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.
This snowman is shaping up to be an eight but not out of ten
The robots awake to find that they've been taped down
Wondering when they break though these chains
But little boys have action toys for brains
I'm living proof, it can last a long time, now the girls up
The street are innocent and sweet while their all in bed
They got their makeup and dreams of wonderland
Sprinkled inside their heads soon they will change
But tonight Hollywood hills never seem so strange
Their mothers pray it will last a long time
I wanna roll around like a kid in the snow
I wanna relearn what I already know
Just let me take flight dressed in red
Through the night on a great big sled
I wanna wish you merry Christmas
Ho, ho, ho
Now the boys are all grown up
And there working their fingers to the bone
They go around chasing them girls on the weekend
You know they still can't be alone
I've been raking my brain
With thoughts of peace and love
How on earth did we get so mixed up
I pray to God, it don't last a long time
I wanna roll around like a kid in the snow
I wanna relearn what I already know
Just let me take flight dressed in red
Through the night on a great big sled
I hear the sound of bells
There's something on the roof
I wonder what this night will bring
I wanna roll around like a kid in the snow
I wanna relearn what I already know
Just let me take flight dressed in red
Through the night on a great big sled
I wanna wish you merry Christmas
Can't do that
I wanna wish you merry Christmas
Can't do that
The robots awake to find that they've been taped down
Wondering when they break though these chains
But little boys have action toys for brains
I'm living proof, it can last a long time, now the girls up
The street are innocent and sweet while their all in bed
They got their makeup and dreams of wonderland
Sprinkled inside their heads soon they will change
But tonight Hollywood hills never seem so strange
Their mothers pray it will last a long time
I wanna roll around like a kid in the snow
I wanna relearn what I already know
Just let me take flight dressed in red
Through the night on a great big sled
I wanna wish you merry Christmas
Ho, ho, ho
Now the boys are all grown up
And there working their fingers to the bone
They go around chasing them girls on the weekend
You know they still can't be alone
I've been raking my brain
With thoughts of peace and love
How on earth did we get so mixed up
I pray to God, it don't last a long time
I wanna roll around like a kid in the snow
I wanna relearn what I already know
Just let me take flight dressed in red
Through the night on a great big sled
I hear the sound of bells
There's something on the roof
I wonder what this night will bring
I wanna roll around like a kid in the snow
I wanna relearn what I already know
Just let me take flight dressed in red
Through the night on a great big sled
I wanna wish you merry Christmas
Can't do that
I wanna wish you merry Christmas
Can't do that
Lyrics submitted by ShotgunXXWedding
A Great Big Sled Lyrics as written by Dave Brent Keuning Brandon Flowers
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The lines "Just let me take flight dressed in red through the night on a great big sled" "I want to wish you 'Merry Christmas' (Can't do that)" Make it pretty clear that all the narrator wants to do is express and celebrate a festival, but you can't any more, because it's not deemed 'correct', thus ruining the spirit of Christmas.
"They've got their makeup and dreams of Wonderland...Soon they will change" This is going on about how children grow up so quickly, and don't realise that Christmas and life in general will only get worse. Their parents want them to be able to enjoy Christmas like they do right now forever, and not face the grim reality of life: "Their mothers pray it'll last a long time"
Strangely dark, especially for a Christmas song.