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.
Crossroads and given the option
To pass and look back at goals I've missed
Rainbows or burning bridges
If you squint a little more it looks the same
But ooh
There's a little bit of me inside you
Gathering what you've lost
But ooh
There's a little bit of you in everyone
Can never keep a secret
Problem; lines on your face
You smooth them out so no one can tell
put a straight back upon a stage
could (dance dance) hide the tremor in your hand
But ooh
There's a little bit of me inside you
Gathering what you've lost
But ooh
There's a little bit of you in everyone
And I'm watching you now
I see you building the castle with one hand
while tearing down another with the other
And I'm watching you now
I see you building the castle with one hand
while tearing down another with the other
And I'm watching you now
I see you building the castle with one hand
while tearing down another with the other
To pass and look back at goals I've missed
Rainbows or burning bridges
If you squint a little more it looks the same
But ooh
There's a little bit of me inside you
Gathering what you've lost
But ooh
There's a little bit of you in everyone
Can never keep a secret
Problem; lines on your face
You smooth them out so no one can tell
put a straight back upon a stage
could (dance dance) hide the tremor in your hand
But ooh
There's a little bit of me inside you
Gathering what you've lost
But ooh
There's a little bit of you in everyone
And I'm watching you now
I see you building the castle with one hand
while tearing down another with the other
And I'm watching you now
I see you building the castle with one hand
while tearing down another with the other
And I'm watching you now
I see you building the castle with one hand
while tearing down another with the other
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Light Up The Sky
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The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
To me all the song is about existential questions we all share: Am I on the right path? Have I made the right choices? Do I still have possibilities to fulfill a great destiny? The "you" is general and can apply to anyone. The narrator is quite lost at the moment he speaks.
The 1st verse shows that the narrator is at a moment of reflexion, and take a step back on his life. He has achieved things but maybe not exactly what he had planned. So he could either focus on what he has achieved ( rainbows) or what he hasn't done (burning bridges). It is a matter of interpretation.
Chorus: "there is a little bit of me inside you"--> we all share the same problems. "gathering what you've lost" --> thinking of all the things we had the potential to achieve but have not done. "There is a little bit of you in everyone" :same idea. "Can never keep a secret": this is my interpretation but I think that it means that in life we all have to explain to our entourage what our plans are, what's the direction we're trying to follow and this has an influence on our actions.
2nd verse: the "you" could be either him as a musician (upon a stage), or a specific person. It could also be anyone, as we are all subject to the judgments of others ( so "the stage" would be a metaphore. I choose to keep with the general "you". "Problem; lines on your face You smooth them out so no one can tell" --> we're aging but we're still trying to appear young for the others and for ourselves so that we could keep the dreams alive. "put a straight back upon a stage could (dance dance) hide the tremor in your hand": when we're having a discussion with others and we have to explain our choices: why we are doing our job, what are we planning to do; we are hiding how insecure we really are by showing a false face of determination and confidence. It is also a method of self-persuasion.
Bridge: "And I'm watching you now I see you building the castle with one hand while tearing down another with the other"
To me the "you" is himself. Because he has difficulties achieving his goals, he abandons his projects and make new ones, convincing himself that this time he's gonna succeed.
I'm exactly in that state of mind so it might be a completely false interpretation from me. I'd would like them to have thought of this song that way though.