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'm working on gospel time these days
(The summer this could be the cool part of the summer)
The sloe eyed creature in the reckless room she's so severe
A wise child walks right out of here
I'm so excited I can barely cope
I'm sizzling like an isotope
I'm on fire so cut me some slack
First she's way gone then she comes back
She's all business then she's ready to play
She's almost gothic in a natural way
This house of desire is built foursquare
(The city the cleanest kitten in the city)
When she speaks it's like the slickest song I ever heard
I'm hanging on her every word
As if I'm not already blazed enough
She hits me with the cryptic stuff
That's her style, to jerk me around
First she's all feel then she cools down
She's pure science with a splash of black cat
She's almost gothic and I like it like that
This dark place so thrilling and new
It's kind of like the opposite of an aerial view
Unless I'm totally wrong
I hear her rap and brother it's strong
I'm pretty sure that what she's telling me is mostly lies
But I just stand there hypnotized
I'll just have to make it work somehow
I'm in the amen corner now
It's called love, I spell L -you- V
First she's all buzz then she's noise-free
She's bubbling over then there's nothing to say
She's almost gothic in a natural way
She's old school then she's like young
Little Eva meets the Bleecker Street brat
She's almost gothic but it's better than that
(The summer this could be the cool part of the summer)
The sloe eyed creature in the reckless room she's so severe
A wise child walks right out of here
I'm so excited I can barely cope
I'm sizzling like an isotope
I'm on fire so cut me some slack
First she's way gone then she comes back
She's all business then she's ready to play
She's almost gothic in a natural way
This house of desire is built foursquare
(The city the cleanest kitten in the city)
When she speaks it's like the slickest song I ever heard
I'm hanging on her every word
As if I'm not already blazed enough
She hits me with the cryptic stuff
That's her style, to jerk me around
First she's all feel then she cools down
She's pure science with a splash of black cat
She's almost gothic and I like it like that
This dark place so thrilling and new
It's kind of like the opposite of an aerial view
Unless I'm totally wrong
I hear her rap and brother it's strong
I'm pretty sure that what she's telling me is mostly lies
But I just stand there hypnotized
I'll just have to make it work somehow
I'm in the amen corner now
It's called love, I spell L -you- V
First she's all buzz then she's noise-free
She's bubbling over then there's nothing to say
She's almost gothic in a natural way
She's old school then she's like young
Little Eva meets the Bleecker Street brat
She's almost gothic but it's better than that
Lyrics submitted by blackiswhite
Almost Gothic Lyrics as written by Walter Carl Becker Donald Jay Fagen
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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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I think the "black girl" interpretation is off-base. Much of "Two Against Nature" thematically deals with being a man at middle-ish age, growing older but still feeling like a boy in many ways (emotionally), and wanting to relive youth. This is heard in songs like "Janie Runaway", "Cousin Dupree", "Negative Girl" and "Almost Gothic".
So you have an older man attracted to a 20-something girl - an attraction he knows is silly and can not last, but she makes him feel like a young man again. The references like "I'm working on gospel time" & "a dark place...thrilling & new" are about him and where he's at emotionally. She is young and exciting and makes him feel alive. The "gothic" references are literal - the object of his attraction seems to be a goth girl who is hip, intriguing and fascinating, at the same time young, naive and really just a sweet kid deep own. This is why her "schtick" is sometimes hip and sometimes naive/quaint - she is a nice, wholesome girl trying to find herself and experimenting at being goth. He knows this b/c he's older and has "been there". But she is still a mysterious puzzle for him to figure out, a sexy bundle of contradictions that's intriquing to him (older women are more together/predictable and probably less exciting for him).
The "amen corner" I think is just his rapturous joy at having found this pretty young girl. "House of desire...4square" I think is him trying to convince himself that his attraction is not just lust, but is built on something real. Great, bitter-sweet song.
I agree with you 100% on this one Marshack. I am still intrigued by the first line though. What is "gospel time"?
@Marshack It's a Steely Dan song, so it's always up in the air, but this is how I interpreted it as well. And plus, like you said, it fits the theme of the album. Wonderful poetry.
@Marshack I think the gothic holds double entendre referring to goth fashion, music, and culture, and then also referring to gothic architecture which is probably most commonly seen in churches which contextualizes the church references a lot better. Gospel time might mean he's on this girls time and will do whatever she tells him, the amen corner is a place where one might pray, coupled with "its called love" may imply some promiscuity
Sounds like the guy who is into a high class call girl who may be into bondage, sadomasachism, etc. Love this song.
Agree, but I think the lyrics are far more specific- see below!
LMAO! Just saw this site. Love the song, but analyses all wrong- it's about going to a dominatrix (for the first time), comparing "submission" to her as "submission" to G-d, and "She's all business then she's ready to play"- I'm guessing you have to pay and sign releases... wouldn't know personally!
My favorite lines, "Cleanest kitten in the city"- NOT referring to a cat, but a part of a woman's body that's apparently "the most well protected" in the city!
"It's kind of like the opposite of an aerial view..."- being tied up, looking up at the ceiling!
"I'm in the amen corner now"- thanking the woman as either they are being required to, or are genuinely appreciative (or both!)-it's literally the part of the church where the most "fervent, vocal" people are shouting out praise
and, of course, it's LUV not love.... recognizing and differentiating physical and psychological responses to a genuine, loving emotional one.
Don't know if I've ever seen an isotope sizzle, but I've seen guys do so,... trying to "keep it stable" a bit longer when feeling the "kinetic isotope effect!"
@AstroLogic Not only that, but also, the protagonist is us, and the dominatrix is Steely Dan themselves. We're hanging on their every word, then they hit us with the cryptic stuff.
Sounds like an older white dude dating a young black girl for the first time.
"I'm working on gospel time/I'm in the amen corner" - which may be references to black chruches.
"love - I spell L U V" - like how a city girl from the hood would spell it out.
"I hear her rap, and brother it's strong" - -maybe more reference to black culture?
"Little Eva" a reference to Eva Boyd....
I don't know. I could be all wrong...
Ni___er Please!
This and Negative Girl are the two best cuts off the cd...I get Negative Girl real easy, but this song's meaning eludes me totally. I don't think the girl is black... not with "almost Gothic". What is very puzzling for me is how any girl can be "almost gothic in a natural way". That is really funny. The lyric is sloe-eyed creature references a bluish-black or plum color coming from a plum like fruit ( they vary). Most "Gothic Chics" have that black eyeliner all around the eyes which it what makes them "Gothic" and she is "severe"... which is a cool adjective meaning perhaps intense? Great song, but I need to run into walter or donald to find out what this one means...but I am sizzling like an Isotope at that prospect...
Sounds like this girl has some sort of bi-polar personality and the narrator likes it - meantime.
Guy falls for girl with religious bent. Like most religious girls she a bundle of passion and repression - highly conflicted. She alternates between being hypersexual (the part he likes) and repressed (the part he'll have to "work out" somehow). A few indications are that she's black. Sloe-eyed means dark eyes or slanted eyes (like a lot of black girls have). The reference to "Fouresquare" brings to mind the black Pentecostal church coming out of the African American Christian movement. The vacillation from science to black cat (and other biopolar tendencies) is common among Christians who use science to support their views until the point that it doesn't - the it's all "black cat."<br /> <br /> The double meaning of "This dark place so thrilling and new" probably refers to his first black girl experience as well as the dark places in her head that he can't quite get with. Religious people often view "the world" as a negative thing - it's all going to hell, except us saved people, which is why it's "kind of like the opposite of an aerial view." But he's so in to her that he's gonna "give us a witness" so to speak that "brother," her "rap" is strong - a couple more strong AfAm references.<br /> <br /> Hey, but ultimately he knows all this religious stuff is a crock [hey, these are the same guys that gave us Godwhacker!] - and he says as much: "I'm pretty sure that what she's telling me is mostly lies..." The "amen corner" has worked some powerful voodoo on this guy - mostly for a little slice of dark meat.<br /> <br /> By the way, I'm a total freak for this song. It's an amazing piece of musical work - more masterful mu-chord magic!
it is about a exotic chic that he is into, even though he know she is no good for him,,, he is still crazy about her. That's the story of my life! lol
This has to be my most favorite SD song, ever.
And Leonhart's solo is probably one of the most inspired of his repertoire.
Haha. I adore this song. It's funky and upbeat. Love it much.
I agree Franklin. I was a sloed eyed creature once at a cooperate party, I had a white man following me around in awe. Art imitates life