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.
Holly wore a string around her finger
She said it helps her to remember all the nights that we got over
Besides, it ties her outfit all together
Holly wore a string around her finger
There are strings attached to every single lover
But they still can't even tether us together
Listen to the back of the theater, I think they really love one another
There are strings attached to every single lover
When they say great white sharks
They mean the kind in big black cars
When they say killer whales
They mean they whaled on him 'til they killed him up in Penetration Park
And Holly wore a cross to ward them off
She said if they think you're a Christian then they won't bring in the dogs
And if they think you're a Catholic then they'll want to meet your boss
Holly wore a cross to ward them off
Yeah, there's camps down by the banks of the river
And it's sketchy in the night but they mostly lay low in the light
Hey sweet recovery, come on, won't you wade into the water with me?
You know, there's camps down by the banks of the river
When they say black and tans
You know they mean the kind from the cans
We don't got time to mix it all together
I'm a very busy man, man
She said I dig those awkward silences
'Cause I grew up in denial and went to school in Massachusetts
And he said hi, I like to party on the problem blocks
And I can't stand it when the banging stops
I saw her at the party pit
Yeah, she was shaky but still trying to shake it
Half naked and three-quarters wasted
She was completely alone
And I saw him at the riverbank
He was breaking bread and giving thanks
With crosses made of pipes and planks
Leaned up against the nitrous tanks
And he said take a hit
Hold your breath and I'll dunk your head
Yeah, then when you wake up again
Yeah, you'll be high as hell and born again
Yeah, there's strings attached to every single lover
Well, there's strings attached to every single lover
She said it helps her to remember all the nights that we got over
Besides, it ties her outfit all together
Holly wore a string around her finger
There are strings attached to every single lover
But they still can't even tether us together
Listen to the back of the theater, I think they really love one another
There are strings attached to every single lover
When they say great white sharks
They mean the kind in big black cars
When they say killer whales
They mean they whaled on him 'til they killed him up in Penetration Park
And Holly wore a cross to ward them off
She said if they think you're a Christian then they won't bring in the dogs
And if they think you're a Catholic then they'll want to meet your boss
Holly wore a cross to ward them off
Yeah, there's camps down by the banks of the river
And it's sketchy in the night but they mostly lay low in the light
Hey sweet recovery, come on, won't you wade into the water with me?
You know, there's camps down by the banks of the river
When they say black and tans
You know they mean the kind from the cans
We don't got time to mix it all together
I'm a very busy man, man
She said I dig those awkward silences
'Cause I grew up in denial and went to school in Massachusetts
And he said hi, I like to party on the problem blocks
And I can't stand it when the banging stops
I saw her at the party pit
Yeah, she was shaky but still trying to shake it
Half naked and three-quarters wasted
She was completely alone
And I saw him at the riverbank
He was breaking bread and giving thanks
With crosses made of pipes and planks
Leaned up against the nitrous tanks
And he said take a hit
Hold your breath and I'll dunk your head
Yeah, then when you wake up again
Yeah, you'll be high as hell and born again
Yeah, there's strings attached to every single lover
Well, there's strings attached to every single lover
Lyrics submitted by iagoAdmirer, edited by rhysthuryn2003
Banging Camp Lyrics as written by Tad Jason Kubler Craig Finn
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
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Great version of a great song,
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i think the line is "he was breaking bread and giving danks" its an incredible line, fitting with the rest of the roman catholic story. I assume that breaking bread alludes to money (bread), and danks would be marijuana (specifically very good marijuana), so he's a dealer. Its funny because i live in minnesota, so a lot of this stuff i can relate to, especially the stuff about the river. He's talking about the mississippi river, which in st. paul and minnesota is just fucking trashed, and theres parties all along it every night. I definetely have lost a lot of nights down by the riverbanks, which makes me love this album so much more.
I grew up in denial. Now I go to Boston University. Fuck yeah
allofmylove is right. It is "danks" and not "thanks," which I never realized it until s/he pointed it out. It's just further word play illustrating the crucial link of drugs as a possible route to (at least temporary) salvation and redemption.
I absolutely love this song.
This and Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night are my favorites from this album.
I especially like the line about the Black and Tans just cuz where I come from Yuengling is popular and they make a Black and Tan product that's pretty good if yer fiendin' for a half and half and don't have the time or the materials to mix the beers.
It's better and more fun to make yer own though cuz you can keep the layers from mixing and you can use Guinness!
is "when they say great white sharks. they mean the kind in big black cars" a reference to the cocian trade?
I thought the "big black cars" bit was a reference to cops, but that does make more sense
Loring Park (Penetration Park) has had a history of prostitution. "Great White Sharks" is what people who live near the park call the John's that come to the area looking for a good time. Often times it was wealthy married men coming in from the suburbs date, looking for a "date". It's been a long time since I've hung out in the area but at least during the early to mid 90's it was very common if you were a guy in your 20's walking down a street near Loring Park to be slowly tailed by some expensive car while they tried to figure out if you were for sale. These cars would circle around the park like sharks looking for their victim so people living in the neighborhood started referring to them as such.
Killer Whales - Loring Park also sadly has been the scene of a number of hate crimes towards homosexuals including some beating deaths.