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.
It's time to paint this college town
It's Friday night
We'll get all dressed up, ready to go
From bar to bar where
We can meet some
People that we don't know
And let them take us home
While you weren't around
She's left on the couch
With no one there to hear her shout
She said "I think it's best if I just left"
But they held her down instead
She said "I think it's best if I just left"
But they held her down instead
She sits inside her room for days
Tells no one else about
That weekend that she spent away
The one that she won't soon forget
Cause being a victim scares her
They'll go free again
While you weren't around
She's left on the couch
With no one there to hear her shout
She said "I think it's best if I just left"
But they held her down instead
She said "I think it's best if I just left"
But they held her down instead
While you weren't around
She's left on the couch
With no one there to hear her shout
When I get my hands on you
I'll slit your throat with a dull knife
I'll put my hands on the wound
So you won't die to soon and
I'll put my knee on your chest
And squeeze out your final breath
I'll look deep in your eyes so
You know just who did this to you
I'll hang you in front of my house
So people passing by can
See your corpse and understand that
You got just what you deserve
It's Friday night
We'll get all dressed up, ready to go
From bar to bar where
We can meet some
People that we don't know
And let them take us home
While you weren't around
She's left on the couch
With no one there to hear her shout
She said "I think it's best if I just left"
But they held her down instead
She said "I think it's best if I just left"
But they held her down instead
She sits inside her room for days
Tells no one else about
That weekend that she spent away
The one that she won't soon forget
Cause being a victim scares her
They'll go free again
While you weren't around
She's left on the couch
With no one there to hear her shout
She said "I think it's best if I just left"
But they held her down instead
She said "I think it's best if I just left"
But they held her down instead
While you weren't around
She's left on the couch
With no one there to hear her shout
When I get my hands on you
I'll slit your throat with a dull knife
I'll put my hands on the wound
So you won't die to soon and
I'll put my knee on your chest
And squeeze out your final breath
I'll look deep in your eyes so
You know just who did this to you
I'll hang you in front of my house
So people passing by can
See your corpse and understand that
You got just what you deserve
Lyrics submitted by Last Action Hero
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
'Kay so, I think this song is about rape. By the way, the correct lyrics for the line "with no one there to hear her shout" are "with his roomates and no one left to hear her shout".
It's time to paint this college town It's Friday night We'll get all dressed up, ready to go From bar to bar where We can meet some People that we don't know And let them take us home
A couple of friends go out to drink and get into a car with a stranger.
While you weren't around She's left on the couch With his roomates and no one left to hear her shout She said "I think it's best if I just left" But they held her down instead She said "I think it's best if I just left" But they held her down instead
While the friend was gone, the girl was left alone with this man's (the stranger that brought them home?) roomates. The girl starts to feel uncomfortable and suggests that she leave, but the roomates won't let her.
She sits inside her room for days Tells no one else about That weekend that she spent away The one that she won't soon forget Cause being a victim scares her They'll go free again
The girl escapes and maybe tells the police but no else that she was raped. The men will go free.
When I get my hands on you I'll slit your throat with a dull knife I'll put my hands on the wound So you won't die to soon and I'll put my knee on your chest And squeeze out your final breath I'll look deep in your eyes so You know just who did this to you I'll hang you in front of my house So people passing by can See your corpse and understand that You got just what you deserve
I don't know about this part, maybe the men who raped her plan on hunting her down and killing her because she escaped and told the police.