess it starts again
There is no reason for nostalgia,
Everything is still happening,
There is no reason for memory
The step, a choice.
I wish everything could have worked out the way you wanted it to
It's so tragic...so beautiful...
When everything is so hollow
Think of going home.
You are so beautiful to me
You are so beautiful to me
So far, i've logged so many hours
With medications and the dog
...You are so beautiful to me
So far, I've lost so many hours,
Two medications and a dog
IT'S JUST ANOTHER MOUNTAIN!
...JUST ANOTHER MOUNTAIN!
Just another weakness
The lyrics of Devin Townsend's song "Mountain" portray a sense of anxiety and fear of the future. The opening lines, "Nerves on fire, nothing is a sneaker...everything is catastrophe," suggest a state of heightened sensitivity where every little thing feels like a potential disaster. The following lines, "That bump in your armpit is Cancer, that bump was turbulence," further allude to the idea of anything unexpected being a potentially life-changing event.
The song then shifts to a reflective tone, with the singer acknowledging that there is no reason for nostalgia or memory because everything is still happening in the present moment. The lines "I wish everything could have worked out the way you wanted it to, it's so tragic...so beautiful...when everything is so hollow" suggest a sense of sadness and loss, but also a recognition of the beauty that can exist even in difficult situations.
The repeated refrain of "You are so beautiful to me" throughout the song suggests a source of comfort and love amidst the anxiety and fear. The final lines, "So far, I've lost so many hours, two medications and a dog, It's just another mountain, just another weakness," offer a note of resilience and determination to face whatever challenges lie ahead.
Line by Line Meaning
Nerves on fire, nothing is a sneaker...everything is catastrophe
Feeling intense anxiety and worry as everything around seems uncertain.
That bump in your armpit is Cancer
Discovering a lump and being fearful that it may be cancerous.
That bump was turbulence
'That bump' refers to a physical sensation that could be turbulence on a plane or a feeling of discomfort, possibly on an emotional level.
I guess it starts again
Feeling as though you are back to square one, trapped in a cycle or pattern of events that lead to stress and frustration.
There is no reason for nostalgia,
Feeling disconnected from the past, with no desire to reminisce or romanticize previous experiences.
Everything is still happening,
Feeling overwhelmed by the present and feeling as though there's no escape from it. Time marches on and there is no pause button for life.
There is no reason for memory
Feeling detached from experiences, with no emotional attachment to memories.
The step, a choice.
Deciding what action to take next, with the awareness that every choice has its consequences.
I wish everything could have worked out the way you wanted it to
Feeling regretful that things didn't go as planned and wishing for a different outcome.
It's so tragic...so beautiful...
When everything is so hollow
Finding the beauty in tragedy and acknowledging that sometimes, even when life feels empty and meaningless, there can still be moments of profound depth and meaning.
Think of going home.
Longing for a sense of belonging and stability, wanting to escape the stresses of the world and return to a place of safety and familiarity.
You are so beautiful to me
You are so beautiful to me
So far, i've logged so many hours
With medications and the dog
...You are so beautiful to me
Finding comfort in the love of a pet and the release provided by medication, able to see beauty in simple things while struggling with mental health issues.
So far, I've lost so many hours,
Two medications and a dog
Acknowledging the toll that mental illness takes and the ways in which it can interfere with life.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER MOUNTAIN!
...JUST ANOTHER MOUNTAIN!
Minimizing the severity of obstacles and problems, taking a more optimistic and hopeful view of struggles.
Just another weakness
Acknowledging the challenges and vulnerabilities that come with being human, seeking to understand and accept personal flaws and limitations.
Lyrics © OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP, PAUL NELSON D/B/A LYRICAL MILE MUSIC
Written by: LARRY BOONE, PAUL NELSON, RICHIE MCDONALD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind