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 go mental every time you leave for work
You never seem to know when to stop
I never know when you'll return
I'm in love with a robot
In the night, call you up and
Wanna know when you're coming home
Don't deny me, call me back
I'm so alone
In the night, wait up for you
Even though you don't want me to
Go to bed, leave the lights on
What's the use
So you want to understand me
You just see what you want to see
There's no way I can help you out
You don't know what it's all about
Fell asleep again in front of MTV
God, I'm down at the bottom
No one's singing songs for me
I can't wait for tomorrow
When you're gone and rain starts falling
I just sit here by the phone
Don't deny me, call me back
I'm so alone
Oh, when you gonna come home?
Oooooh I just gotta know
When you gonna come home?
Oh
Baby I can't stand it when you go to work
You never seem to know when to stop
I never know when you'll return
I'm in love with a robot
In the night, call you up and
Wanna know when you're coming home
Don't deny me, call me back
I'm so alone
You never seem to know when to stop
I never know when you'll return
I'm in love with a robot
In the night, call you up and
Wanna know when you're coming home
Don't deny me, call me back
I'm so alone
In the night, wait up for you
Even though you don't want me to
Go to bed, leave the lights on
What's the use
So you want to understand me
You just see what you want to see
There's no way I can help you out
You don't know what it's all about
Fell asleep again in front of MTV
God, I'm down at the bottom
No one's singing songs for me
I can't wait for tomorrow
When you're gone and rain starts falling
I just sit here by the phone
Don't deny me, call me back
I'm so alone
Oh, when you gonna come home?
Oooooh I just gotta know
When you gonna come home?
Oh
Baby I can't stand it when you go to work
You never seem to know when to stop
I never know when you'll return
I'm in love with a robot
In the night, call you up and
Wanna know when you're coming home
Don't deny me, call me back
I'm so alone
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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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Yo La Tengo
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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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
I actually love the lyrics.
So many people have become zombies for work, ruining families to try to promote their social status.
Yeah, it's no Tennyson, but I love the heart.
I think the song could be from the point of view of a lover who does not know that her workaholic partner is actually having an affair. She is truly in love with/desires him but can't understand the hours he pours into his work. Even when she calls he 'denies' her wishes to return soon, sometimes refusing to pick up ('call me back') and showing little emotion about the situation ('robot'). Or, perhaps the 'When you gonna come home?' is more of a desperate plea where the woman actually knows he's cheating, but hopes they can reconcile. This is evident since she waits up with the lights on ... sounds sadly hopeful that one day he'll return to her.
i think you're reading too much into it... just sounds like a sexually frustrated wife living with her husband that appears to have lost all interest in her (or anyone for that matter). Dude's life completely revolves around work and probably staying out late at bars drinking himself stupid.<br /> <br /> although i guess "go to work" could be interpreted as cheating... i just dont see calling someone a robot being related to that.
I think that this song could be about a woman who's partner, as others have said, a workaholic. She starts to get sick of him always working and never having enough time for her. He starts to act like a robot, his emotions like one and always working like he's been programmed to. She begins calling him endlessly about when he will be coming home so he starts getting annoyed and stops picking up his phone ,ect, ect.
Personally, this is a great song!I love the lyrics and I haven't heard Robyn in a while so this is a good song to get me back into her.
Reminds me of Betty Draper.
I think the meaning of this song is obvious and doesn't require explanation, although I like the cheating interpretation because it is an interesting take on a open/shut case.
Oh, I thought the singer sounded like Robyn; the fact that it's her makes me like it more. But I agree that the lyrics are very plain and self-explanatory. I wish the lyrics matched the great sound this song has.
i actually never heard of robyn before this song, but when i heard this track i thought i'd check her out, and i actually dont like her stuff very much... i think this song is amazing, i love the lyrics, Sliver025, there's definitely heart. robyn's voice is so good for this song i think because she's so strong, but the lyrics show so much fragility...it's nice to have a voice that doesnt sound melodramatic and whiny, but still admitting she's so alone without him.
amazing tune too!
I think the meaning here is fairly obvious (well, at least in my eyes!). The woman's husband/boyfriend is a workaholic, and he is so engrossed in his work, and is always AT work, that he is too blind to see the strain he's putting on his relationship. His wife/gf hardly sees him and she feels incredibly sad and alone.
Love the song! :)
Yup, pretty straight forward, amazing nonetheless.
it's clearly about american psycho you guys