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.
Yeah, I could hide in the calm of the eye of the storm
And never blow away
Well, I'm a young man with a knife to my back
And some things never seem to change
Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide
Sing the song or keep it inside
Bought the farm, but the farmer done died
Sing that song, sing that song inside
I wish I could live in the dream that I fly
On the tarred and feathered wings
Well, I'm losing a game of reality dice
Where the dealer never ever pays
Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide
Sing the song or keep it inside
Bought the farm, but the farmer done died
Sing that song, sing that song inside, yeah, yeah
I wanna be as big as a mountain
I wanna fly as high as the sun
I wanna know what the rent's like in heaven
I wanna know where the river goes
Yeah, I could hide in the calm of the eye of the storm
And never blow away, yeah
Well, I'm a young man with a knife to my back
And some things never seen to change
Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide
Sing the song or keep it inside
Bought the farm, but the farmer done died
Sing that song, sing that song inside, yeah
I wanna be as big as a mountain
I wanna fly as high as the sun
I wanna know what the rent's like in heaven
I wanna know where the river goes
If I was stronger
I could be a mountain range
If night was longer
Could I escape the day?
If I was stronger
I could be a mountain range
If night was longer
Could I escape the day?
Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide
Sing the song or keep it inside
Bought the farm, but the farmer done died
Sing that song, sing that song inside, yeah
I wanna be as big as a mountain
I wanna fly as high as the sun
I wanna know what the rent's like in heaven
I wanna know where the river
I wanna be as big as a mountain
I wanna fly as high as the sun
I wanna know what the rent's like in heaven
I wanna know where the river goes
Where the river goes
Where the river goes
Where the river goes
Where the river
Where the river
Where the river
Where the river
Where the river goes
Where the river goes
Where the river goes
And never blow away
Well, I'm a young man with a knife to my back
And some things never seem to change
Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide
Sing the song or keep it inside
Bought the farm, but the farmer done died
Sing that song, sing that song inside
I wish I could live in the dream that I fly
On the tarred and feathered wings
Well, I'm losing a game of reality dice
Where the dealer never ever pays
Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide
Sing the song or keep it inside
Bought the farm, but the farmer done died
Sing that song, sing that song inside, yeah, yeah
I wanna be as big as a mountain
I wanna fly as high as the sun
I wanna know what the rent's like in heaven
I wanna know where the river goes
Yeah, I could hide in the calm of the eye of the storm
And never blow away, yeah
Well, I'm a young man with a knife to my back
And some things never seen to change
Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide
Sing the song or keep it inside
Bought the farm, but the farmer done died
Sing that song, sing that song inside, yeah
I wanna be as big as a mountain
I wanna fly as high as the sun
I wanna know what the rent's like in heaven
I wanna know where the river goes
If I was stronger
I could be a mountain range
If night was longer
Could I escape the day?
If I was stronger
I could be a mountain range
If night was longer
Could I escape the day?
Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide
Sing the song or keep it inside
Bought the farm, but the farmer done died
Sing that song, sing that song inside, yeah
I wanna be as big as a mountain
I wanna fly as high as the sun
I wanna know what the rent's like in heaven
I wanna know where the river
I wanna be as big as a mountain
I wanna fly as high as the sun
I wanna know what the rent's like in heaven
I wanna know where the river goes
Where the river goes
Where the river goes
Where the river goes
Where the river
Where the river
Where the river
Where the river
Where the river goes
Where the river goes
Where the river goes
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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.
Mountain Song
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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,
Page
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Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
this is such a great song. i cant believe more people dont like it, its one of the best. i didnt even notice it was eight minutes long the first time i heard it, thats how good it is. lol
anyway its about how life is unpredictable, sometimes good and sometimes bad
i could hide in the calm of the eye of the storm and never blow away: he could just stay in bed all day and forget the rest of the world. something like that
im a young man with a knife to my back again, some things never seem to change: somethings stressing him out. he just wants a calm peaceful easy life but hes got something pressuring him, probably money or his drinking problem
nowhere to run to nowhere to hide: you cant hide from life like he wants to, you have to work a little
sing the song or keep it inside: you can speak your mind and make a difference in your life or you can just be a mindless worker with a boring normal life
bought the farm but the farmer done died: this means you can make a decision that seems good but it turns out to be bad through some twist of fate. like buying a farm then having the farmer die and now its just a waste of time
i wish i could live in the dream that i fly on tarred and feathered wings: tarring and feathering is a total humiliation. he wishes he could learn something from his disgrace and rise above it
im losing a game of reality dice where the dealer never ever pays: if youre playing dice but the dealer never pays, you cant win either way. so hes saying, hes failing at a life thats already shitty. reminds me of a dane cook joke. lol
i wanna be as big as a mountain: obvious, he wants to be famous or powerful or important
i wanna fly as high as the sun: he wants to go farther than any other man, or make some huge achievement
i wanna know what the rents like in Heaven: hes not sure if his life is one thats going to get him to Heaven. hes a little afraid that hes on the wrong track and he might go to hell because theres no room for people like him in Heaven
i wanna know where the river goes: the river is his life. he wants to see where this lifestyle is taking him, in his life and in the afterlife
if i was stronger i could be a mountain range: he could be great and have everything he wants, he just needs a little extra strength
if night was longer could i escape the day?: well during the day you have to work and deal with your problems. at night you just rest. he basically wants more time to dream because his dreams are better than his shitty reality
this is a totally beautiful song, i think it should get more recognition. its better than most other songs on core and its got a really cool realistic message
nice job there