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.
Fell down on both knees
You were young
Bones still soft
Legs fell numb
Oh how those sparrows sang for you
So you grew up
An isolated pup
You had some books
You had some love
Oh God was watching over you
Oh how those sparrows sang for you
You witnessed a man
A holy man
Touched your head
With his gentle hands
Oh God was watching over you
Lived in a house
In birmingham
A preacher's son
The Lord's plan
Oh God was watching over you
Oh how those sparrows sang for two
When you arrived
Carried you there
Hear the preacher's son
Your only love
Oh God was watching over you
Wedding bells rang
(Wedding bells ring)
Church choir sang
(Church choir sing)
A gospel song
(Whoa-oh oh whoa)
A beautiful one
(A beautiful one)
Oh such a melancholy tune
(It's a sad tune mmmm-mmm)
Oh how it reminds me of you
You were young
Bones still soft
Legs fell numb
Oh how those sparrows sang for you
So you grew up
An isolated pup
You had some books
You had some love
Oh God was watching over you
Oh how those sparrows sang for you
You witnessed a man
A holy man
Touched your head
With his gentle hands
Oh God was watching over you
Lived in a house
In birmingham
A preacher's son
The Lord's plan
Oh God was watching over you
Oh how those sparrows sang for two
When you arrived
Carried you there
Hear the preacher's son
Your only love
Oh God was watching over you
Wedding bells rang
(Wedding bells ring)
Church choir sang
(Church choir sing)
A gospel song
(Whoa-oh oh whoa)
A beautiful one
(A beautiful one)
Oh such a melancholy tune
(It's a sad tune mmmm-mmm)
Oh how it reminds me of you
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I'm shocked that no one has commented on this song. It's definitely one of Josh Rouse's best.
The meaning seems to be pretty simple - reflecting on a past love that seems to be have passed away. A beautiful melancholy tune.
wow. i discovered this song thanks to the Girl Next Door soundtrack and the use of this song in that movie is magical. definitely a great one.
Amazing song...
this song is so beautiful just heiring the sadness in his voice.its the perfect melancholy song.i love it ,i just kay in bed and just listen it this song.it makes me cry.it just makes me think about things.
Any idea what this song actually means? Im guessing he misses someone in the past, remembering her/him
Definitely about a love that passed away, but when I hear the lyrics, it sounds like he's actually describing the funeral service. Carried her to a church, pastor touches gently touches her head, melancholy church music following. Could be a metaphor, but in other songs he always seems to be direct yet still poetic.
I always felt this song may have been autobiographical and is really about Josh Rouse when he was starting out in music and how visiting a church reminds him of growing up.
Maybe I'm wrong and the song isn't about him at all.
The vibe I get from it is that it's about a girl who is physically impaired ("Bones still soft/Legs fell numb") who grows up isolated ("An isolated pup") and eventually gets married ("Wedding bells rang"). It's arguable that she's miraculously cured through the intervention of a minister ("You witnessed a man/A holy man/Touched your head/With his gentle hands/An oh God was watching over you"), but it could also be that the minister is just a positive influence on the trajectory of her life.
This song is actually about the nineteen sixty three bombing of the birmingham church on sixteenth street. It was a black church and 4 young black girls were killed and it's about one of the survivors. The holy man referred to is Martin Luther King. I think the person the song is describing is the life of Sarah Collins Randolph. She was a surviving sister in the same part of the church where her sister Addie Mae Collins was killed by bombs set by White National K.K.K. members.