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.
The quiet war has begun with silent weapons
And the new slavery is to keep the people
Poor and stupid; "Novus Ordo Seclorum"
How can there be any logic in biological war?
We all know this is wrong, but the New World Order's
Beating down the door
Oh, something needs to be done
There was a king (an evil king), who dreamt the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery no prophet could interpret
Of seven years of famine; the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago: that that was, that is, that is no more
The word predicts the future and tells the truth about the past
Of how the world leaders will hail the new Pharaoh
The eighth false king to the throne
Washington is next!
Disengage their minds, sabotage their health
Promote sex, and war, and violence in the kindergartens
Blame the parents and teachers; it's their fault; "Annuit Coeptis"
Attack the church dynamic, attack the family
Keep the public undisciplined till nothing left is sacred, and
The "have-nots" get hooked and have to go to the "haves" just to cop a fix
I am the king (an evil king), who dreams the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, nobody could interpret
Of seven empires falling; the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago: that that was, that is, that is no more
The word predicts my future and tells the truth about my past
Of how the world's leaders are waiting to usher in
The eighth world power of modern Rome
Washington is next!
There was a king (an evil king), who dreamt the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, no prophet could interpret
Of seven empires falling; the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago: that that was, that is, that is no more
I am a king, and I dream the wildest dreams
And nobody could interpret
Seven empires falling; the wolf is at my door
Oh, that that was, that is, that is no more
There's something at my door, some ancient mystery
The future tells the truth about the past
And I'm the eighth false king to the throne
I've got you in my cross hairs; now, ain't that a bitch?
Washington, you're next!
And the new slavery is to keep the people
Poor and stupid; "Novus Ordo Seclorum"
How can there be any logic in biological war?
We all know this is wrong, but the New World Order's
Beating down the door
Oh, something needs to be done
There was a king (an evil king), who dreamt the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery no prophet could interpret
Of seven years of famine; the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago: that that was, that is, that is no more
The word predicts the future and tells the truth about the past
Of how the world leaders will hail the new Pharaoh
The eighth false king to the throne
Washington is next!
Disengage their minds, sabotage their health
Promote sex, and war, and violence in the kindergartens
Blame the parents and teachers; it's their fault; "Annuit Coeptis"
Attack the church dynamic, attack the family
Keep the public undisciplined till nothing left is sacred, and
The "have-nots" get hooked and have to go to the "haves" just to cop a fix
I am the king (an evil king), who dreams the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, nobody could interpret
Of seven empires falling; the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago: that that was, that is, that is no more
The word predicts my future and tells the truth about my past
Of how the world's leaders are waiting to usher in
The eighth world power of modern Rome
Washington is next!
There was a king (an evil king), who dreamt the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, no prophet could interpret
Of seven empires falling; the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago: that that was, that is, that is no more
I am a king, and I dream the wildest dreams
And nobody could interpret
Seven empires falling; the wolf is at my door
Oh, that that was, that is, that is no more
There's something at my door, some ancient mystery
The future tells the truth about the past
And I'm the eighth false king to the throne
I've got you in my cross hairs; now, ain't that a bitch?
Washington, you're next!
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The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
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"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
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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,
I think there's a lot more to the song.
I think this song looks into the past at all the horrible things that have happened to us (WW1, WW2, etc.) and then looks into the future asking 'Has anything really changed? Has it really? Or are we just telling ourselves that?'.
'The quiet war has begun with silent weapons' That sounds like the Cold War.
Anyway... This song is awesome! It just makes me want to jump up and start head banging!