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.
Poor little rose, beaten by the rain
In the wind in the gale, thunder and the hail
Sometimes I feel like I'm going insane
Without the numbness or the pain so intense to feel
Especially now it added up through the years
And I
I taught myself how to grow
Without any love and there was poison in the rain
I taught myself how to grow
Now I'm crooked on the outside, and the inside's broke
Most of the time I got nothing to say
When I do it's nothing and nobody's there to listen anyway
I know I'm probably better off this way
I just listen to the voices on the TV till I'm tired
My eyes grow heavy and I fade away
'Cause I
I taught myself how to grow
Without any love and there was poison in the rain
I taught myself how to grow
Till I was crooked on the outside
I taught myself how to grow
Without any love and there was poison in the rain
I taught myself how to grow
Till I was crooked on the outside, inside's caved
Crooked on the outside, inside's caved
Crooked on the outside, inside's caved
I taught myself how to grow old
In the wind in the gale, thunder and the hail
Sometimes I feel like I'm going insane
Without the numbness or the pain so intense to feel
Especially now it added up through the years
And I
I taught myself how to grow
Without any love and there was poison in the rain
I taught myself how to grow
Now I'm crooked on the outside, and the inside's broke
Most of the time I got nothing to say
When I do it's nothing and nobody's there to listen anyway
I know I'm probably better off this way
I just listen to the voices on the TV till I'm tired
My eyes grow heavy and I fade away
'Cause I
I taught myself how to grow
Without any love and there was poison in the rain
I taught myself how to grow
Till I was crooked on the outside
I taught myself how to grow
Without any love and there was poison in the rain
I taught myself how to grow
Till I was crooked on the outside, inside's caved
Crooked on the outside, inside's caved
Crooked on the outside, inside's caved
I taught myself how to grow old
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Light Up The Sky
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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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This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
No Surprises
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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.
American Town
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Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I really never got into Neil Young personally, but this song really speaks to me. Best off of Easy Tiger, easily.
The "most of the time I've got nothing to say" verse is the most poignant, yes, but the whole rose metaphor really strikes another chord equally strong, equally perverse (right back to cold roses), in me...
The harmonica is what really makes this song. I guess it affects you more when you hit 29 and no one is lying beside you in your new twin-sized bed.
fuck, I know what you mean. I recently sold my king-sized bed because it was too depressing to be in it alone, but somehow twin-sized is worse. I'm 29 too. lol
i'm not the biggest RA fan....but this song is one of the most beautiful things i've ever heard. Very reminiscent of Neil Young.
jese...they dont even have this song on I-Tunes
jese...they dont even have this song on I-Tunes
Not only does this sound like Neil Young....it's like it was written about him.
FYI it's not on iTunes b/c it doesn't get released until 6-26. Great introspective tune...RA and the Cardinals have a thing for roses...
FYI it's not on iTunes b/c it doesn't get released until 6-26. Great introspective tune...RA and the Cardinals have a thing for roses...
Oh man, i've listened to the entire album today except this track 'cause I had to leave. It's midnight now, perfect time for quiet songs (last tracks tend to be quiet:).
Anyway, amazing, touching, I love Ryan's writing (can identify with most of the lyrics), love his voice, one of the best kept secrets in music (although he keeps releasing albums every year).
I think the lyrics pretty much explain itself.
This is so self pitying but it's Ryan and I wanna give the guy a hug. Beautiful song. Loving Maxie's post about Neil Young, crooked on the outside and all lol
Most of the time I got nothing to say When I do it's nothing and nobody's there to listen anyway I know I'm probably better off this way I just listen to the voices on the TV 'til I'm tired My eyes grow heavy and I fade away
Sums it up for me...