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.
[Ali]
I'm on my way to my show, uh, shirt Polo
Gortex figaro, jeans Hilfiger though
Starched up, hit the Amaco
Bought a Philly, sparked up
Lunatics'll blow the park up
Ooh this herb, got me geekin like a nerd
F what you heard, federal roll like a bird
You were, actin funny when you first saw me
Now, I'm makin jams have you bein like "go Lee"
Hell nah trick, I'm picky now
I'm spiffy now, smoke sticky now
Hit the door at the club Yella, Grip and Luv
Met me with a dub, was it fire playa, what
Straight to the bar, got a Henny and Coke
Ain't been in five minutes, rats sendin me notes
Could it be the way I get down, the way I throw down
I don't know, but it's one thing I know for sure
[Hook-Ali]
Some a y'all been tryin to write rhymes for years
And we got dibs, irritatin my ears
Is this the best that you can make?
But if not, then you got more, I'll wait
But don't make me wait too long 'cause I'm a move on the dance floor
Where they put somethin smooth on
Turn up the bass, it's better when it's loud
'Cause I like to rule the crowd
[Ali]
Like my homie Joe Day, burgandy six-tre
I'm lookin sporty, you fools know me
No way, am I goin out like a buster
Once I'm in last long like a wrestler
Givin out degrees for that P.H.
Raised on the N-O-R-T-H side of this biiaatch
?? real soon, uh
Like soon as you hear it put that blunt out, break and leave the room
Get your own pop, piece to doom (?)
Bulletproof and pop, my hit gon' baloon
Position is assumed, I'm the Tic, the Tune
Leavin 'em all like a typhoon, ghetto tycoon
Cats waste ink, they don't take time to think
Actin hard like they shit don't stink
Knowin they stench like the rink
True color be pink, rinky dink
Big Lee need a spliff 'cause I'm startin to think, that...
[Hook]
[Nelly]
See I rockin in my spare time, unwind and grind fools like coffee
Softly is how I speak to them punks who come actin salty
Then Ali, I let this thing go (booyaah!), back on the farm
I heard you was on my tail now you yellin "Nelly, you lost 'em"
Fool, my click is off the hook like O.J.
Fool, there ain't no way, that we could ever be deep in four-play
Run and ask your lady
Smokin hay-hay-haaay
I bust a rhyme, and I line all them draws, my sign for all a y'all
Be that F on the top of skyscrapers, my lyrics rape ya
Tape your mouth like a hostage, you be talkin garbage
Makin my stomach nauseous with that shhh that, ah
Tryna' compare your click to mine, you need to hide and catch up
?? Duff know I'm a liar, makin you fools transpire
To sweatshirts like Champion attire, so why you try-ah
Lunatic for hirrrrrrre, haha, I'm startin to think that...
[(Hook) 2x]
I'm on my way to my show, uh, shirt Polo
Gortex figaro, jeans Hilfiger though
Starched up, hit the Amaco
Bought a Philly, sparked up
Lunatics'll blow the park up
Ooh this herb, got me geekin like a nerd
F what you heard, federal roll like a bird
You were, actin funny when you first saw me
Now, I'm makin jams have you bein like "go Lee"
Hell nah trick, I'm picky now
I'm spiffy now, smoke sticky now
Hit the door at the club Yella, Grip and Luv
Met me with a dub, was it fire playa, what
Straight to the bar, got a Henny and Coke
Ain't been in five minutes, rats sendin me notes
Could it be the way I get down, the way I throw down
I don't know, but it's one thing I know for sure
[Hook-Ali]
Some a y'all been tryin to write rhymes for years
And we got dibs, irritatin my ears
Is this the best that you can make?
But if not, then you got more, I'll wait
But don't make me wait too long 'cause I'm a move on the dance floor
Where they put somethin smooth on
Turn up the bass, it's better when it's loud
'Cause I like to rule the crowd
[Ali]
Like my homie Joe Day, burgandy six-tre
I'm lookin sporty, you fools know me
No way, am I goin out like a buster
Once I'm in last long like a wrestler
Givin out degrees for that P.H.
Raised on the N-O-R-T-H side of this biiaatch
?? real soon, uh
Like soon as you hear it put that blunt out, break and leave the room
Get your own pop, piece to doom (?)
Bulletproof and pop, my hit gon' baloon
Position is assumed, I'm the Tic, the Tune
Leavin 'em all like a typhoon, ghetto tycoon
Cats waste ink, they don't take time to think
Actin hard like they shit don't stink
Knowin they stench like the rink
True color be pink, rinky dink
Big Lee need a spliff 'cause I'm startin to think, that...
[Hook]
[Nelly]
See I rockin in my spare time, unwind and grind fools like coffee
Softly is how I speak to them punks who come actin salty
Then Ali, I let this thing go (booyaah!), back on the farm
I heard you was on my tail now you yellin "Nelly, you lost 'em"
Fool, my click is off the hook like O.J.
Fool, there ain't no way, that we could ever be deep in four-play
Run and ask your lady
Smokin hay-hay-haaay
I bust a rhyme, and I line all them draws, my sign for all a y'all
Be that F on the top of skyscrapers, my lyrics rape ya
Tape your mouth like a hostage, you be talkin garbage
Makin my stomach nauseous with that shhh that, ah
Tryna' compare your click to mine, you need to hide and catch up
?? Duff know I'm a liar, makin you fools transpire
To sweatshirts like Champion attire, so why you try-ah
Lunatic for hirrrrrrre, haha, I'm startin to think that...
[(Hook) 2x]
Lyrics submitted by ruben
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Light Up The Sky
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Great version of a great song,