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.
A long walk home, riddled with regret
Uncommonly comfortable, but still I believe
That in time I think I'll see just what's been weighing down on me
An unearthly void collapsed, exposing what was trapped
To release this serendipitous design
The smell of smoke, the evening sky was proof
Belated conversations saturate anticipation for the answers that simply won't come
But not I, I won't ask
Forget my place amongst the grass
The leaves and the trees remember me
And in my naiveté it might be seen
The pail has leaks and even if
You put all your water into it
You end up with nothing left to drink
The well has gone dry and I with it
Oh, someday she'll be gone (x4)
(We'll still have a song to sing)
Sing softly, bring me to the lake
Sing softly, sing me to the lake
Uncommonly comfortable, but still I believe
That in time I think I'll see just what's been weighing down on me
An unearthly void collapsed, exposing what was trapped
To release this serendipitous design
The smell of smoke, the evening sky was proof
Belated conversations saturate anticipation for the answers that simply won't come
But not I, I won't ask
Forget my place amongst the grass
The leaves and the trees remember me
And in my naiveté it might be seen
The pail has leaks and even if
You put all your water into it
You end up with nothing left to drink
The well has gone dry and I with it
Oh, someday she'll be gone (x4)
(We'll still have a song to sing)
Sing softly, bring me to the lake
Sing softly, sing me to the lake
Lyrics submitted by ciesl279, edited by Anonynja, amputechture
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Light Up The Sky
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Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
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"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
I like to think that something burnt down: "The smell of smoke, the evening sky was proof"
Probably an attempt by his mother to burn down the Dime, as she suggested it in The Inquiry of Ms Terri: "Touch, taste, feel it ripping me down. A reprise, two times, the Dime, burn it to the ground."
He's walking back to the main city and sees that his mother has gone through with it and probably ran off, and he realises he might never get to ask the questions he has waited too long to ask: "Belated conversation saturate anticipation for the answers that simply won't come."
As a consequence of this, it is probably the Priest/Pimp who rapes and murders her in the next Act (the Procession).