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.
Welcome to the first day of the rest of my life
The tension is so think you can cut it with a knife
Something's happened
Things will never be the same
There's blood on the carpet
I'm rewiring my brain
I got some new friends down at West Valley PD
You can change the channel but I'm all that's on TV
The only good news is that he's going to be o.k.
Got a bomb in my stomach but I'm dreaming that one day
I'll be going to a Policeman's Xmas party
Have a couple beers get funky on the dance floor
Going to a Policeman's Xmas party
Gonna have a good time for the rest of my life
4 weeks later it's still raining in the park
Marine with a gun guards my house now after dark
I look for clues like I'm Inspector Clouseau
You can have my money honey I just want to go
Go to a policeman's Xmas party
Have a couple beers get my funky on the dance floor
Go to a policeman's Xmas party
Gonna have a good time for the rest of my life...
There's cops on the ceiling
There's cops on the floor
There's cops in the windows
Cops breaking down the door
You'll never feel safer in your life
The captain even likes to get freaky on my wife
We're going to a Policeman's Xmas party
Have a couple beers get my funky on the dance floor
Going to a Policeman's Xmas party
Gonna have a good time for the rest...
Welcome to the best day of the rest of my life
My buddies broke the case and now it's gonna be alright
Moral of the story, it don't matter who you are
Be careful what you wish for they'll be calling you a rock star
People from earth there's never been a harder core
Party like this party in a million years or more
The floor itself is hopping like a freaking kangaroo
The D.J.'s in his P.J.'s playing..."everybody wants you!"
Going to a policeman's Xmas party
Have a couple beers get funky on the dance floor
Going to a policeman's Xmas party
Going to have a good time the rest of my life!
Take off your clothes
Take off everything you are
Take off your heart
Get funky on the dance floor
Going to have a good time for the rest
The tension is so think you can cut it with a knife
Something's happened
Things will never be the same
There's blood on the carpet
I'm rewiring my brain
I got some new friends down at West Valley PD
You can change the channel but I'm all that's on TV
The only good news is that he's going to be o.k.
Got a bomb in my stomach but I'm dreaming that one day
I'll be going to a Policeman's Xmas party
Have a couple beers get funky on the dance floor
Going to a Policeman's Xmas party
Gonna have a good time for the rest of my life
4 weeks later it's still raining in the park
Marine with a gun guards my house now after dark
I look for clues like I'm Inspector Clouseau
You can have my money honey I just want to go
Go to a policeman's Xmas party
Have a couple beers get my funky on the dance floor
Go to a policeman's Xmas party
Gonna have a good time for the rest of my life...
There's cops on the ceiling
There's cops on the floor
There's cops in the windows
Cops breaking down the door
You'll never feel safer in your life
The captain even likes to get freaky on my wife
We're going to a Policeman's Xmas party
Have a couple beers get my funky on the dance floor
Going to a Policeman's Xmas party
Gonna have a good time for the rest...
Welcome to the best day of the rest of my life
My buddies broke the case and now it's gonna be alright
Moral of the story, it don't matter who you are
Be careful what you wish for they'll be calling you a rock star
People from earth there's never been a harder core
Party like this party in a million years or more
The floor itself is hopping like a freaking kangaroo
The D.J.'s in his P.J.'s playing..."everybody wants you!"
Going to a policeman's Xmas party
Have a couple beers get funky on the dance floor
Going to a policeman's Xmas party
Going to have a good time the rest of my life!
Take off your clothes
Take off everything you are
Take off your heart
Get funky on the dance floor
Going to have a good time for the rest
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
I am in love with this song. I didn't even get a chance to dissect the lyrics, I just love the sound of it