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.
There's a black rainbow above my house
Match the curtains and the floor
I think I'm glass I think I'm breaking it
Wrecking ball outside the door
Let the children act like furniture
For the ladies of the lawn
But I can't see them, I can't see at all.
Here it's nighttime, all the time
Bird outside the kitchen, fightin' his reflection
Tell him I got nothin' for him
Bird outside the kitchen, fightin' his reflection
What's he gonna win when he wins?
The unkissed boys and girls of paradise
Are lining up around the block
Back pockets full of dynamite
While neighbors talk and talk and talk
Bird outside the kitchen fightin' his reflection
Tell him I got nothin' for him
Bird outside the kitchen fightin' his reflection
What's he gonna win when he wins?
Throw
the phone out the window
If you want the neighbors woke
You'll have to shout out loud and set the bell and slow
If you want the neighbors woke
You'll have to shout even louder
Match the curtains and the floor
I think I'm glass I think I'm breaking it
Wrecking ball outside the door
Let the children act like furniture
For the ladies of the lawn
But I can't see them, I can't see at all.
Here it's nighttime, all the time
Bird outside the kitchen, fightin' his reflection
Tell him I got nothin' for him
Bird outside the kitchen, fightin' his reflection
What's he gonna win when he wins?
The unkissed boys and girls of paradise
Are lining up around the block
Back pockets full of dynamite
While neighbors talk and talk and talk
Bird outside the kitchen fightin' his reflection
Tell him I got nothin' for him
Bird outside the kitchen fightin' his reflection
What's he gonna win when he wins?
Throw
the phone out the window
If you want the neighbors woke
You'll have to shout out loud and set the bell and slow
If you want the neighbors woke
You'll have to shout even louder
Lyrics submitted by rainandrev
Black Rainbow Lyrics as written by Anne Erin Clark
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This album, according to her, is about Annie's struggle to communicate her problems with those around her, and not wanting to seem like a bummer all the time has to "act" through her daily life; it's about the differences between thought and action.
This one in particular focuses on being a person who is ignored by her loved ones. Her parents let her "act like furniture" so maybe making only surface contact with them and showing them off to their friends, and her friends are "fighting [their] reflection" meaning they're too worried about themselves and their image to help or be helped. That's what I got from it anyways. Also as a side note the break down at the end is insanely righteous.