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.
These great fields are stretching
Taking me oh so far
These great fields are stretching
Savannah stretching oh so far
And this dry air is taking
My girl and it's oh so hard
And I wish I had a melody for a songbird to sing back my love
Oh my Savannah
Did it have to be so hard?
Oh my Savannah
Taking all my love and all my heart
Oh, tailor won't you make me
The finest suit so dark and black and grey
Oh, and old John won't you lend me
The finest gun your eyes have ever laid
The fastest bullet flying
Nobody never feel no pain
'Cause this plains they took my baby
And I'm gonna take her to the funeral beds to lay
Oh, and oh my Savannah
Did it have to be so hard?
Oh, and oh my Savannah
Taking all my love and all my heart
Oh no no
Oh no no
Oh no no
Oh no no
Oh no no
No no
And I'm struggling, and I'm stumbling
And I need to start
I'm struggling, and I'm stumbling
I need a friend
And I'm struggling, and I'm stumbling
I need you in my heart
Oh no no
Oh no no
No no
Oh, tailor won't you make me
The finest suit so dark and black and grey
And old John won't you lend me
The finest gun your eyes have ever laid
The fastest bullet flying
So quick nobody ever feel no pain
'Cause the plains they took my baby
Oh, and I'm gonna take you to the funeral beds to lay
Oh no no
Oh no no
Oh no no
Oh no no
Oh no no
No no no
And I'm struggling, and I'm stumbling
And I need to start
I'm struggling, and I'm stumbling
I need you in my heart
And I hate to say I love you
Ooh goddamn I love you, but
You know I do
But you're gone away, gone away, gone away
These great fields are stretching
Taking me oh so far
Taking me oh so far
These great fields are stretching
Savannah stretching oh so far
And this dry air is taking
My girl and it's oh so hard
And I wish I had a melody for a songbird to sing back my love
Oh my Savannah
Did it have to be so hard?
Oh my Savannah
Taking all my love and all my heart
Oh, tailor won't you make me
The finest suit so dark and black and grey
Oh, and old John won't you lend me
The finest gun your eyes have ever laid
The fastest bullet flying
Nobody never feel no pain
'Cause this plains they took my baby
And I'm gonna take her to the funeral beds to lay
Oh, and oh my Savannah
Did it have to be so hard?
Oh, and oh my Savannah
Taking all my love and all my heart
Oh no no
Oh no no
Oh no no
Oh no no
Oh no no
No no
And I'm struggling, and I'm stumbling
And I need to start
I'm struggling, and I'm stumbling
I need a friend
And I'm struggling, and I'm stumbling
I need you in my heart
Oh no no
Oh no no
No no
Oh, tailor won't you make me
The finest suit so dark and black and grey
And old John won't you lend me
The finest gun your eyes have ever laid
The fastest bullet flying
So quick nobody ever feel no pain
'Cause the plains they took my baby
Oh, and I'm gonna take you to the funeral beds to lay
Oh no no
Oh no no
Oh no no
Oh no no
Oh no no
No no no
And I'm struggling, and I'm stumbling
And I need to start
I'm struggling, and I'm stumbling
I need you in my heart
And I hate to say I love you
Ooh goddamn I love you, but
You know I do
But you're gone away, gone away, gone away
These great fields are stretching
Taking me oh so far
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WAIT!
I FIGURED IT OUT.
His wife is dying of pneumonia (or what have you) during the Dust Bowl, but to put her out of her misery (or maybe they can't afford medicine/doctor), HE SHOOTS HER. That's why we wanted everything to be quick, painless, and to be done right. That's why he's "gonna take her to the funeral beds to lay".
I just blew my own mind.
"Whenever I hear this song, I always envision a man who loses his wife to the Dust Bowl. Pretty obvious.
The more subjective part is the last half of the song. It seems as though he's seeking to exact his revenge on something or someone, whether it be a consideration of suicide or he's disturbed by the death of his wife and fears for others to suffer the same fate; thus, he decides the only option is to put them out of their misery before it can happen. At least, that would explain the gun-rampage and the need for it to be painless.
Just my two-cents."