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.
woke up one day
and made his way down
to the water front as he
did all the days
in his 44 years
as longs as the ships made it in
stands for a cause
stands for a union
for another day is gone
a dying breed of workers
who lived to carry on
who died for the age that we're in
in a cloudy haze
the fog drifted in
and men wore his colors
who chose to begin
as a younger man
working through his days
to carry home the food
to carry home the pay
woke up one day
and made his way down
to the water front as he
did all the days
in his 44 years
as long the ships made it in
the best day was the one
milestone in a marathone
on that oakland waterfront
well deserved reward
for a hard working one
served and now deserves
whats to come
in a cloudy haze
the fog drifted in
and men wore his colors
who chose to begin
as a older man
working through every day
to carry home the food
to carry home the pay
we all have a cause
worth waging war
worth making peace to keep
we all have a love
whatever that is
or whom is thee to seek
there comes a day
if were lucky enough
and the cards fall our way, i pray
to sit with the birds
and take the boots off
to sit with the birds
and take the boots off
and made his way down
to the water front as he
did all the days
in his 44 years
as longs as the ships made it in
stands for a cause
stands for a union
for another day is gone
a dying breed of workers
who lived to carry on
who died for the age that we're in
in a cloudy haze
the fog drifted in
and men wore his colors
who chose to begin
as a younger man
working through his days
to carry home the food
to carry home the pay
woke up one day
and made his way down
to the water front as he
did all the days
in his 44 years
as long the ships made it in
the best day was the one
milestone in a marathone
on that oakland waterfront
well deserved reward
for a hard working one
served and now deserves
whats to come
in a cloudy haze
the fog drifted in
and men wore his colors
who chose to begin
as a older man
working through every day
to carry home the food
to carry home the pay
we all have a cause
worth waging war
worth making peace to keep
we all have a love
whatever that is
or whom is thee to seek
there comes a day
if were lucky enough
and the cards fall our way, i pray
to sit with the birds
and take the boots off
to sit with the birds
and take the boots off
Lyrics submitted by preventhistragdy
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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.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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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,
This is a cool song that Chuck Ragan wrote for his father-inlaw when he retired. The title says it all.