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.
Boy and his dog
Went out looking for the rainbow
You know what did they learn
Since that very day
Walking by the river
And running like a blue streak
Through the fields of streams and meadows
Laughing all the way
Oh redwood tree
Please let us under
When we were young we used to go
Under the redwood tree
And it smells like rain
Maybe even thunder
Won't you keep us from all harm
Wonderful redwood tree
And a boy and his father
Went out, went out looking for the lost dog
You know what oh haven't they learned
Since they did that together
They did not bring him back
He already had departed
But look at everything they have learned
Since that, since that very day
Oh redwood tree
Please let us under
When we were young we used to go
Under the redwood tree
And it smells like rain
Maybe even thunder
Won't you keep us from all harm
Wonderful redwood tree
Went out looking for the rainbow
You know what did they learn
Since that very day
Walking by the river
And running like a blue streak
Through the fields of streams and meadows
Laughing all the way
Oh redwood tree
Please let us under
When we were young we used to go
Under the redwood tree
And it smells like rain
Maybe even thunder
Won't you keep us from all harm
Wonderful redwood tree
And a boy and his father
Went out, went out looking for the lost dog
You know what oh haven't they learned
Since they did that together
They did not bring him back
He already had departed
But look at everything they have learned
Since that, since that very day
Oh redwood tree
Please let us under
When we were young we used to go
Under the redwood tree
And it smells like rain
Maybe even thunder
Won't you keep us from all harm
Wonderful redwood tree
Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira, edited by JGiannico
Redwood Tree Lyrics as written by Van Morrison
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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it's about the relationship between father and son. if you were lucky, as a boy you had a dog and he was your companion wherever you went... in this case out running through the streams and meadows... "laughing all the way". then the rains and thunder came and they got caught in it and separated. the boy returns with his father searching... "what haven't they learned since they did that together"? they never learned what it's like to share in such a loss, BUT "since that very day"... the experience has taught them (as father and son) many things. the redwood tree i believe is metaphoric, it represents shelter from physical (rain and thunder) and emotional harm ("he already had departed", i believe the dog died). this is my favorite of his songs and it's a relatively obscure work amongst the hundreds of his writings.
Probabbly not the real meaning, just an out of context insight by a firend of mine about the chorus: The redwood tree represents religion, as a shelter during crisis. The first two lines of the chorus represent prayer, asking one's god for help. The next say that religion has always been their for minor problems (when we were young - simplicity of youth). The next 2 describe an impending crisis (A tree will shelter you in the sun, and in light rain, but in heavy rain it would be no good). The next two lines are, despite this, turning to it as if it were the be all and end all of problems
Basically, religion is useful for life's challenges, but not as useful during a major crisis
Well, in my oppinion it seems that most of St. Dominic's Preview album is about san francisco and other parts of california. Van was astounded by the beauty of the noble redwood tree's, unlike anyhting he had ever seen before, and (this being the days of the early 70's) did alot of hanging around in the woods with these tree's. The song to me is how important a sentimental object can be to a life, but after that life is over, the object will remain. I dont know, but the part about cali is true=)