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.
Riddled by the trappings of words that makes the edges blur
Here on the outskirts of sincerity and pride
Stretched as far as words can reach by the lure of higher meaning
There's something out there lost behind the power lines
It's all the same to me
Lost all faith in promises and deadlines closing in
Tired of deciphering the wayward strands of truth
I don't care cause I can't feel
I don't know anymore
Sure we've had a good run with vowels, nouns and letters
But within it's very nature the ability to distort
There's nothing in the words I hear that makes me want to take a stand
It has gone on far too long I chose to disengage
The ends of our conditioniong to swallow, take and like it
Rather keep me in the dark than look me in the eye
It's all these same things pulling us down
To senses gone I cheer
It's all these same things making us blind
There's nothing here for me
Hear it coming heading for you now
I can't even stand the tone of arrogance and denial on display
Here you are listless, left for deaf
Thinking about what standards we set in times of weary tongues
And ears that hear no end to it
Unwilling of unable the difference left for times judgement
It passes on from wicked mouths as victim takes on another role
New bold oppressor our teacher's product now stands tall
Here on the outskirts of sincerity and pride
Stretched as far as words can reach by the lure of higher meaning
There's something out there lost behind the power lines
It's all the same to me
Lost all faith in promises and deadlines closing in
Tired of deciphering the wayward strands of truth
I don't care cause I can't feel
I don't know anymore
Sure we've had a good run with vowels, nouns and letters
But within it's very nature the ability to distort
There's nothing in the words I hear that makes me want to take a stand
It has gone on far too long I chose to disengage
The ends of our conditioniong to swallow, take and like it
Rather keep me in the dark than look me in the eye
It's all these same things pulling us down
To senses gone I cheer
It's all these same things making us blind
There's nothing here for me
Hear it coming heading for you now
I can't even stand the tone of arrogance and denial on display
Here you are listless, left for deaf
Thinking about what standards we set in times of weary tongues
And ears that hear no end to it
Unwilling of unable the difference left for times judgement
It passes on from wicked mouths as victim takes on another role
New bold oppressor our teacher's product now stands tall
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
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.
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
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,
I love this song, its full of aggression and anger
Half of me thinks this song is about a relationship that has gone sour, which words cannot fix and it has left the author feeling indifferent.
The other half things its just about people in general
For me, it seems obvious that the meaning of this song is all about the fact that the corrupt governments do things in their own way (and leave the poppulation in ignorance and blindness, without us really knowing what's going on behind the curtains), and we just have to "swallow" whatever they do, and in the end, we, ordinary people, can't do a thing about it.