Mountain of Love
The Beach Boys Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Standin' on a mountain lookin' down on a city
The way i feel is a doggone pity
Teardrops fallin' down the mountainside
Many times i've been here, many times i've cried
We used to be so happy when we were in love
High on a mountain of love

Night after night i'm a-standin' here alone
Weepin' out my heart (*laugh*) till the cold grey dawn
Prayin' that you're lonely and you'll come here too
Hopin' just by chance that i'll get a glimpse of you
(oh yeah!)
Trying hard to find you somewhere up above
High on a mountain of love

The mountain of love, the mountain of love
You should be ashamed
You used to be a mountain of love
But you just changed your name

Way down below there's a half a million people
Somewhere there's a church with a big tall steeple
Inside the church, there's an altar filled with flowers
Wedding bells are ringin' and they should've been ours
That's why i'm so handy, my dream is gone above
High on a mountain of love

(keep playin' it like it is!)

High on a mountain of love
The mountain of love, the mountain of love
You should be ashamed
You used to be a mountain of love
But you just changed your name

Way down below there's a half a million people
Somewhere there's a church with a big tall steeple
Inside the church, there's an altar filled with flowers
Wedding bells are ringin' and they should've been ours
That's why i'm so lonely, my dream is gone above
High on a mountain of love
High on a mountain of love
High on a mountain of love
High on a mountain of love

(What, honey?)
High on a mountain of love.
(hahahaha.)
Ooh baby...
(That's good.)




One more time. oooh baby. oooooo.
(That's a good voice.)

Overall Meaning

The Beach Boys's song "Mountain of Love" is a melancholic tune that depicts a heartbroken man who stands on a mountain, gazing down on a city, and lamenting over a lost love. He reminisces about happier times when they were in love and stood "high on a mountain of love." The man is now alone, spending his nights standing on the mountain, crying and hoping that his ex-lover will come back to him. The mountain is a symbol of the love he once shared with his partner.


The song's chorus has a bitter tone, with the singer singing that the mountain of love has now changed its name and that it should be ashamed. He believes that he should be the one celebrating his wedding in the church, but instead, he is left standing alone on a mountain, watching someone else exchange their vows. He ends the song on a desperate note, acknowledging the fact that his dream of being with his lover is gone, and he is left alone on the mountain of love.


Line by Line Meaning

Standin' on a mountain lookin' down on a city
Looking down at the vast city from atop a mountain


The way i feel is a doggone pity
My feelings are regrettable


Teardrops fallin' down the mountainside
Tears flow down the mountain slope


Many times i've been here, many times i've cried
Having come to this place several times, I have shed tears each time


We used to be so happy when we were in love
We were happy when we were in love


High on a mountain of love
Falling in love and being on top of the world


Night after night i'm a-standin' here alone
Standing alone here night after night


Weepin' out my heart (*laugh*) till the cold grey dawn
Crying my heart out until the early morning


Prayin' that you're lonely and you'll come here too
Praying that you are alone and will come to this place


Hopin' just by chance that i'll get a glimpse of you
Hoping to catch a glimpse of you by chance


(oh yeah!)
Exclamation of agreement


Trying hard to find you somewhere up above
Making an effort to look for you in higher places


The mountain of love, the mountain of love
Symbolic of the power of love, the place they fell in love


You should be ashamed
You should be embarrassed, you let it go away


You used to be a mountain of love
Referring to the place where they fell in love


But you just changed your name
Referring metaphorically to a change in the power of love


Way down below there's a half a million people
Below the mountaintop, lies a large city


Somewhere there's a church with a big tall steeple
Somewhere in that city is a church with a tower


Inside the church, there's an altar filled with flowers
The church altar is decorated with flowers


Wedding bells are ringin' and they should've been ours
The sound of wedding bells emphasizes their lost opportunity


That's why i'm so handy, my dream is gone above
Explaining why the artist is stranded atop the mountain, in reverie


(keep playin' it like it is!)
Keep playing the song honestly and authentically


That's why i'm so lonely, my dream is gone above
Their love was powerful like this mountain, but now it is lost


High on a mountain of love
A place of love and happiness


Ooh baby...
An expression of passion and desire


(That's good.)
Complimenting the singer's voice


One more time. oooh baby. oooooo.
Encouraging another performance with enthusiasm


(hahahaha.)
Expression of amusement


High on a mountain of love.
A place that used to hold a lot of love




Lyrics © MORRIS MUSIC, INC.
Written by: Harold Kenneth Dorman

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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