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.
Here it comes, here it comes,
I can feel the hills exploding
Exploding gracefully
Burning up the freeway
Here it comes
Grass is green at the edge of the bubble
Beautiful gets into beautiful trouble
And it seems to fall out of the sky and come down on you.
Oh baby burn
Fast die younger
Burns rubber
Useless rockers
From England
Good times
Had by all
Just swallow your guilt and your crutches
Blue and white birds stop and hide on the pedal
Interstate fire walk starlight down the middle,
And it seems to fall out of the sky and come down on you
Oh baby burn
I can feel the hills exploding
Exploding gracefully
Burning up the freeway
Here it comes
Grass is green at the edge of the bubble
Beautiful gets into beautiful trouble
And it seems to fall out of the sky and come down on you.
Oh baby burn
Fast die younger
Burns rubber
Useless rockers
From England
Good times
Had by all
Just swallow your guilt and your crutches
Blue and white birds stop and hide on the pedal
Interstate fire walk starlight down the middle,
And it seems to fall out of the sky and come down on you
Oh baby burn
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
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.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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,
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
dude this is like one of Radiohead's best B-sides.....2 comments only? OK THAR yea, this song's about how screwed up the world is
I completely agree with periwinklebyday's interpretation; and I really doubt that seeing how screwed up the world is, Radiohead's going to title a song that speaks of record companies and the music industry 'Maquiladora'. When you get rich by entertaining people (in the way a musician/artist/actor/whatever does) there has to be a moment when you feel terribly bad about yourself and what you're doing about the afore-mentioned screwed up world we live in.
And Street Spirit, yeah, life's full of low-profile –no-profile– everyday heroes we don't even notice because we're so busy getting filthy rich and/or just being comfortable.
Now... done with the ranting :).
I don't care what the actual meaning of this song is, I love the feeling that it invokes. I want to let go of all my worries and just indulge in life's guilty little pleasures. The lyrics to me paint a picture of a bunch of young people having fun, not really knowing where they're going or what they're doing in life but trying to outrun what they know will inevitably come in the future - the 9-5 jobs, the day-in, day-out lifestyle, possibly they're also outrunning all the things they know are messed up with the world but don't feel they can or should help to fix.
If you look at the lyrics, it fits pretty well, I don't think it needs much explaining although some of the lines bring out more abstract feelings.
Interestingly, this is very similar to an early Radiohead song (back when they were 'On A Friday') called 'Shindig'. Most of it is the same, except that 'Shindig' is a little quicker, lacks Jonny's great solo and has an extra chorus thingy that actually sounds pretty good. If they re-recorded 'Shindig' in a higher quality, I would like it more than 'Maquiladora'.
I think its talking about how being a musician is so stupid when things like Maquiladoras exist in Mexico. The world has so many social, environmental, and political problems, and to waste onself listening to silly english music...well...that's just stupid, and you'll burn in hell for it.
I think this song is about LA and record executives/companies. The "swallow your guilt..." line implies that something is being sacrificed. This is probably in reference to when Radiohead signed with Capitol (hq'ed in Hollywood) for US distribution. In "Meeting People Is Easy" you really get a sense of how soulless and fake these people really are and how upset the band members, especially Thom, are in having to play their games and deal with them. I would imagine that Thom heard the term Maquiladora while in CA and thought it was a good word that typified the SoCal lifestyle. Supposedly, the original title to this was "Interstate 5."
The first verse makes me think... people dying in a glamorous way and becoming 'heros' for it. This actually gives me amazing inspiration for a song. Yay.
ive got this song off the live dvd and im in love with it, so damn good, what can i say its radiohead
Sounds like "blue-eyed birds" to me.
Sounds like "blue-eyed birds" to me.