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.
Woo
Wind at my back
Face in the sun
All my big ideas done
Big river
Rollin'
Listen to a sea shell
You can hear the sea
Listen to a beer glass
That river belongs to me
Big river
Rollin'
There's a river runs here
When it rains we flood
Co-op City first three floors
Of Charles River mud, woo
Big river
Rollin'
Oh, yeah
Big river
Rollin'
Oh, yeah
Land's edge
Where the East begins
The debris meets the sea
When the tide comes in
Oh, look out
Uh
Look both ways now
Woo
Big river
Rollin'
Oh, yeah
Big river
Rollin'
Oh, yeah
Big river
Big river
Oh, yeah
Wind at my back
Face in the sun
All my big ideas done
Big river
Rollin'
Listen to a sea shell
You can hear the sea
Listen to a beer glass
That river belongs to me
Big river
Rollin'
There's a river runs here
When it rains we flood
Co-op City first three floors
Of Charles River mud, woo
Big river
Rollin'
Oh, yeah
Big river
Rollin'
Oh, yeah
Land's edge
Where the East begins
The debris meets the sea
When the tide comes in
Oh, look out
Uh
Look both ways now
Woo
Big river
Rollin'
Oh, yeah
Big river
Rollin'
Oh, yeah
Big river
Big river
Oh, yeah
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
Big River Lyrics as written by Alex Van Halen Wolfgang Van Halen
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
No Surprises
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
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“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.