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 had a hard run, runnin' from your window
I was all night running, running, Lord, I wonder if you care
I had a run in, run around and run down
Run around the corner, Lord, run smack in to a tree
I had to move, really had to move
That's why if you please, I am on my bendin' knees
Bertha, don't you come around here anymore
Dressed myself in green, I went down unto the sea
Try to see what's goin' down, try to read between the lines
I had a feelin' I was fallin', fallin', fallin', I turned around to see
Heard a voice callin', you were running back to me
I had to move, really had to move
That's why if you please, I am on my bendin' knees
Bertha, don't you come around here anymore
Ran into a rainstorm, I ducked back into a bar door
It's all night pourin', but not a drop on me
Test me, test me, test me, test me
Why don't you arrest me? Throw me in to the jail house
Lord, until the sun goes down, 'til it goes down
I had to move, really had to move
That's why if you please, I am on my bendin' knees
Bertha, don't you come around here anymore
I had to move, really had to move
That's why if you please, I am on my bendin' knees,
Bertha, don't you come around here anymore
I had to move, really had to move
That's why if you please, I am on my bendin' knees,
Bertha, don't you come around here anymore
I had to move, really had to move
That's why if you please, I am on my bendin' knees,
Bertha, don't you come around here anymore
anymore, anymore, anymore, anymore, anymore, anymore
I was all night running, running, Lord, I wonder if you care
I had a run in, run around and run down
Run around the corner, Lord, run smack in to a tree
I had to move, really had to move
That's why if you please, I am on my bendin' knees
Bertha, don't you come around here anymore
Dressed myself in green, I went down unto the sea
Try to see what's goin' down, try to read between the lines
I had a feelin' I was fallin', fallin', fallin', I turned around to see
Heard a voice callin', you were running back to me
I had to move, really had to move
That's why if you please, I am on my bendin' knees
Bertha, don't you come around here anymore
Ran into a rainstorm, I ducked back into a bar door
It's all night pourin', but not a drop on me
Test me, test me, test me, test me
Why don't you arrest me? Throw me in to the jail house
Lord, until the sun goes down, 'til it goes down
I had to move, really had to move
That's why if you please, I am on my bendin' knees
Bertha, don't you come around here anymore
I had to move, really had to move
That's why if you please, I am on my bendin' knees,
Bertha, don't you come around here anymore
I had to move, really had to move
That's why if you please, I am on my bendin' knees,
Bertha, don't you come around here anymore
I had to move, really had to move
That's why if you please, I am on my bendin' knees,
Bertha, don't you come around here anymore
anymore, anymore, anymore, anymore, anymore, anymore
Lyrics submitted by itsmyownmind
Bertha Lyrics as written by Robert C. Hunter Jerome J. Garcia
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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ok the name Bertha comes from:
The name Bertha is derived from the Old German word behrt (or behrat), meaning “bright, famous, intelligent” and from the Old English beorht, which also means “bright.” It’s a name which has a rich history, beginning with Norse mythology.
Bertha was the goddess of spinning and domesticity. One telling of her story is that on the nights between Christmas and January 6th, she went through every street in every village and town, looking through every window to make sure the spinning was finished and had been done well. For the maidens who had taken care in doing their task, she left a gift of one of her own golden threads or a distaff full of extra-fine flax, but those who had been careless found their wheels broken and their flax spoiled. [1] Bertha herself was an excellent spinner and spent so much time pushing the treadle that she is often portrayed with a wide flat foot. This portrayal has led to speculation that she was, in fact, the original Mother Goose.
Also known as “The White Lady,” goddess of fertility, and protector of children, Bertha stole into nurseries at night and cared for the little ones while their mothers slept. In some versions of her tale, she tended the good children and punished the bad.
NOW this song reminds me of a Psalm really. Its a cry out to God not to punish one for the wrongs they have done. He actually asks his Lord the test him. It us true that they named the fan at 710 Bertha and it wobbled towards them, but if you would think about the amount of acid they were eating at that time, I dont think its a coincidence they picked the name Bertha. The fan was coming at them. So its not too surprising that maybe in some unconscious mystical way they called the fan Bertha. Bertha was going to come and punish the bad children like in the Norse mythology.
When you think about the dead's spirituality and also their connection with mythology, it kinda makes sense. Heck the name grateful dead is a spiritual name it itself; a soul that is so grateful to someone that is still alive in the real world that they spend their after life helping and assisting that person.
just my quick two cents
Pretty interesting commentary lol. The song is about a fan, according to Robert Hunter, who wrote it. A huge electric fan that the Dead had at Club Front their offices/studio in San Rafael. It had no front grill covering the blades of the fan, and when they turned it on the vibration made it slowly move across the floor. Everyone called the fan Bertha because of its size. Hunter wrote the song tongue in cheek so that it would have more than one meaning. But the fan was a electric fan and when it vibrated across the floor towards you, you had to move, move, you really had to move.
Wow, this is an amazing song how did no one commented on this song. This song to me is the dead. This song got me hooked.
I prefer the Los Lobos version myself.
The song itself is a straightforward relationship plaint, but the origin of the name "Bertha" is actually an old, large floor fan at 710 with a tendency to wobble so bad that it would haul ass across a room.
i love the jam band style mixed with the folk/bluegrass lyrics...dressed in green-marched down unto the scene(as in spying on bertha) not sea... i think this song is about how much he loves bertha and she just keeps messing with him and messing with him but without love its nothing so he is just like dont come around here aanymore because you keep getting me in trouble
reaqlly butter song. so cool to throw on at a party or something. brings me right back to the late 60,s........colb beer and green herb
Hell yes.. definitive dead... Oh how awesome it must have been livin at 710
Everyone's entitled to their opinion. Mine comes from some possibly erroneous inside information: when I was going to shows in the 70s, many 'family' folk said Bertha was a very enthusiastic but very large fan. Supposedly in the early days she'd get right up front and obscure the acoustics with her generous mass. The story goes that the band loved her and immortalized her in the song though they had to continually ask her to move as to not mess up the sound.
@tbspollen family stories are great, even if erroneous
@tbspollen not that kind of fan. the kind you plug in an turn on.
Everyone's entitled to their opinion. Mine comes from some possibly erroneous inside information: when I was going to shows in the 70s, many 'family' folk said Bertha was a very enthusiastic but very large fan. Supposedly in the early days she'd get right up front and obscure the acoustics with her generous mass. The story goes that the band loved her and immortalized her in the song though they had to continually ask her to move as to not mess up the sound.
Until I read the lyrics, I always thought he sang "I had a hard-on running from your window."
Oops! now I know better.