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.
Got a daughter who'll eat anything
They like to feed her words, words, words
And tell her, Watch for the plague, girl, check your stool
Or we'll send you to reformatory school
And make a man out of you
They'll press what is left into new
They'll press what is left into new
They'll press what is left into new
Out of dust, out of empty space
From the bedroom to the marketplace
You be bold, but not too bold, and frame it all in gold, in gold
Your credibility is broken in two
But we'll press what is left into new
We'll press what is left into new
We'll press what is left into new
Let's sing a song about a woman's rage
Sing a song about an empty stage
A song, a song about how to sing
A song song song about everything!
You're tough, for a girl, and you're smart, for a girl
Stop, stop your ears from burning and fill my stomach with your singing
Concern concern concern yourself with the invisible!
Concern concern concern yourself with the incredible!
Don't turn to motherhood so fast, you have been blinded
There's a word for all you keep inside
And though you try to hide it, we will write it!
They like to feed her words, words, words
And tell her, Watch for the plague, girl, check your stool
Or we'll send you to reformatory school
And make a man out of you
They'll press what is left into new
They'll press what is left into new
They'll press what is left into new
Out of dust, out of empty space
From the bedroom to the marketplace
You be bold, but not too bold, and frame it all in gold, in gold
Your credibility is broken in two
But we'll press what is left into new
We'll press what is left into new
We'll press what is left into new
Let's sing a song about a woman's rage
Sing a song about an empty stage
A song, a song about how to sing
A song song song about everything!
You're tough, for a girl, and you're smart, for a girl
Stop, stop your ears from burning and fill my stomach with your singing
Concern concern concern yourself with the invisible!
Concern concern concern yourself with the incredible!
Don't turn to motherhood so fast, you have been blinded
There's a word for all you keep inside
And though you try to hide it, we will write it!
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
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Page
Ed Sheeran
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
fat/gulliable girl is brainwashed she is told to be cautious/worry about things all the time, even little things like her stool or they will send her to "reformatory" school - a school where they will change her completely into a man, because a woman who doesn't worry is no good? so they'll have a boy instead? - guessing here in the bedroom she is supposed to be "bold" but "not too bold" - refers perhaps to the expectation that women should want sex (or appear to), but not to please themselves, and they should come onto guys but should not force him or exert any kind of control over a man and that everything she does should be "framed in gold" = nice and pretty and rich similarly in the market place - to sell something she must be "bold but not too bold" ( could be about the mixed messages women in the workplace are given: be good at your job, but not too good? - really guessing there though) and again they must be "framed in gold" - pretty and rich at all times "lets sing a song about a woman's rage" This idea makes her angry "you're tough, for a girl and you're smart, for a girl" expectation that a woman will be less tough and less smart than she is - sexism in compliments any compliments she is given always have sexism mixed with them and she should care about this - she should "concern" herself "with the invisible" and not conform to what they want her to do: give up the marketplace and have a kid she has been "blinded", brainwashed into "motherhood" by their "words, words, words" While she keeps silent about these troubles, even though she should sing about it, (fill my stomach with your singing) she won't, so Owen will instead "And though you try to hide it, we will write it!"