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.
Beside yourself if radio's gonna stay
Reason, it could polish up the gray
Put that, put that, put that up your wall
That this isn't country at all
Ray beam station, beside yourself
Keep me out of country and the word
Deal the porch is leading us absurd
Push that, push that, push that to the hull
That this isn't nothing at all
Straight off the boat
Where to go?
Calling on in transit
Calling on in transit
Radio Free Europe
Radio
Beside defying media too fast
Instead of pushin' palaces to fall
Put that, put that, put that before all
That this isn't fortunate at all
Ray beam station, beside yourself
Calling on in transit
Calling on in transit
Radio Free Europe
Radio
Decide yourself
Calling on a boat
Media's too fast
Keep me out of country and the word
Disappointers into us, absurd
Straight off the boat
Where to go?
Calling on in transit
Calling on in transit
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe
Calling on in transit
Calling on in transit
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe
Reason, it could polish up the gray
Put that, put that, put that up your wall
That this isn't country at all
Ray beam station, beside yourself
Keep me out of country and the word
Deal the porch is leading us absurd
Push that, push that, push that to the hull
That this isn't nothing at all
Straight off the boat
Where to go?
Calling on in transit
Calling on in transit
Radio Free Europe
Radio
Beside defying media too fast
Instead of pushin' palaces to fall
Put that, put that, put that before all
That this isn't fortunate at all
Ray beam station, beside yourself
Calling on in transit
Calling on in transit
Radio Free Europe
Radio
Decide yourself
Calling on a boat
Media's too fast
Keep me out of country and the word
Disappointers into us, absurd
Straight off the boat
Where to go?
Calling on in transit
Calling on in transit
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe
Calling on in transit
Calling on in transit
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe
Lyrics submitted by jhines0042, edited by stormville, Dan X
Radio Free Europe Lyrics as written by Peter Buck Bill Berry
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“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.
HERE'S A BIT MORE HISTORY OF RFE: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a radio and communications organization which is funded by the United States Congress. The organization exists in Europe and the Middle East. It broadcasts more than 1,000 hours per week, in 28 languages, via shortwave, AM, FM and the Internet. RFE/RL's official mission statement is: "To promote democratic values and institutions by disseminating factual information and ideas."
The National Committee for a Free Europe was founded in June 1949 in New York. RFE was the broadcasting arm of this organization. The headquarters was established in Munich and it transmitted its first short-wave program on July 4, 1950, to Czechoslovakia. The organization received its funds from the Congress of the United States and until 1971 they were passed to RFE through the CIA. The broadcasts were part of a general CIA psychological warfare campaign directed behind the Iron Curtain. The CIA created general guidelines and had daily input into the handling of news items. The CIA funding of RFE was not publicly acknowledged until 1971 at which point the organization was rechartered in Delaware as a non-profit-making corporation, oversight was moved to the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), and the budget was moved to open appropriations.
In 1975, RFE was merged with a very similar Congress funded anti-communist organization called Radio Liberty (RL, founded in 1951 by the American Committee for the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia) and the group name was officially changed to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
Soviet authorities regularly attempted to jam RFE/RL broadcasts and these efforts did not end until 1988. From 1985 until 1993 the organization also ran Radio Free Afghanistan. The collapse of the Soviet Union reduced the budget for RFE/RL: its headquarters were moved to Prague in 1995 and European operations were curtailed (save those of the South Slavic Department). However operations were expanded elsewhere: in 1998 Radio Free Iraq and a Persian service, were started; in 1999 a service was started in Kosovo; and in 2002 Radio Free Afghanistan was restarted and the Persian Service was incorporated into Radio Farda. In addition, in 1994 the mission of the International Broadcasting Bureau was transferred to the Broadcasting Board of Governors.
SOUNDS LIKE A BUNCH OF PROPOGANDA TO ME.