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.
One, two, three, four
Gonna make a record in the month of May
In the month of May, in the month of May
Gonna make a record in the month of May
When the violent wind blows the wires away
Month of May, it's a violent thing
In the city, their hearts start to sing
Well, some people sing, it sounds like they're screaming
Used to doubt it but now I believe it
Month of May, everybody's in love
And the city was sent from above
And just when I knew what I wanted to say
The violent wind blew the wires away
We were shocked in the suburbs
Now the kids are all standing with their arms folded tight
Kids are all standing with their arms folded tight
Well, some things are pure and some things are right
But the kids are still standing with their arms folded tight
I said some things are pure, and some things are right
But the kids are still standing with their arms folded tight
So young, so young
So much pain for someone so young
Well, I know it's heavy, I know it ain't light
But how you gonna lift it with your arms folded tight?
First they built the road
Then they built the town
That's why we're still driving around
And around and around and around and around
And around and around and around and around
And around and around and around and around
2009, 2010 wanna make a record how I felt then
When we stood outside in the month of May
And watched the violent wind blow the wires away
If I die in the month of May
Let the wind take my body away, yeah
Wish I may or wish I might
But meet me down there with my arms folded tight
Start again in the month of May
Start again in the month of May
Come on and blow the wires away
Come on and blow the wires away
Start again in the month of May
Start again in the month of May
Come on and blow the wires away
Come on and blow the wires away
Start again in the month of May
Start again in the month of May
Come on and blow the wires away
Come on and blow the wires
The wires away
Gonna make a record in the month of May
In the month of May, in the month of May
Gonna make a record in the month of May
When the violent wind blows the wires away
Month of May, it's a violent thing
In the city, their hearts start to sing
Well, some people sing, it sounds like they're screaming
Used to doubt it but now I believe it
Month of May, everybody's in love
And the city was sent from above
And just when I knew what I wanted to say
The violent wind blew the wires away
We were shocked in the suburbs
Now the kids are all standing with their arms folded tight
Kids are all standing with their arms folded tight
Well, some things are pure and some things are right
But the kids are still standing with their arms folded tight
I said some things are pure, and some things are right
But the kids are still standing with their arms folded tight
So young, so young
So much pain for someone so young
Well, I know it's heavy, I know it ain't light
But how you gonna lift it with your arms folded tight?
First they built the road
Then they built the town
That's why we're still driving around
And around and around and around and around
And around and around and around and around
And around and around and around and around
2009, 2010 wanna make a record how I felt then
When we stood outside in the month of May
And watched the violent wind blow the wires away
If I die in the month of May
Let the wind take my body away, yeah
Wish I may or wish I might
But meet me down there with my arms folded tight
Start again in the month of May
Start again in the month of May
Come on and blow the wires away
Come on and blow the wires away
Start again in the month of May
Start again in the month of May
Come on and blow the wires away
Come on and blow the wires away
Start again in the month of May
Start again in the month of May
Come on and blow the wires away
Come on and blow the wires
The wires away
Lyrics submitted by firstgreenroom, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Month of May Lyrics as written by Regine Chassagne Jeremy Gara
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In my opinion the bit about kids standing with their arms folding tight is talking about the same anti hipster sentiments that are in rococo. The singer is trying to tell them about truth and beauty and things like that - 'I said some things are pure, and some things are right' but the kids refuse to relax their facade of 'coolness' and so miss out - 'But the kids are still standing with their arms folded tight'
Yea i agree good reading, i think it is a call to action to the youth who have seen the shallowness and negatives of society and decided to rebel through rejecting society and living outside of it, sort of adopting a idle role, rather than accepting society as is and attempting to actively critique and help it; sort of what Win Butler does with his music. The next song 'wasted hours' continues ideas presented in this song with only a less critical and more supportive of his idea that the younger generation must be constructive in order to help society; 'wasted hours that you make new, turn into a life that we could' presents the idea that he was constructive and found a life in society in which he succeeds and critiques the world.