WRITTEN:
By Perry in early 1986.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS:
Perry in a late 1988 interview (from the promo release Words And Music)...
"'Ocean Size' is about being homeless. It was written-- I lived in a house, an eight room house, that was occupied by about, let say, 14 people. And they were all clean, every one of them. They always did the dishes and always kept the house very well groomed. All musicians. And we were kicked out of the place. They told us to move. We had to evacuate. And I was just at that time in my life, I was sick of moving. Because, you know, I'm sure you've gone through the experience of having to go looking for apartments and stuff. And it's really difficult for a guy like myself to show up and try to, you know, pass myself off as a normal, dependable young man who's not going to screw up this guy's house when I leave. And the lyrics, if you think about being homeless, or having to leave your home, is 'I wish I was ocean size. They can not move you, no one tries. No one pulls you out from your home, like a tooth aching a jawbone.'"

LIVE:
* Played frequently throughout Jane's existance, 86-91. Often as an encore.

* The Relapse played this at every show they played in '97. Usually first in the set.

* 2001-2002: done at almost every show.

* Porno For Pyros have been known to play "Ocean Size"... but very rarely.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
* "MOM III: Music for Our Mother Ocean," features Gibby Hayes and Paul Leary (from the Butthole Surfers) providing a remix of "Ocean Size." (Perry Farrell, one of the project's most avid supporters, even sent a video out to his fellow performers urging them to participate).

* from Rolling Stone, Issue 597, February 7th, 1991...
"But he did by the time Jane's was formed. 'Had a Dad' was about feeling abandoned by God; 'Ocean Size,' a plaintive cry of the dispossessed."

LYRICS:
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...
i was made with a heart of stone
to be broken
with one hard blow
i've seen the ocean
break on the shore
come together with no harm done...
it ain't easy living...
i want to be
as deep
as the ocean
mother ocean
some people tell me
home is in the sky
in the sky lives a spy
i want to be more like the ocean
no talking
all action...
no talking
all action...


FAN INTERPRETATIONS:
From John M.--
..heres mine opinion on OS..it took me like a year to finally "grasp" it..i may still be wrong..but it sounds cool to me :)
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...=== this in my opinion is perry's rebellion against god (he thinks god exists..but he isnt sure..and the ocean is godlike but doesnt hide like god...it is easy to "move" or deny god..but not the ocean)..the ocean is god like because of its size..it cannot be denied like god because we can see it and feel it (they cannot move you man..no one tries)...also the ocean hurts our belief in god to perry..because of the oceans power and accessibility..he tends to wonder if the ocean is god!!...but does maintain that the ocean is just a "tooth aching a jawbone" (jawbone is god)
i was made with a heart of stone...to be broken w/ one hard blow..i've seen the ocean break on the shore..come together with no harm done..it aint easy livin..i want to be as deep as the ocean...======here he talks more about the ocean's power..how we as people get hit and we die and become part of nature..which is sad for us..but the ocean like a god..hits the shore..takes a blow but..the water is still in form "with no harm done"....perry wants to be more like the ocean..deep and complicated...
people tell me home is in the sky..in the sky there's a spy..i want to be more like the ocean..no talk all action..===== perry here takes cliches and turns them into Powerful gems.. again he maintains god exists...but says god's a "spy" and that he hides from us...we cant see him..feel him..or believe in him for that matter...the ocean on the other hand..has all the qualities of god and is tangible!!!...god is all "talk" the ocean is all ACTION!!!!!!


From TC...
"I've seen the ocean breaking on the shore an come together with no harm done"
This quote has always held a personal meaning to me. It has always reminded me that I had the strength to overcome whatever life throws at me. And I have.