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 looking and I'm dreaming for the first time
I'm inside and I'm outside at the same time
And everything is real
Do I like the way I feel?
[Chorus:]
When the world crashes in into my living room
Television man made me what I am
People like to put the television down
But we are just good friends
(I'm a) television man
I knew a girl, she was a macho man
But it's alright, I wasn't fooled for long
This is the place for me
I'm the king, and you're the queen
[Chorus]
Take a walk in the beautiful garden
Everyone would like to say hello
It doesn't matter what you say
Come and take us away
The world crashes in, into my living room
The world crashes in, into my living room
The world crashes in, into my living room
The world crashes in, into my living room
And we are still good friends...(Television man)
I'm watching everything...(Television man)
Television man...(Television man)
I'm watching everything...(Television man)
Television man...and I'm gonna say
We are still good friends...and I'm trying to be
Watchin' everything...and I gotta say
We are still good friends...You know the way it is
Television man...I've got what you need
We are still good friends...I know the way you are
Television man...I know what you're tryin' to be
Watchin' everything...and I gotta say
That's how the story ends.
I'm inside and I'm outside at the same time
And everything is real
Do I like the way I feel?
[Chorus:]
When the world crashes in into my living room
Television man made me what I am
People like to put the television down
But we are just good friends
(I'm a) television man
I knew a girl, she was a macho man
But it's alright, I wasn't fooled for long
This is the place for me
I'm the king, and you're the queen
[Chorus]
Take a walk in the beautiful garden
Everyone would like to say hello
It doesn't matter what you say
Come and take us away
The world crashes in, into my living room
The world crashes in, into my living room
The world crashes in, into my living room
The world crashes in, into my living room
And we are still good friends...(Television man)
I'm watching everything...(Television man)
Television man...(Television man)
I'm watching everything...(Television man)
Television man...and I'm gonna say
We are still good friends...and I'm trying to be
Watchin' everything...and I gotta say
We are still good friends...You know the way it is
Television man...I've got what you need
We are still good friends...I know the way you are
Television man...I know what you're tryin' to be
Watchin' everything...and I gotta say
That's how the story ends.
Lyrics submitted by orangeglacier
Television Man Lyrics as written by David Byrne Chris Frantz
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Love that nanananana part! Top Notch song!
My favorite Talking Heads song. I guess it's just about some guy who really loves his television.
television gave him lots of ideas and stuff
I think of someone who really watches TV so much because they feel detached from life. "I knew a girl... I wasn't fooled for long" But the outside world sometimes comes crashing into his living room. "Just good friends" - him defending what is thought of as an unhealthy relationship, and probably is? Over analysing? glikser makes sense too.
This is s song about a person's experience while watching television:
"I'm inside and I'm outside at the same time" This refers to the immersive experience of watching a screen, of how we are able to effectively tune out the rest of the world, becoming attached purely to the content of the television.
After watching the TV or a screen of some sort for any long periods of time, I find myself having to "readjust" to perceiving things in the real world.
The line "When the world crashes in to my living room" can mean two things: one is when the real world interrupts the immersive experience described above, the other is to how the television connects people globally, hence how the whole world is able to be broadcast into his living room, literally.
just my two cents.
"television made me what I am" refers to how many people spend too much time watching television and their knowledge, their character, and their sense of self-identity have been shaped by all they see on television.