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.
Always said you were a youthquaker, Edie
A stormy little world shaker
Oh, Warhol's darling queen, Edie
An angel with a broken wing
The dogs lay at your feet, Edie
Oh, we caressed you cheek
Oh, stars wrapped in your hair, Edie
Life without a care
But your not there
Oh, caught up in an endless scene
Yeah, paradise a shattered dream
Oh, wired on the pills you took, Edie
Your innocence dripped blood, sweet child
The dogs lay at your feet, Edie
Oh, we caressed your cheek
Oh, stars wrapped in your hair
Oh, life without a care
Ciao baby
Shake it, boy
Oh, sweet little sugar talker
Paradise dream stealer
Oh, Warhol's little queen, Edie
An angel with a broken wing, oh
The dogs lay at your feet, Edie
Oh, we caressed your cheek, well
Stars wrapped in your hair
Life without a care yeah, yeah, yeah
Don't you know paradise takes time?
Ciao baby, yeah
Ciao baby
Ciao baby, yeah
Ciao baby
A stormy little world shaker
Oh, Warhol's darling queen, Edie
An angel with a broken wing
The dogs lay at your feet, Edie
Oh, we caressed you cheek
Oh, stars wrapped in your hair, Edie
Life without a care
But your not there
Oh, caught up in an endless scene
Yeah, paradise a shattered dream
Oh, wired on the pills you took, Edie
Your innocence dripped blood, sweet child
The dogs lay at your feet, Edie
Oh, we caressed your cheek
Oh, stars wrapped in your hair
Oh, life without a care
Ciao baby
Shake it, boy
Oh, sweet little sugar talker
Paradise dream stealer
Oh, Warhol's little queen, Edie
An angel with a broken wing, oh
The dogs lay at your feet, Edie
Oh, we caressed your cheek, well
Stars wrapped in your hair
Life without a care yeah, yeah, yeah
Don't you know paradise takes time?
Ciao baby, yeah
Ciao baby
Ciao baby, yeah
Ciao baby
Lyrics submitted by sammy_sammy226, edited by LionsandHorses
Edie (Ciao Baby) Lyrics as written by William Duffy Ian Robert Astbury
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Pretty much , their all time best song IMHO, its about blonde little number called Edie Sedgewich from Andy Warhols (FilM) Factory. Dylan visited the factory as a guest of ANdy and thats when Edie's life started going down the pooptube...
When Bob Dylan's interest in Edie Sedgewick started to grow, his friends and his manager often asked Edie how much money she was earning. Edie started to talk to factory friends and to think about her future acting potential - at one point this was raised with Andy Warhol. Edie began to argue with Warhol about the money that she was paid to star in his films. Edie had been convinced, by Dylan's friends, that Warhol was making a substantial amount of money from his films and could afford to increase her payments. Warhol explained to her that he was not making money from the films but it did not matter, Edie had already decided that she was being undervalued and decided to leave the factory for good, telling friends that she had signed a contract with Albert Grossman, Dylan's manager.
I always thought it was "A wind caressed your cheek." That's what it sounds like to me, anyway.
Such a complete assesment of the song, kinda kills other comments!!! I will say, fab production, so atmospheric in a great pair of headphones
Quite the sad story about Edie Sedgewick, and to me always shows how an industry can destroy someone.
the factory wasent jjust for film and you cant really call her blonde, because before and after the factory she was brunette. but yeah this song is good, and its about edie. who is really a unique and beautiful person. tragic too.
This song is, on the surface, about Edie Sedgwick of Andy Warhol fame, and her quick rise to fame, the consumption of her persona by users and posers, and her ultimate demise after losing herself...
Ian Astbury has said he identified very much with Edie's life and how she got caught up in it all-- used and abused-- and wrote the song about himself.
Beautiful song.