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.
I was on a heavy tip
Try'na cross a canyon with a broken limb
You were on the other side, like always
Wondering what to do with life
I'd already had a sip
So I'd reasoned I was drunk enough to deal with it
You were on the other side, like always
You could never make you mine
And with one kiss
You inspired a fire of devotion that lasts for twenty years
What kind of man loves like this?
To let me dangle at a cruel angle
Oh, my feet don't touch the floor
Sometimes you're half in and then you're half out
But you never close the door
What kind of man loves like this?
What kind of man?
What kind of man loves like this?
What kind of man?
You're a holy fool, all colored blue
Red feet upon the floor
You do such damage, how do you manage?
Trying to crawl in back for more
And with one kiss
You inspired a fire of devotion that lasts for twenty years
What kind of man loves like this?
What kind of man loves like this?
What kind of man?
What kind of man loves like this?
What kind of man?
But I can't beat ya, 'cause I'm still with ya
"Oh mercy", I implore ("oh mercy", I implore)
How do you do it? I think I'm through it
Then I'm back against the wall
What kind of man loves like this? What kind of man?
Try'na cross a canyon with a broken limb
You were on the other side, like always
Wondering what to do with life
I'd already had a sip
So I'd reasoned I was drunk enough to deal with it
You were on the other side, like always
You could never make you mine
And with one kiss
You inspired a fire of devotion that lasts for twenty years
What kind of man loves like this?
To let me dangle at a cruel angle
Oh, my feet don't touch the floor
Sometimes you're half in and then you're half out
But you never close the door
What kind of man loves like this?
What kind of man?
What kind of man loves like this?
What kind of man?
You're a holy fool, all colored blue
Red feet upon the floor
You do such damage, how do you manage?
Trying to crawl in back for more
And with one kiss
You inspired a fire of devotion that lasts for twenty years
What kind of man loves like this?
What kind of man loves like this?
What kind of man?
What kind of man loves like this?
What kind of man?
But I can't beat ya, 'cause I'm still with ya
"Oh mercy", I implore ("oh mercy", I implore)
How do you do it? I think I'm through it
Then I'm back against the wall
What kind of man loves like this? What kind of man?
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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.
Holiday
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Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“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.
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.
Florence did say that this album would be more raw and more real than the previous two; it is, and you can see that in this song. She is in a relationship with a lover who is as indecisive as Hamlet about whether to give their romance his all or not, and yet he has this power over Florence that renders her desperately devoted to him. With one kiss, he was able to entice a fiery and powerful fidelity in Florence towards him. Yet he never makes up his mind; she is broken because of this, yet cannot leave and chooses to toil, "crossing a canyon", passing on and moving towards him, while he stands on the other side still uncertain. As a result, she is heavily burdened, "on a heavy tip" of some scales. Moreover, "dangle at a cruel angle" further accentuates his power over her; he has her in a situation in which she has no control and is pained, as if she were dangling at some painful angle. She, on the other hand, is powerless, hence keeps repeating the lines about the fiery fidelity and devotion he summons from her, as well as the damage he wrecks on her, over and over. By describing him as a "holy fool", she both highlights his indecisiveness as well as his potence; as if he were holy he almost seems almighty with the way she cannot break free from him and worships him. Describing him as blue may allude a comparison to the sky -which in turn, alludes the album-, and this could be to show that he is everywhere in her world: , big, blue, and beautiful. She cannot beat him and she beseeches him for mercy, whenever she thinks she is over their relationship she is pinned back to the wall, figuratively, as her mad devotion and love for him take over. What Kind of Man loves like this? Unsure of their relationship, yet binding her to him with some misbegotten curse, Florence shrieks this tune, coughing up reality, instead of wanting to "leave her body" to another realm, "shaking it out", or calling upon some dark world of ghouls, as she would have done in Ceremonials.