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 have the time-worn shimmer of tarantella on a Tuscan plain
Patiently listen as dull reminiscences fall from my jaws in a jumble again
You hold a lamp to my slumber
I resurface just to do a new number on you
You kiss the wrist of the hand that has twisted itself all into your hair
You close the blinds and doors behind me and clear all obstacles on the stair
You are an open book
I'm on the bathroom floor
Yours is an open door
I'm throwing ballast overboard
You are a genius teetering
Hurricane wild be calm as the deep
Every living thing needs watering
I miss loving you
Actually loving you
Words on my bedroom wall
Speak of my stone cold care
A prayer to the take off and landing of everything
Leaving your lips as we took to the sky
And a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
I'll say for you and I will for all time
Wrote on my bedroom wall
Spoke of your deep true care
Over my shoulder and just as I leave
I see you slipping the world up your sleeve
Well take it and run
Go on, go on
That's why it's there
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
Patiently listen as dull reminiscences fall from my jaws in a jumble again
You hold a lamp to my slumber
I resurface just to do a new number on you
You kiss the wrist of the hand that has twisted itself all into your hair
You close the blinds and doors behind me and clear all obstacles on the stair
You are an open book
I'm on the bathroom floor
Yours is an open door
I'm throwing ballast overboard
You are a genius teetering
Hurricane wild be calm as the deep
Every living thing needs watering
I miss loving you
Actually loving you
Words on my bedroom wall
Speak of my stone cold care
A prayer to the take off and landing of everything
Leaving your lips as we took to the sky
And a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
I'll say for you and I will for all time
Wrote on my bedroom wall
Spoke of your deep true care
Over my shoulder and just as I leave
I see you slipping the world up your sleeve
Well take it and run
Go on, go on
That's why it's there
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
In a prayer to the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything
To the take off and landing of everything good
Lyrics submitted by mssarakelly
The Take Off and Landing of Everything Lyrics as written by Guy Edward John Garvey Craig Lee Potter
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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First post. I'm not an elbow fan. I can't tell you another one of their songs. I came across this song the same way I do most songs that dig themselves into my consciousness, I listen to thousands of songs I don't like, hours of music, before finding that gem. The lyrics to this song are smart and poetic, and have a subtlety lost in most new music. It may be about the arc of a relationship that starts out wonderful asongwritergically, like most do. Looking back,the songwriter misses their ex.
It's supposed to be, 'and ends tragically'. I had to look up tarantella to know it's an Italian folk dance. <br />
After doing some research on elbow (they're not particularly popular in the us) ive noticed that none of their other music sounds like this song, only their work with an orchestra comes even remotely close. But, it did bring the preciousness of this song to the fore. This track seems to contain a transcendental quality to it, it sort of vast a spell over the listener. I can almost picture native Americans dancing around a fire in a chant that keeps the same beat as this song. The singer casts a web as the last word of each line is extended by amazing effects.