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.
Fate
Brought you
Brought you next to ghosts
They
Talk in code
Looking for the way out
I hope, I hope
I hope you want to live a day
And learn to cope
I hope you find what matters
Through the streets and on your own
Almost lost and almost gone
We'll be looking all we can
We'll be searching for the sulphur man
Pills stop you
Stopped you feeling life
Fall
Into a home
Sympathy and all
A soul in tatters
A soul as black as coal
I hope, I hope
I wish you could find what matters
Through the streets and on your own
Almost lost and almost home
We'll be looking all we can
We'll be looking for the sulphur man
Through the streets and on your own
Almost lost and almost home
We'll be looking all we can
We'll be searching for the sulphur man
Through the streets and on your own
Almost lost and almost home
We'll be looking all we can
We'll be searching for the sulphur man
Brought you
Brought you next to ghosts
They
Talk in code
Looking for the way out
I hope, I hope
I hope you want to live a day
And learn to cope
I hope you find what matters
Through the streets and on your own
Almost lost and almost gone
We'll be looking all we can
We'll be searching for the sulphur man
Pills stop you
Stopped you feeling life
Fall
Into a home
Sympathy and all
A soul in tatters
A soul as black as coal
I hope, I hope
I wish you could find what matters
Through the streets and on your own
Almost lost and almost home
We'll be looking all we can
We'll be looking for the sulphur man
Through the streets and on your own
Almost lost and almost home
We'll be looking all we can
We'll be searching for the sulphur man
Through the streets and on your own
Almost lost and almost home
We'll be looking all we can
We'll be searching for the sulphur man
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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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Man, I just had a revelation! It's all about suicide, and I think the sulphur man is a mention of the devil (fire and brimstone = sulphur etc) Fate brought you brought you next to ghosts (well, you attempted suicide because you were fatefully depressed) they talk in code looking for the way out (they are all other people who are only half living, and they are struggling but no one understands them)
I hope you'll want to live a day and learn to cope I hope you will find what matters (yet again, an obvious message of support)
Through the streets and on your own Almost lost and almost gone We'll be looking all we can We'll be searching for the sulphur man (you're nearly dead, and we're searching for the devil because we know we'll find you there)
Pills stop you Stopped you feeling life Fall Into a home Sympathy and all A soul in tatters A soul as black as coal I hope, I hope I wish you could find what matters (a really obvious pointer - pills = attempted suicide, a soul in tatters = depression) So that's all I can think of that fits, really. Please, someone else comment!
This is definitely about someone in deep depression and suicidal. 'The sulphur man' is death or maybe a personification of the person as death. The 'pills' could be anti-depressants, but I think they more likely represent drug misuse that intensified his depression. 'Fate brought you next to ghosts' suggests that he got into this state as a result of personal suffering, probably the loss of someone close. 'They talk in code, looking for the way out' is people in the same state as this guy all share a common goal that no-one sane can really understand, they want to kill themselves. This guy cannot be helped anymore, he has to save himself, he needs to 'want to live', 'learn to cope' with his problems and 'find what really matters' to him. All anyone else can do is 'hope'.
Maybe "pills stop you" refers to medication stabilizing a mood disorder/major depressive disorder... ? Stops a person from feeling the extreme highs and lows. Falls into a care center ("home")?
LouisaG., totally get the idea about sulphur man being the devil; sulphur was referred to as brimstone...
but here are a couple more ideas:
sulphur man is a man on drugs as sulphur is a major pharmecutical feedstock as well as being used by itself for treating diseases
or
Sulphur man is called that due to his skin tone? such as caused by jaundice, often a side effect of heavy drug use, disease, etc.
or
Sulphur man was a coal miner who survived a cave in (fate brought you next to ghosts... his coworkers who died next to him? and they are looking for a way out...) Sulphur is common in coal excavation, some grades are high in sulphur, and england has a lot of high sulphur coal...
any thoughts?
J
OP hit it squarely in the suicide. I relate to so many Doves songs. Some are inscrutable, some as clear as day. This one reminds me whenever I was hooked hopelessly on opioids and was thinking about suicide everyday. Luckily I managed to kick that habit all by myself, no help from anybody, no rehab, no nothing but my own sick and tired of being sick and tired feeling of living day to day in fear of withdrawals. I'm still pretty fucked up in the head, but at least I don't have to worry about opioids anymore.
I can't believe no one's commented! This is one of the Doves' most awesome songs - maybe about someone who's depressed - and the person's friends realise, but they can't do anything about it. Don't quite get what the hell the sulphur man is. It sounds like something radioactive.