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.
I'm bringing back ghosts
That are no longer there
I'm gettin' hard on myself
Sittin' in my easy chair
Well, there's three people in the mirror
And I'm wonderin' which one of them I should choose
Well, I can't keep from laughin'
Spittin' out these 300 mile-per-hour outpour blues
I'm breakin' my teeth off
Tryin' to bite my lip
There's all kinds of red-headed women
That I ain't supposed to kiss
And it's that color which never fails
To turn me blue
So I just swallow it and hold on to it
And use it to scare the hell out of you
I have a woman
Says "Come and watch me bleed"
And I'm wonderin' just how I can do that
And still give her everything that she needs
Well, there's three people in my head that have the answer and
One of them's got to be you
But you're holding tight to it, the answer
Singin' these 300 mile-per-hour outpour blues
Put on gloves, a tied scarf and wrap up warm
On this winter night
Every time you get defensive
You're just looking for a fight
It's safe to sing somebody out there's got a problem with
Almost anything you'll do
Well, next time they stab you don't fight back
Just play the victim instead of playin' the fool
And the roads are covered with a million
Little molecules
Of cigarette ashes, and the school floors are covered
With pieces of pencil eraser, too
Well, sooner or later the ground's gonna be holdin' all
Of my ashes, too
But I can't help but wonder if after I'm gone
Will I still have these 300-mile-per-hour
Finger-breaking, no-answers, broken-back
Dirty-cancer, bee-stung and busted-up
Empty-cup torrential outpour blues?
One thing's for sure in that graveyard
I'm gonna have the shiniest pair of shoes
That are no longer there
I'm gettin' hard on myself
Sittin' in my easy chair
Well, there's three people in the mirror
And I'm wonderin' which one of them I should choose
Well, I can't keep from laughin'
Spittin' out these 300 mile-per-hour outpour blues
I'm breakin' my teeth off
Tryin' to bite my lip
There's all kinds of red-headed women
That I ain't supposed to kiss
And it's that color which never fails
To turn me blue
So I just swallow it and hold on to it
And use it to scare the hell out of you
I have a woman
Says "Come and watch me bleed"
And I'm wonderin' just how I can do that
And still give her everything that she needs
Well, there's three people in my head that have the answer and
One of them's got to be you
But you're holding tight to it, the answer
Singin' these 300 mile-per-hour outpour blues
Put on gloves, a tied scarf and wrap up warm
On this winter night
Every time you get defensive
You're just looking for a fight
It's safe to sing somebody out there's got a problem with
Almost anything you'll do
Well, next time they stab you don't fight back
Just play the victim instead of playin' the fool
And the roads are covered with a million
Little molecules
Of cigarette ashes, and the school floors are covered
With pieces of pencil eraser, too
Well, sooner or later the ground's gonna be holdin' all
Of my ashes, too
But I can't help but wonder if after I'm gone
Will I still have these 300-mile-per-hour
Finger-breaking, no-answers, broken-back
Dirty-cancer, bee-stung and busted-up
Empty-cup torrential outpour blues?
One thing's for sure in that graveyard
I'm gonna have the shiniest pair of shoes
Lyrics submitted by jackieboy37
300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues Lyrics as written by Jack White
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is the first time I have commented on a song without actually hearing it (Icky Thump's release date -19th!). It's kind of cool looking just at the words, however, that may be the reason why I don't see the stream of consciousness or that "it's all over the place". I see the recognizable red-headed women/ghosts/three in their songs. This has to be their most existential song yet with wonderings of "after I'm gone" and the absolute "ashes". I think it is about being plagued with big 'meaning of life' questions and the writer would sooner "bite (his) lip" than talk about it; for whatever reason. Perhaps there is a certain futility (cigarette ashes/pieces of pencil erasers) in asking these questions. He also suggests that he's making things "hard" by "bringing back ghosts/that are no longer there". I can't help but wonder, too.