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.
Some nights he's weightless
He has to travel
His mouth is gravel
And there's an empty feeling, within his heart...
Eye on the fuel gauge
Westchester Thruway
That triple octane won't
contain the empty feeling, in Dolby's heart...
Same old insecurity
Strap him into his carseat
And the sump started leaking
All over New Jersey
Gas stations everywhere -
Not one drop to fill me.
Big hunk of carrot cake
Blueberry milkshake
Fistful of coldrex
Won't fix the empty feeling, in Lizzy's heart...
So she flicks on the TV
Takes in a movie
But all those memories
Won't erase the empty feeling, from in her heart...
Then a dog woke inside her head
To watch the explosion
And a pipe started leaking
As she bent to the basin
Fruit juice everywhere -
Not one drop to fill me
'You could be the one' she whispered
'listen - love is all you've ever wanted
all you'll ever need.'
End of our summer
Your body weightless
In condensation
My heart learned to swim
And the feeling was gone again.
He has to travel
His mouth is gravel
And there's an empty feeling, within his heart...
Eye on the fuel gauge
Westchester Thruway
That triple octane won't
contain the empty feeling, in Dolby's heart...
Same old insecurity
Strap him into his carseat
And the sump started leaking
All over New Jersey
Gas stations everywhere -
Not one drop to fill me.
Big hunk of carrot cake
Blueberry milkshake
Fistful of coldrex
Won't fix the empty feeling, in Lizzy's heart...
So she flicks on the TV
Takes in a movie
But all those memories
Won't erase the empty feeling, from in her heart...
Then a dog woke inside her head
To watch the explosion
And a pipe started leaking
As she bent to the basin
Fruit juice everywhere -
Not one drop to fill me
'You could be the one' she whispered
'listen - love is all you've ever wanted
all you'll ever need.'
End of our summer
Your body weightless
In condensation
My heart learned to swim
And the feeling was gone again.
Lyrics submitted by cloudburst452
Weightless Lyrics as written by Benjamin Woosnam Andy Davies
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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One of Dolby's classiest songs. Very influenced IMHO by Donald Fagen's "Nightfly" album. It would easily fit on "Nightfly" and as an experienced session player Thomas Dolby was without doubt familiar with Fagen and had probably even performed in studio with Fagen by the time he wrote this single.
My thoughts about this song are pretty simple: it sounds to me like it's about the loneliness of being a male musician on the road, and could be a fantasy vignette about an equally lonely woman who - if destiny just struck - might be brought together with him to become his soulmate, ending his and her loneliness simultaneously. It's the common "where is my soulmate" question we all ask ourselves in moments of extreme loneliness.
I realize he refers to Lizzy taking "a fistful of Coldrex" - but I disagree that's a suicide allusion. Instead, I always thought he was listing in a humorous way what his poor lonely American fantasy girl, somewhere in New Jersey - that most prosaic and American of states - stuffed in her mouth to distract her from her own loneliness while unaware that somewhere, a lonely English musician is on the road, wishing for someone as ordinary and wonderful as she is.
It's a list of the comical prosaic "housewife" things we women consume while lonely and watching TV at home wishing for a boyfriend: note the calories. Milkshake and dessert, topped off by cold medicine. The poor thing's stuffy and alone at home. Dolby wishes he were there, holding her.
By the way, not too long after penning this song, Thomas Dolby's musical wish came true. He met a beautiful American brunette, I think named Katherine (?), and they fell in love and married. They have been together, still married, since.
So in many ways this song is an example of the Law of Attraction, and a happy and successful one. Good job, Dolby :)
It's about a just-broken relationship and a suicide, IMHO.