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.
Walking home from work
Stop at the supermarket
The condiment aisle
A jar of pickles catches the eye
Made eye contact with a solitary pickle
But the jar took it home
Then made up the stairs
And made it through the doorway
And waded through the floor
Tried to head in the general direction of the bathroom
The truest room in the whole damn hous
saying love is the answer to a question that I
Have forgotten
And I know I've been asked
So the answer's got to be love
so feeding time with TV
Then sleeping time not sleepy so reading time with pickle
But where the bedside lamp had been
Is now emanating soft soft green
Has it always been this way?
Is it possible that all this magic went unnoticed?
maybe now things will start to change,
And life will turn a better page
No more rage.
saying love is the answer to a question that I
Have forgotten
But I know I've been asked
And the answer's got to be love
Love
Tomorrow back to work again
But run to the supermarket
Running hopeful through the aisles
Haven't been this happy in a long time
But not a single jar will smile
After hours
Man pickle jars are just pickle jars
And pickles are just pickles
Ingredients: water, salt, cucumbers, garlic, and pickling spices
But love is the answer to a question that I
Have forgotten
And I know I've been asked
And the answer's got to be love
Love is the answer to a question that I
Have forgotten
And I know I've been asked
And the answer's got to be love
And the answer's got to be love
And the answer's got to be love
And the answer's got to be love
Stop at the supermarket
The condiment aisle
A jar of pickles catches the eye
Made eye contact with a solitary pickle
But the jar took it home
Then made up the stairs
And made it through the doorway
And waded through the floor
Tried to head in the general direction of the bathroom
The truest room in the whole damn hous
saying love is the answer to a question that I
Have forgotten
And I know I've been asked
So the answer's got to be love
so feeding time with TV
Then sleeping time not sleepy so reading time with pickle
But where the bedside lamp had been
Is now emanating soft soft green
Has it always been this way?
Is it possible that all this magic went unnoticed?
maybe now things will start to change,
And life will turn a better page
No more rage.
saying love is the answer to a question that I
Have forgotten
But I know I've been asked
And the answer's got to be love
Love
Tomorrow back to work again
But run to the supermarket
Running hopeful through the aisles
Haven't been this happy in a long time
But not a single jar will smile
After hours
Man pickle jars are just pickle jars
And pickles are just pickles
Ingredients: water, salt, cucumbers, garlic, and pickling spices
But love is the answer to a question that I
Have forgotten
And I know I've been asked
And the answer's got to be love
Love is the answer to a question that I
Have forgotten
And I know I've been asked
And the answer's got to be love
And the answer's got to be love
And the answer's got to be love
And the answer's got to be love
Lyrics submitted by TheBeff, edited by kiackley90, iSWORD
Reading Time with Pickle Lyrics as written by Regina Spektor
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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,
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I think this song is about trying to find happines in meaningless things like pickles rather than facing up to the true problems.