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.
Go go go go now
Out of the nest it's time
Go go go now
Circus girl without a safety net
Here here here now don't cry
You raised your hand for the assignment
Tuck those ribbons under your helmet
Be a good soldier
First my left foot then my right behind the other
Pantyhose running in the cold
Mother the car is here
Somebody leave the light on
Green limousine for the redhead dancing dancing girl
And when I dance for him
Somebody leave the light on
Just in just in case I like the dancing I can remember where I come from
I walked into your dream
And now I've forgotten how to dream my own dream
You are the clever one aren't you
Brides in veils for you
We told you all of our secrets
All but one
And don't you even try
The phone has been disconnected
Dripping with blood and with time and with your advice
Poison me against the moon
Mother the car is here
Somebody leave the light on
Black chariot for the redhead dancing dancing girl
He's gonna change my name
Maybe you'll leave the light on
Just in just in case I like the dancing I can remember where I come from
I escape into your escape into our very favorite fearscape
It's across the sky and across my heart and I cross my legs oh my God
First my left foot then my right behind the other
Breadcrumbs lost under the snow
Oo who mother
Oo mother the car is here
Maybe maybe you'll leave the light on for the for the for the dancing girl
He's gonna change my name
Maybe you'll leave the light
Just in case I like the dancing I can remember where I come come from
Mother mother mother
Out of the nest it's time
Go go go now
Circus girl without a safety net
Here here here now don't cry
You raised your hand for the assignment
Tuck those ribbons under your helmet
Be a good soldier
First my left foot then my right behind the other
Pantyhose running in the cold
Mother the car is here
Somebody leave the light on
Green limousine for the redhead dancing dancing girl
And when I dance for him
Somebody leave the light on
Just in just in case I like the dancing I can remember where I come from
I walked into your dream
And now I've forgotten how to dream my own dream
You are the clever one aren't you
Brides in veils for you
We told you all of our secrets
All but one
And don't you even try
The phone has been disconnected
Dripping with blood and with time and with your advice
Poison me against the moon
Mother the car is here
Somebody leave the light on
Black chariot for the redhead dancing dancing girl
He's gonna change my name
Maybe you'll leave the light on
Just in just in case I like the dancing I can remember where I come from
I escape into your escape into our very favorite fearscape
It's across the sky and across my heart and I cross my legs oh my God
First my left foot then my right behind the other
Breadcrumbs lost under the snow
Oo who mother
Oo mother the car is here
Maybe maybe you'll leave the light on for the for the for the dancing girl
He's gonna change my name
Maybe you'll leave the light
Just in case I like the dancing I can remember where I come come from
Mother mother mother
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
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"
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I agree that this song is about prostitution. The whole changing her name thing and being in someone else's dream is the girl playing the part the man wants. The phrase, "the car is here," references how prostitutes are often picked up in cars. A dancing girl is not a prostitute, but still sells her body for money, only it's by stripping, not sex. I think the part about being a soldier and not crying is about being strong despite the horror of having to sell one's self for money, which I'd guess feels as bad or even worse than being raped because a girl feels she has no other way of surviving other than allowing men to use them.