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 is the place where all
The junkies go
Where time gets fast
But everything gets slow
Can I get some Vaseline?
Step into a modern scene
Take a chance on that
Which seems to be the making of a dream
I don't want to do it
Like my daddy did
I don't want to give it
To my baby's kid
"This is my calling", I said, my darling
Shocking, appalling, all I can do to you
"Hammers are falling", I said, my darling
Shocking, appalling, all I can do to you
This is the place where all, the devils plead
Their case to take from you what they need
Can I isolate your gene? Can I kiss your dopamine?
In a way I wonder if she's living in a magazine
I don't want to say it
If it isn't so
I don't want to weigh it
But I've got to know
"This is my calling", I said, my darling
Shocking, appalling, all I can do to you
"Hammers are falling", I said my darling
Shocking, appalling, all I can do to you
I saw you out there yesterday, what did you want to say?
A perfect piece of DNA caught in a flashing ray
I caught you out there in the fray, what did you want to say?
A master piece of DNA caught in a flashing ray
Can I smell your gasoline?
Can I pet your wolverine?
On the day my best friend died
I could not get my copper clean
I don't want to take it up
With little Joe
I don't want to fake it
But I've gotta know
"This is my calling", I said, my darling
Shocking, appalling, all I can do to you
"Hammers are falling", I said, my darling
Shocking, appalling, all I can do to you
I am a misfit
I'm born with all of it
The fucking ultimate
Of love inside the atom split
I'm in a flash ray, a mash of DNA
Another poppin' Jay, who thinks
He's got something to say
The junkies go
Where time gets fast
But everything gets slow
Can I get some Vaseline?
Step into a modern scene
Take a chance on that
Which seems to be the making of a dream
I don't want to do it
Like my daddy did
I don't want to give it
To my baby's kid
"This is my calling", I said, my darling
Shocking, appalling, all I can do to you
"Hammers are falling", I said, my darling
Shocking, appalling, all I can do to you
This is the place where all, the devils plead
Their case to take from you what they need
Can I isolate your gene? Can I kiss your dopamine?
In a way I wonder if she's living in a magazine
I don't want to say it
If it isn't so
I don't want to weigh it
But I've got to know
"This is my calling", I said, my darling
Shocking, appalling, all I can do to you
"Hammers are falling", I said my darling
Shocking, appalling, all I can do to you
I saw you out there yesterday, what did you want to say?
A perfect piece of DNA caught in a flashing ray
I caught you out there in the fray, what did you want to say?
A master piece of DNA caught in a flashing ray
Can I smell your gasoline?
Can I pet your wolverine?
On the day my best friend died
I could not get my copper clean
I don't want to take it up
With little Joe
I don't want to fake it
But I've gotta know
"This is my calling", I said, my darling
Shocking, appalling, all I can do to you
"Hammers are falling", I said, my darling
Shocking, appalling, all I can do to you
I am a misfit
I'm born with all of it
The fucking ultimate
Of love inside the atom split
I'm in a flash ray, a mash of DNA
Another poppin' Jay, who thinks
He's got something to say
Lyrics submitted by Hump De Bump
Joe Lyrics as written by John Anthony Frusciante Michael Balzary
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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Great version of a great song,
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I would say its about Joe Strummer. Reggae heavily influenced The Clash, anyways. It sounds like a tribute to his passing. Even if By The Way came out after Joe's death this could of been written about that time, but Anthony didn't think it was right for the album.
"Come and see me, I'm your west end perfect stranger, in America"
It sounds like a reference that Joe is from England while Anthony, America. (England being West of America of course.)
"The many boots that you have laced could tell a story, comin' night and day (?) No one said that you would need a crowd"
That entire segment alone reminds me of the whole "Punk" style of life Joe lived.