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.
I want to go to Magnolia Mountain
And lay my weary head down
Down on the rocks
Of the mountain my savior made
Steady my soul and ease my worry
Hold me when I rattle like a hummingbird hummin'
Tie me to the rocks of the mountain my savior made
Lie to me
Sing me a song
Sing me a song until the morning comes
And if the morning come, will you lie to me?
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
Til' I'm heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
Please
I want to be the bluebird singin'
Singin' to the roses in her yard
The roses in her yard her father grew for her
It's been raining like Tennessee honey
So long I got too heavy to fly
Ain't no bluebird ever gets too heavy to sing
Lie to me
Sing me a song
Sing me a song until the morning comes
And if the morning don't come, will you lie to me?
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
'Til I'm heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
Please
Please
We burn the cotton fields down in the valley
And ended up with nothing but scars
The scars became the lessons that we gave to our children after the war
There ain't nothing but the truth up on Magnolia Mountain
Where nobody ever dies
Steady your soul and ease your worry
They got a room for you
Lie to me like I lie to you
Calm me down until the morning comes
And if the morning don't come
Lie to me
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
All heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
For us
Please
For us
For me
For us
For me
And lay my weary head down
Down on the rocks
Of the mountain my savior made
Steady my soul and ease my worry
Hold me when I rattle like a hummingbird hummin'
Tie me to the rocks of the mountain my savior made
Lie to me
Sing me a song
Sing me a song until the morning comes
And if the morning come, will you lie to me?
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
Til' I'm heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
Please
I want to be the bluebird singin'
Singin' to the roses in her yard
The roses in her yard her father grew for her
It's been raining like Tennessee honey
So long I got too heavy to fly
Ain't no bluebird ever gets too heavy to sing
Lie to me
Sing me a song
Sing me a song until the morning comes
And if the morning don't come, will you lie to me?
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
'Til I'm heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
Please
Please
We burn the cotton fields down in the valley
And ended up with nothing but scars
The scars became the lessons that we gave to our children after the war
There ain't nothing but the truth up on Magnolia Mountain
Where nobody ever dies
Steady your soul and ease your worry
They got a room for you
Lie to me like I lie to you
Calm me down until the morning comes
And if the morning don't come
Lie to me
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
All heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
For us
Please
For us
For me
For us
For me
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Light Up The Sky
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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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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”
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
why has no one commented on this song yet? This song is amazing. Ryan Adams is such a genius it's not even cool.
my interpretation of it is that the character in the song (may be fictional) is longing for this one place (magnolia mountain) to help him with all his troubles... the repeating stanzas which start with "lie to me...etc." spell out the fact that hes trying to ignore his problems and "settle his soul" on magnolia mountain because he feels serenity there since his saviour built the place.. although i do believe its fictional-- someplace thats not actually real; fictional in his mind great song, lyrical genious
its incredible that there are only two comments on this song. really a lyrical masterpiece.
100% agreed.
Probably waaay too literal of an interpretation, but there's a place in NC called Mountain Magnolia Inn. Maybe reversed it cause it sounds better? "They got a room for you." There's a hot springs (rocks and riverbed references) and it was built in 1868, just after the civil war. "We burned the cotton fields down in the valley / And ended up with nothing but scars / The scars became lessons / that we gave to our children / After the war." Who knows with Adams? He is brilliant but has a lot of obscure references, but you don't have to understand all the lyrics to enjoy the songs because he is talented.
This is one of the best alt-country songs ever written. So there's that.
I feel like it's a about a concept of heaven.
Um, every line is from a Grateful Dead song. No hidden meanings, it's a tribute to the Grateful Dead. Google it.
This is a great song. It is clearly about drugs with a nod to the Grateful dead's "Sugar Magnolia". He gets so upset with the ways of the cruel world that he wants to disappear to Magnolia Mountain (get high) and "steady his soul and ease his worry". The words "rocks, heavy, and fly" are purposefully used, as is the phrase "rattle like a hummingbird". He is so disgusted with the cruelty of humanity that he wishes he was a bluebird singing, and a bluebird never gets too heavy to sing. Furthermore is the line "we burn the cotton fields down in the valley". The "valley" represents the cruel world, and the "cotton fields" represent the nature that man has destroyed leaving us scars. Finally describing "the scars became the lessons that we gave our children after the war". War represents the greatest evil of all, the worst part about the cruel world that he is trying to hide away from. Truly a fabulous song, I think Jerry Garcia would be proud.
I think Magnolia Mountain is about racism.
Chorus: religion lies to the us. It will forgive you for unspeakable acts.
Bluebird verse is about people wanting freedom from their own situation, whether it be race or physical.
Cotton fields burning verse: the reality of racism vs religion extremism. And how you can always ask for forgiveness even if you what you do is wrong.
That made my saviour made for me; and us: as in just us, not them.