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.
We kept apart and connected by the same stretch of road
Neglected the truth and refused to grow old
It started a stream but then the levee fell
When the rainmaker had some extra sends to sell
I just wanna drink 'til I'm not thirsty
I just wanna sleep 'til I'm not tired
I just wanna drive 'til I run out of highway
Into the purple sky
Well, I just thought I'd call and see what's going on
Did the hills all flatten out since I've been gone?
Are the fields all painted up in red and blue?
Are you thinking of me the times I'm thinking of you?
I just wanna drink 'til I'm not thirsty
I just wanna sleep 'til I'm not tired
I just wanna drive 'til I run out of highway
Into the purple sky
But if I'm gonna live until I'm 50
I'm gonna need you by my side
'Cause I don't wanna dance without you with me
Into the purple sky
Livin' like a soulless pirate somewhere lost at sea
Wondering if I ever make it home, will you come back to me
Could we dream up a reason for a rendezvous?
I'm back in town and I got nothing to do
We could drive all day with the top let down
We could stay in tonight or we could wreck this town
I just wanna drink 'til I'm not thirsty
I just wanna sleep 'til I'm not tired
I just wanna drive 'til I run out of highway
Into the purple sky
But if I'm gonna live until I'm 50
I'm gonna need you by my side
'Cause I don't wanna dance without you with me
Into the purple sky
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, huh, huh
Into the purple sky
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, huh, huh
Into the purple sky
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, huh, huh
Into the purple sky
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, huh, huh
Into the purple sky
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, huh, huh
Into the purple sky
Neglected the truth and refused to grow old
It started a stream but then the levee fell
When the rainmaker had some extra sends to sell
I just wanna drink 'til I'm not thirsty
I just wanna sleep 'til I'm not tired
I just wanna drive 'til I run out of highway
Into the purple sky
Well, I just thought I'd call and see what's going on
Did the hills all flatten out since I've been gone?
Are the fields all painted up in red and blue?
Are you thinking of me the times I'm thinking of you?
I just wanna drink 'til I'm not thirsty
I just wanna sleep 'til I'm not tired
I just wanna drive 'til I run out of highway
Into the purple sky
But if I'm gonna live until I'm 50
I'm gonna need you by my side
'Cause I don't wanna dance without you with me
Into the purple sky
Livin' like a soulless pirate somewhere lost at sea
Wondering if I ever make it home, will you come back to me
Could we dream up a reason for a rendezvous?
I'm back in town and I got nothing to do
We could drive all day with the top let down
We could stay in tonight or we could wreck this town
I just wanna drink 'til I'm not thirsty
I just wanna sleep 'til I'm not tired
I just wanna drive 'til I run out of highway
Into the purple sky
But if I'm gonna live until I'm 50
I'm gonna need you by my side
'Cause I don't wanna dance without you with me
Into the purple sky
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, huh, huh
Into the purple sky
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, huh, huh
Into the purple sky
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, huh, huh
Into the purple sky
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, huh, huh
Into the purple sky
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, huh, huh
Into the purple sky
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,