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.
Well, that weight is heavy, you'll carry it to your dead
'Til you can't feel your fingers, 'til you can't fill your head
'Til you can't make decisions to save your own life
'Til you're spending your days under the point of the knife, yeah
We all need someone to use
Babe, we got to refuse
To be left behind
Baby, shine your light down on me
Give me something to believe
Oh, come on and baby, shine it, shine it, shine it
Won't you shine your light down on me?
I ain't got nothing you see
Oh, come on and baby, shine it, shine it, shine it
The days leave you weary, left out in the cold
'Til you're begging for so long you've got to do what you're told
Till you see premonitions of what your life could have been
Until you're like a leaf falling and blowing out in the wind, yeah
We all need someone to use
Babe we got to refuse
To be left behind
Baby, shine your light down on me
Give me something to believe
Oh, come on and baby, shine it, shine it
Won't you shine your light down on me?
I ain't got nothing you see
Oh, come on and baby, shine it
Well, you'll see me out at the bars, tonight
Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah
Just waiting for someone to make it right
Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah
Won't you shine your light down on me?
Give me something to believe
Oh, come on and baby, shine it
Shine your light down on me
I ain't got nothing you see
Come on and baby, shine it, shine it, shine it
Baby, shine your light down on me
Give me something to believe
Oh, come on and baby, shine it, baby, shine it, baby, shine it
Won't you shine your light down on me?
'Til you can't feel your fingers, 'til you can't fill your head
'Til you can't make decisions to save your own life
'Til you're spending your days under the point of the knife, yeah
We all need someone to use
Babe, we got to refuse
To be left behind
Baby, shine your light down on me
Give me something to believe
Oh, come on and baby, shine it, shine it, shine it
Won't you shine your light down on me?
I ain't got nothing you see
Oh, come on and baby, shine it, shine it, shine it
The days leave you weary, left out in the cold
'Til you're begging for so long you've got to do what you're told
Till you see premonitions of what your life could have been
Until you're like a leaf falling and blowing out in the wind, yeah
We all need someone to use
Babe we got to refuse
To be left behind
Baby, shine your light down on me
Give me something to believe
Oh, come on and baby, shine it, shine it
Won't you shine your light down on me?
I ain't got nothing you see
Oh, come on and baby, shine it
Well, you'll see me out at the bars, tonight
Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah
Just waiting for someone to make it right
Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah
Won't you shine your light down on me?
Give me something to believe
Oh, come on and baby, shine it
Shine your light down on me
I ain't got nothing you see
Come on and baby, shine it, shine it, shine it
Baby, shine your light down on me
Give me something to believe
Oh, come on and baby, shine it, baby, shine it, baby, shine it
Won't you shine your light down on me?
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
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,
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.