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.
Blue skies
Calling on blue skies
Don't take them away boys
Don't take them away
'Cause I'll never stop lovin' my
I've been to both knees
Raise my hands up to the sky, forgive me
Is something out there far beyond the clouds
I'm asking help me
Help me to see the world
Through baby eyes and hold them closely
I need a fresh start on the roller-coaster made for coasting
It's time to wake up
Time to make up
Time to shake these memories
It's time to leave the past in the past and lace up a new set of shoe strings
I want the world to know
I've got your back
Through up and down see
So we can sit together
Side by side through amazing
Blue skies
Calling on blue skies
Don't take them away boys
Don't take them away
'Cause I'll never stop
So, I've broken every bone
And fought through what felt never ending
I thought my head was made of sadness
But my heart is mending
I scream at sunsets
Give applause to what I can't control
Then somehow laugh at how the moon divides an ocean solar
I wanna be that ocean
I want to shine like that
I want to smile so big my daughter jumps into my lap
And I wanna tell her daddies fine and always plans to be
Then take her in my arms
This is what we'll always see
Blue skies
Calling on blue skies
Never take them away boys
Don't take them away
Cause' I'll never stop lovin' my
And when I'm gone
I won't go screaming in the end
I'll give you everything my life amounts to
So raise this life up with me
And baby let's go dancing
Come on let's go
Blue skies
Calling on blue skies
Don't take them away boys
Don't take them away
Calling on blue skies
Don't take them away boys
Don't take them away
'Cause I'll never stop lovin' my
I've been to both knees
Raise my hands up to the sky, forgive me
Is something out there far beyond the clouds
I'm asking help me
Help me to see the world
Through baby eyes and hold them closely
I need a fresh start on the roller-coaster made for coasting
It's time to wake up
Time to make up
Time to shake these memories
It's time to leave the past in the past and lace up a new set of shoe strings
I want the world to know
I've got your back
Through up and down see
So we can sit together
Side by side through amazing
Blue skies
Calling on blue skies
Don't take them away boys
Don't take them away
'Cause I'll never stop
So, I've broken every bone
And fought through what felt never ending
I thought my head was made of sadness
But my heart is mending
I scream at sunsets
Give applause to what I can't control
Then somehow laugh at how the moon divides an ocean solar
I wanna be that ocean
I want to shine like that
I want to smile so big my daughter jumps into my lap
And I wanna tell her daddies fine and always plans to be
Then take her in my arms
This is what we'll always see
Blue skies
Calling on blue skies
Never take them away boys
Don't take them away
Cause' I'll never stop lovin' my
And when I'm gone
I won't go screaming in the end
I'll give you everything my life amounts to
So raise this life up with me
And baby let's go dancing
Come on let's go
Blue skies
Calling on blue skies
Don't take them away boys
Don't take them away
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Light Up The Sky
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Lord Huron
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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"
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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,
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.
DISCLAIMER I have just obtained a copy of Justin Furstenfeld's book Crazy Making. It's not very detailed, but it contains all the lyrics to all current (The Answers - Approaching Normal) Blue October songs, and his inspiration behind them. As I said, it's not very detailed, but it's his words on every Blue October song that is in the book. I know everyone interprets a song differently from everyone else, but having the original intent behind the song will be helpful to people who don't fully understand a song. Also, any grammatical errors are not made by me, I'm putting down Justin's words exactly how he writes them. So yea... enjoy :)
Blue Skies: "After the birth of our daughter my life had a different sky when I walked outside. Everday was blue even if a tornado fell down above me... It was beautiful.... 'Daddy is always just fine'. Just know that I love you Blue."
You don't need to read his book to know what this is about. He had a daughter - Blue - and she changed his whole life. He finally found joy that he never knew he could know in her, despite all the pain that he has been through. For her and because of her, daddy's fine and always plans to be.
Every time I hear this song, I break down and cry. Like Justin, I have bipolar. I've done a couple of stints in the mental hospital ... including being taken there by the police (see 'The Flight' from Any Man in America). I've been suicidal and lost in alcohol and drugs. And then my daughter was born. And it all changed.