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.
Here you come sucking my energy
And you suck it up right off the street
Babydoll
Here you are sucking my energy right up
Drill it in my good hole so that I can see
You are so much bigger than me
You are so much bigger than me
Babydoll
My raw hand, my fever blister, watch me
Watch me, watch me disappear
Here she comes, her pants undone
All waste and void, all waste and void
There you go in your Nazi car
Oh babydoll, what a whore you are
You sit around with your old rag
How can I talk when you've got the gag?
Here you come sucking my energy
And you suck it up, baby, right off the street
Babydoll
In the dark I destroy
What I began, what I destroy
She's hanging in the blossom tree
Babydoll just bleeds for me
Babydoll
Babydoll, she's on the field
Her chemical wedding and her chemical peel
I knife me and I slash mine
And I knife me and I slash mine
Sick and sorry me, well, here you are as ugly as me
Drill it in my good hole so that I can see
Drill it in my good hole so that I can see
Here you come sucking my energy
And you suck it up, baby, right off the street
Babydoll
She stares too long into the sun
Now I want a cancer that the crooked eye spun for you
I don't mind my energy
'Cause baby, you are so much bigger than me
Babydoll
Little girl, she's on the floor
She gets it all 'cause she's a whore
Little girl, she's on the ground
She gets it all for falling, falling down
Falling down
I am, I am, she says
I am not free," she says
Help me, I am withering, withering, withering
Hang on, you'll get your soul
It's a soul
Hey it's a soul, it comes down
See, see it's a soul
And you suck it up right off the street
Babydoll
Here you are sucking my energy right up
Drill it in my good hole so that I can see
You are so much bigger than me
You are so much bigger than me
Babydoll
My raw hand, my fever blister, watch me
Watch me, watch me disappear
Here she comes, her pants undone
All waste and void, all waste and void
There you go in your Nazi car
Oh babydoll, what a whore you are
You sit around with your old rag
How can I talk when you've got the gag?
Here you come sucking my energy
And you suck it up, baby, right off the street
Babydoll
In the dark I destroy
What I began, what I destroy
She's hanging in the blossom tree
Babydoll just bleeds for me
Babydoll
Babydoll, she's on the field
Her chemical wedding and her chemical peel
I knife me and I slash mine
And I knife me and I slash mine
Sick and sorry me, well, here you are as ugly as me
Drill it in my good hole so that I can see
Drill it in my good hole so that I can see
Here you come sucking my energy
And you suck it up, baby, right off the street
Babydoll
She stares too long into the sun
Now I want a cancer that the crooked eye spun for you
I don't mind my energy
'Cause baby, you are so much bigger than me
Babydoll
Little girl, she's on the floor
She gets it all 'cause she's a whore
Little girl, she's on the ground
She gets it all for falling, falling down
Falling down
I am, I am, she says
I am not free," she says
Help me, I am withering, withering, withering
Hang on, you'll get your soul
It's a soul
Hey it's a soul, it comes down
See, see it's a soul
Lyrics submitted by ShiverForMe, edited by scottdoesntknow628
Babydoll Lyrics as written by Courtney M Love Caroline Rue
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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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,
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
It sounds like another song about female rivalry; or some sort of succubus, "all waste and void" who manipulates and abuses those around her using her sexuality. "Here she comes, her pants undone", "there you go in your Nazi car, oh, babydoll, what a whore you are". Sounds pretty self-explanatory. Vicious, though.