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.
She said she didn't understand
And so she guessed he was deep
She swore he'd never been to college
And was too tall to be
So as she led him to the slaughter
Thinking she'd be laughing last
Now the lady in the question is his better half
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
She don't care who, why, where I've been
She's got a right to be
With all that's wrong with me
But she doesn't want to understand
That she's a girl, and I'm a man
He thought that women and drink would make a man out of him
But the extent of his studies left a jaded man
So as she led him to the altar, he was easily led
And when they asked him if he did
Wwell then this is what he said
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
She don't care who, why, where I've been
She's got a right to be
With all that's wrong with me
But she doesn't want to understand
That she's a girl, and I'm a man
Well she's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
She don't care who, why, where I've been
She's got a right to be, with all that's wrong with me
But she doesn't want to understand
That she's a girl, and I'm her man
Every time she's near me
She gives me any reason to be alive
Try to get right
Yeah, she looks right through me
She says you're not cool
You're just like me
You're a stupid man
Get over here, hold my stupid hand
She's all right, yeah
You wouldn't understand
Sister is a man fan
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
She don't care who, why, where I've been
She's got a right to be
With all that's wrong with me
But she doesn't want to understand
That she's a girl, and I'm a man
And so she guessed he was deep
She swore he'd never been to college
And was too tall to be
So as she led him to the slaughter
Thinking she'd be laughing last
Now the lady in the question is his better half
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
She don't care who, why, where I've been
She's got a right to be
With all that's wrong with me
But she doesn't want to understand
That she's a girl, and I'm a man
He thought that women and drink would make a man out of him
But the extent of his studies left a jaded man
So as she led him to the altar, he was easily led
And when they asked him if he did
Wwell then this is what he said
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
She don't care who, why, where I've been
She's got a right to be
With all that's wrong with me
But she doesn't want to understand
That she's a girl, and I'm a man
Well she's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
She don't care who, why, where I've been
She's got a right to be, with all that's wrong with me
But she doesn't want to understand
That she's a girl, and I'm her man
Every time she's near me
She gives me any reason to be alive
Try to get right
Yeah, she looks right through me
She says you're not cool
You're just like me
You're a stupid man
Get over here, hold my stupid hand
She's all right, yeah
You wouldn't understand
Sister is a man fan
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
She don't care who, why, where I've been
She's got a right to be
With all that's wrong with me
But she doesn't want to understand
That she's a girl, and I'm a man
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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.
Mental Istid
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Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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.
Page
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.