The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
(toy) Hello. Let's play some music. Follow me.
(Elmo) Lets make some noise with some pots and pans.
(toy) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2
Where did you go? Where could you be? I better find a way to write back home. I feel the flow of electricity. Better call before the fuse is blown.
(toy, in background) 5, 4, 3, 2
I am a little an, explosion. I am thats all I am explosion.
You once were told you once were free. I drew a map my destinations unknown. Morticians faint whenever you breathe. I'll see the light before I'm buried and bones
Starlight blinding. I will go away. Same old rigmarole. I will explode.
She's in my shadow. I avoid the street lights. She loves her sweater. Clothing is her birthright. She's heavy metal. Moshing in the moonlight. She writes me letters. Poetry keeps her up nights.
(Elmo) Lets make some noise with some pots and pans.
(toy) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2
Where did you go? Where could you be? I better find a way to write back home. I feel the flow of electricity. Better call before the fuse is blown.
(toy, in background) 5, 4, 3, 2
I am a little an, explosion. I am thats all I am explosion.
You once were told you once were free. I drew a map my destinations unknown. Morticians faint whenever you breathe. I'll see the light before I'm buried and bones
Starlight blinding. I will go away. Same old rigmarole. I will explode.
She's in my shadow. I avoid the street lights. She loves her sweater. Clothing is her birthright. She's heavy metal. Moshing in the moonlight. She writes me letters. Poetry keeps her up nights.
Lyrics submitted by keyshawn03
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
For those that don't know, this album was made entirely with sounds that toys make. That being said, I used to own the toy that says the "pots and pans" bit. It was an Elmo toy and I used to annoy the hell out of my roommates with it while I was drinking by pressing the button over and over.
So the part where Elmo says "Make some noise with the pots and pans!" is actually the end of a parody of a song, and I'm punching myself for not remembering what song he was parodying. It was some 80's song. But the lyrics aren't "Let's make some noise with the pots and pans!" It's actually "Make some-make some noise with the pots and pans!" I know for a fact. I'm going to go into detail about this because I'm bored and drunk.
So my roommates hate me for this obviously. It was a little Elmo doll (It was called rockin' elmo or something like that) with a button. Press the button and he sings part of a pre-programmed song. The one I remember is ABC by Jackson 5: press the button once, and he sings "ABC. it's as easy as 123. Or as simple as do re mi, abc, 123, you and me!" BUT if you press the button before he's finished, he starts over at the last measure of the song... okay, assume every time you see a "-" is when I press the button, it would go "Aaaaa Bee Cee, its-Aaaaa bee Cee, its as-Aaaa Bee-Aaaa Bee-Aaaa bee cee, it's as eas-Aaaa bee cee." and so on... but if you let it go on, it would go like this: "Aaaa bee cee, it's as easy as 123, as-123, as simple-123" So now every time you press the button, it skips back to "123" instead of the part that starts with "ABC."
So if I haven't lost you yet, one of the songs the Elmo toy did was actually a parody, he changed the lyrics and for the love of GOD I can't remember which song it was, but it was a seriously cliche popular widely recognizable song from the 80's/90's. And the last verse was "Make some noise with the pots and pans!" Remember that the button skips back to the beginning of the verse, so the sound clip you hear is achieved by pressing the button right after Elmo says "Make some" resulting in "Make some-Make some noise with the pots and pans!"
I don't know if I'm making sense to anyone else. I wish I still had the toy because I could show you exactly what I mean. If none of it makes sense to you, just listen to Elmo at the beginning and you can hear that he's saying "make some/make some" in the same pitch, not "let's make some."
Ha! Here it is. It's at about 30 seconds. Shake Rattle n roll. It's not the end of the song, but you get the idea.<br /> youtube.com/watch