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.
You wore a hoodless sweatshirt on your bed that night
With black leggings, I've never seen your face so white
Your honesty was killing me
The monsters in the room were all dancing to the music all around us
A door is always open if it isn't closed
And a plant is said to be dead if it doesn't grow
I'll grow
I will grow
There's a spirit in Montana and in your chest, a soul
Oh, what a soul
I tried to be the middle-man between you and this list
I couldn't move as the footsteps neared closer to me from the monsters that feed
I swore that I wouldn't bleed
I won't bleed
There's a spirit in Montana and in your chest
A note that rings like the bells of cathedrals rung by the village scapegoat
As I walked slowly down your driveway to my car
I looked back and turned into salt
A pillar with a hat
With black leggings, I've never seen your face so white
Your honesty was killing me
The monsters in the room were all dancing to the music all around us
A door is always open if it isn't closed
And a plant is said to be dead if it doesn't grow
I'll grow
I will grow
There's a spirit in Montana and in your chest, a soul
Oh, what a soul
I tried to be the middle-man between you and this list
I couldn't move as the footsteps neared closer to me from the monsters that feed
I swore that I wouldn't bleed
I won't bleed
There's a spirit in Montana and in your chest
A note that rings like the bells of cathedrals rung by the village scapegoat
As I walked slowly down your driveway to my car
I looked back and turned into salt
A pillar with a hat
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Page
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Thank you, Mangum. And for July and Cannons as well. I've been looking everywhere for these lyrics.
Turning to a pillar of salt could be a reference to Lot's wife from the Old Testament. Lot and his family were commanded to leave Sodom because of all the immorality. Lot's wife looked back, possibly with longing or not wanting to leave, and was turned to salt. I'm inclined to believe that when he says he turned to salt, he turned back to his old ways.
Woow what a song, one of my favorites of 2011 so far
It sounds like someone confronts the narrator at the beginning of the song about all his demons i.e. "The monsters in the room were all dancing." I think he is hearing this from one whom he highly reveres, I believe this because of the verse "Oh, What a Soul." When he says plant is said to be dead if it doesn't grow-- I will grow, I'll grow. It could mean that he is set in his ways as the saying goes "dead set," whereas grow could mean change as people refer to someone making changes in their life, they are growing as a person. As for him turning into salt in the end of the song it could mean two things he has changed for better or has not changed and became bitter from the situation.
What seems to be happening is the female has the opportunity to move on to bigger and better things, not just from a relationship standpoint. Small, lonely Montana town, and she's getting out. It seems as though the narrator is afraid to leave, potentially because he knows that he cannot make it outside of this town. The monsters dancing to the music are the feelings and knowledge of what is inevitably about to happen. He leaves her house, looks one back time, and that's when it hits him. He's never going anywhere, and she might as well be leaving in a spaceship.
One of the best albums in 2011. I dont know why but I think that the topic is the first time.
vimeo.com/28638402 Official Music Video for Montana. Haunting. And might add to overall knowledge of the meaning/purpose of the lyrics
Really one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. There's just something about the way Trevor communicates.. it just seems so open and honest. The entire song (especially the slow build) just feels like that moment when you're in a stressful situation, and you're thinking about it and running it over again and again in your head. You close your eyes and keep closing them harder and harder and then you just kinda break and let it all out. No one ever really sees this happen.
With this song, it's like we see it happening to Trevor. The beautiful thing is he doesn't come right out and tell it. Its just a combination of the words and music, and you just know based off of the way it makes you feel. This might be the thing that makes Youth Lagoon so much different and deeper than any other singer. He gives you music that is pure mental feeling. Looking at the lyrics now, the first paragraph starts with physical things ("you wore a hooded sweatshirt" etc...). Then the rest of the song until "As I walked slowly down your driveway..." is all these things that Trevor is feeling. He's not writing about what's physically happening, just these raw spurts of thought and feeling that are floating around his head during his personal experience (the thoughts being lyrics and his feelings being the music and his vocals/tone). Its an entirely different way for a person to connect and relate to music. Sure someone can relate to "my girlfriend broke up with me etc...", then they relate to the feelings that they had during that time. Trevor seems to go right to those feelings. Its wild and incredibly beautiful. It makes you feel sad, but personally makes me feel happy that such a beautiful thing exists.
This song references Slaughterhouse Five at the end.
"But she did look back, and I lover her for that, because it was so human. So she was turned into a pillar of salt. So it goes."
From my perspective it seems like he's dealing with his inner emotions or his anxiety.
There's a spirit in Montana and in your chest, a soul Oh what a soul
He's implying that there is an emotion within everyone and everywhere. So when he attempted to approach this girl, he was confronted by his anxiety and then he succumbs to it by leaving her without making any approach.