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.
Concert, concert tonight
Dit dit dit dit dit dit dit
Concert, concert tonight
The music's comin' at you
You know it's worth the wait
You'll lose those tired-of-workin' blues
(? ? ? )
Everybody in the human race
Everybody loves to rock the place
Let's get smokin'
Yeah prime time concert tonight
Everybody wants to feel the groove
Everybody wants their feet to move
Let's get rockin' now
Good time rockin' tonight
You've got your girl beside you
She looks like love tonight
But if your soul is hungry
Rock feeds your appetite
Everybody wants the beat to go on
Everybody needs to learn the song
Let's make music now
Let's make music tonight
Everybody set your spirit free
Everybody feel as good as me
Enjoy the concert as we go get out tonight
Everybody gotta hang loose
Everybody needs a good excuse
We're in concert so let's get crazy tonight
There's gonna be a concert tonight
There's gonna be a good time tonight
Put on your 3-d glasses tonight
We're gonna see a magic show tonight
There's sorcery and music tonight
I'm doin' it in concert tonight
Now everybody feels good tonight
And everybody looks good tonight
So turn on your love lights tonight
We're doin' it in stereo tonight
I'm wired up to you guys tonight
We'll conjure up a concert tonight
A song moves like an arrow
It's aim is always true
It don't shoot like a shadow
Let it just fly with you (? ? ? )
Everybody love the rockin' band
Everybody now clap your hands
'cause we're violent now
Rockin' violent tonight
Rock rock rock rock rockin' tonight
Let the rhythm get in to your feet
Let it move you right outta your seat
Oh we're jumpin' now
Concert jumpin' tonight
Come, come on down
Everybody needs to put it behind
Everybody come and give me a sign
Lord have mercy on this our concert tonight
Lord have mercy tonight
Everybody needs to have some fun
Leave the concert so we can shine
Let's start crankin' now
Let's keep rockin' tonight
Woo woo hooo
Wooo wooo hooo
Wooo wooo wooo hooo
Wooo wooo hooo
Dit dit dit dit dit dit dit
Concert, concert tonight
The music's comin' at you
You know it's worth the wait
You'll lose those tired-of-workin' blues
(? ? ? )
Everybody in the human race
Everybody loves to rock the place
Let's get smokin'
Yeah prime time concert tonight
Everybody wants to feel the groove
Everybody wants their feet to move
Let's get rockin' now
Good time rockin' tonight
You've got your girl beside you
She looks like love tonight
But if your soul is hungry
Rock feeds your appetite
Everybody wants the beat to go on
Everybody needs to learn the song
Let's make music now
Let's make music tonight
Everybody set your spirit free
Everybody feel as good as me
Enjoy the concert as we go get out tonight
Everybody gotta hang loose
Everybody needs a good excuse
We're in concert so let's get crazy tonight
There's gonna be a concert tonight
There's gonna be a good time tonight
Put on your 3-d glasses tonight
We're gonna see a magic show tonight
There's sorcery and music tonight
I'm doin' it in concert tonight
Now everybody feels good tonight
And everybody looks good tonight
So turn on your love lights tonight
We're doin' it in stereo tonight
I'm wired up to you guys tonight
We'll conjure up a concert tonight
A song moves like an arrow
It's aim is always true
It don't shoot like a shadow
Let it just fly with you (? ? ? )
Everybody love the rockin' band
Everybody now clap your hands
'cause we're violent now
Rockin' violent tonight
Rock rock rock rock rockin' tonight
Let the rhythm get in to your feet
Let it move you right outta your seat
Oh we're jumpin' now
Concert jumpin' tonight
Come, come on down
Everybody needs to put it behind
Everybody come and give me a sign
Lord have mercy on this our concert tonight
Lord have mercy tonight
Everybody needs to have some fun
Leave the concert so we can shine
Let's start crankin' now
Let's keep rockin' tonight
Woo woo hooo
Wooo wooo hooo
Wooo wooo wooo hooo
Wooo wooo hooo
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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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.
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“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.