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.
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
It references Branch Davidians in the song "In a Beautiful Place Out In the Country" ("...in a religious community in a beautiful place out in the country...")
David Koresh's (supposed prophet of the Branch Davidians - led the Waco standoff) right eye on the IBPOIC CD (it's blurry)
Amo Bishop Roden (a song off IBPOIC) is the name of a lady who was a Branch Davidian. Supposedly, she was critical of Koresh being a prophet. Consequently, she described Koresh's ranch as "a beautiful place out in the country" and her picture appears on the IBPOIC backsleeve.
This is taken from a web site and I always assumed they were correct. If you want to know about more oddities in BoC songs, take a look:
speakeasy.org/~adbrown/boc.html
more waco and branch davidian references, courtesy BoC
I heard this was a hook phrase used in Branch Davidian recruitment. If you look in the booklet there's a blurry picture of the eye of David Koresh.
i just love the music.
this whole EP is amazing