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.
Maybe it would be fun
To get a new opinion
Get a little work done
And forget
Maybe it would be cool
If I rocked it old school
Try to break a gold rule
And a sweat
Better than the first time
Better than the worst time
If I could just reverse time
I'd be set
Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?
She got a new apartment
It's out on the escarpment
And in her glove compartment
Are my songs
She hasn't even heard them
Since she found out what the words meant
She decided she preferred them
All wrong
Kind of like the last time
With a bunch of really fast rhymes
If we're living in the past time
Soon gone
Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?
We recognize the present
Is half as pleasant
As our nostalgia for
The past'll be presented
Recast and reinvented
Until it's how we meant it
Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?
He's everything that you need
You wiped out on your ten speed
And either he will succeed
Or just suck
Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?
Begin the...
Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?
Would I be in the clear, G?
Testing 1,2,3
Testing 1,2,3
To get a new opinion
Get a little work done
And forget
Maybe it would be cool
If I rocked it old school
Try to break a gold rule
And a sweat
Better than the first time
Better than the worst time
If I could just reverse time
I'd be set
Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?
She got a new apartment
It's out on the escarpment
And in her glove compartment
Are my songs
She hasn't even heard them
Since she found out what the words meant
She decided she preferred them
All wrong
Kind of like the last time
With a bunch of really fast rhymes
If we're living in the past time
Soon gone
Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?
We recognize the present
Is half as pleasant
As our nostalgia for
The past'll be presented
Recast and reinvented
Until it's how we meant it
Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?
He's everything that you need
You wiped out on your ten speed
And either he will succeed
Or just suck
Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?
Begin the...
Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?
Would I be in the clear, G?
Testing 1,2,3
Testing 1,2,3
Lyrics submitted by neko-chan
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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.
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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.
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
I think the "King of like the last time With a bunch of really fast rhymes" is referring to their old hit, One Week
I love this song, partly because it is probably the only pop song (that I know of, anyway) ever to use the word 'escarpment.' ^_^ I also like the lyrics "she hasn't even heard them/since she found out what the words meant/she decided she preferred them/all wrong". Too true, and not just with these songs. We always prefer our own interpretations, don't we? That said, I believe 'the past'll be presented' should be 'the past that we resented'.
Perhaps this is Ed Robertson wondering if he should push his new image in a new direction? Perhaps he's tired of being remembered for "One Week" and wants to move on. He's looking back and realizing the futility of thinking how it could have gone differently.
Instead of "Kind of like the last time With a bunch of really fast times" It should be: "Kind of like the last time With a bunch of really fast rhymes"
a lot of times we dont feel like anyone is listening to us. kinda alone. some people dont like what we're saying anyways. kinda wondering if we changed would it make a difference. gah, who cares. this song rocks no matter what it means!
I'm going to agree with wrion. It's got to be about Ed Robertson wanting to move on from his past. The Barenaked Ladies have very much changed their sound since Maroon. So he's saying that he wants to, sort of, leave the old days behind and try something new. But he'd also like to go back and redo some of the things he'd done.
Awesome song.
"she got a new apartment its down on the escarpment" can either mean schabro (town in toronto ON, Where Stephen Page os from) or niagra escaptment
That line about the fast rhymes is about Ed. Go on YouTube and watch the video for the song youtube.com/watch Pause it at around 1:33 and if you look closely, you can tell it says Chickety China The Chinese Chicken and continues with One Week. Quite cool really...
oops sorry, forgot to put what the meaning of the whole song is, at least, in my opinion. I think it's about people not accepting you as you are. You know, how people change to be accepted ("If I acted less like me, would I be in the clear?") Maybe more like the singer changed (hence the reference to 'One Week") and people aren't really accepting him and sometimes he just wishes that he go back to when he was accepted but he doesn't really want to because he likes who he is even though no one else does...Does that make sense?
"She hasn't even heard them Since she found out what the words meant She decided she preferred them All wrong"
I love how this is like nearly every single one of BNL's song. Everything has a million and five meanings but most aren't the intended meaning. And I just love it.... Because I do prefer most of them 'all wrong'. Yay Ed!