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.
It's been at least another year
And still I haven't got the chance to say
Always rolling off the tongue
Never said but nearly sung about a million ways
Every photograph and story
Trickled through the lengthy web of friend
I over thought but understood
Distant look but looking good
And not the other way
But you fail to remember
But you fail to remember
Do I still cross your mind?
Your face still distorts the time
With heat struck afternoons long through
Those idle dreams go back to you
The echo's seem somewhat displaced
Ever further from your face, I'm drifting off to
Bored of mere flirtations
That's what's made of constellations that I've sought
Was this only in my head
Just like most things go misread
When overthought
But you fail to remember
But you fail to remember
Do I still cross your mind?
Your face still distorts the time
Do I still cross your mind?
Your face still distorts the time
Do I still cross your mind?
Your face still distorts the time
And still I haven't got the chance to say
Always rolling off the tongue
Never said but nearly sung about a million ways
Every photograph and story
Trickled through the lengthy web of friend
I over thought but understood
Distant look but looking good
And not the other way
But you fail to remember
But you fail to remember
Do I still cross your mind?
Your face still distorts the time
With heat struck afternoons long through
Those idle dreams go back to you
The echo's seem somewhat displaced
Ever further from your face, I'm drifting off to
Bored of mere flirtations
That's what's made of constellations that I've sought
Was this only in my head
Just like most things go misread
When overthought
But you fail to remember
But you fail to remember
Do I still cross your mind?
Your face still distorts the time
Do I still cross your mind?
Your face still distorts the time
Do I still cross your mind?
Your face still distorts the time
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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.
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"
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
================================================ It's been at least another year And still I haven't got the chance to say Always rolling off the tongue Never said but nearly sung about a million ways
Every photograph and story Trickled through the lengthy web of friends I overthought but understood Distant looks but looking good And not the other way
But you, you, fail to remember But you, you, fail to remember
Do I still cross your mind? Your face still distorts the time
Basically he talks about an old love (like chattenoir said), or some type of love that was left without any closure. To me, it's almost like there was love between two people that never quite came to the surface, and then was cut short by something (could be distance, whatever would make sense, really).
The whole "But you fail to remember / Do I still cross your mind?" makes me think that the subject of the song has moved on, or at least makes it seem like they have.
"Your face still distorts the time" just re-emphasizes the time that's passed.
================================================ With heat struck afternoons long through Those idle dreams go back to you The echo seems so low displaced Everything that's not your face, I'm drifting off to
I think this is just talking about nostalgia and how he misses her/those memories.
================================================ (?) of infiltrations That what was made of constellations that I've saw Was this only in my head Just like most things go misread When overthought
Can't say much here other than it seems like he's starting to doubt whether there really was anything to begin with; that he was just overthinking it the whole time.
This could also go the other way: he might have at first believed there wasn't anything between them, but now he realizes he was overthinking things and it's clear that they had some chemistry (or whatever). "I overthought but understood / Distant looks but looking good" from the second verse also expresses this doubt/realization.
dude you are so totally right!
(?) of infiltrations is motivate flirtation and the next line is the rest was made of constellations that I saw