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.
Just arrived Singapore, San Sebastian, Spain, 26-hour trip
Salt Lake City, come in spring
Over the salt flats a hailstorm brought you back to me
Salt Lake City, come in spring
Over the salt flats a hailstorm brought you back to me
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes
Departure, godspeed, bless his heart, good lord
What a fuck-up, what a fighter
A free-fall, motorcycle, hang-glider
Hung on the line like a poison spider
Win a eulogy from William Greider
Car crash, ptomaine, disposable lighter
A bus plunge, avalanche, a vinegar cider
Free-fall, motorcycle, hang-glider
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes, back, back
Go, go, go, go, yeah
Go, go, go, go, yeah
Go, go, go, yeah
Well, everybody is young forever
There's so much to tell you, so little time
I've come a long way since the whatever
Shit, I still see a word, think of you
There is so much that I can't do, yeah
You will be young forever
There's so much that I can't do
There is so much that I can't do
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes, back, back
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes, back, back
Salt Lake City, come in spring
Over the salt flats a hailstorm brought you back to me
Salt Lake City, come in spring
Over the salt flats a hailstorm brought you back to me
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes
Departure, godspeed, bless his heart, good lord
What a fuck-up, what a fighter
A free-fall, motorcycle, hang-glider
Hung on the line like a poison spider
Win a eulogy from William Greider
Car crash, ptomaine, disposable lighter
A bus plunge, avalanche, a vinegar cider
Free-fall, motorcycle, hang-glider
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes, back, back
Go, go, go, go, yeah
Go, go, go, go, yeah
Go, go, go, yeah
Well, everybody is young forever
There's so much to tell you, so little time
I've come a long way since the whatever
Shit, I still see a word, think of you
There is so much that I can't do, yeah
You will be young forever
There's so much that I can't do
There is so much that I can't do
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes, back, back
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes (I'm carried away)
Here it comes, back, back
Lyrics submitted by xpankfrisst
Departure Lyrics as written by Peter Buck Bill Berry
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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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.”
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Great version of a great song,
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Aye, touring. Apparently they flew from Singapore to San Sebastian (Spain) on the Monstor tour (via SLC it seems). When they arrived it was hailing and the Basque separatists were bombing the town and it was on fire in places, and the song references that chaos.