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.
In this dusty little railroad town
Smack in the heart of the bible belt
Where nothing ever changes
While nothing remains the same
When first I saw the raven
Lean against the wind
I said who's the girl
With the tattoo on her skin
I followed her home
She lives down by the water
My friend Teddy told me
She's the Frenchman's daughter
On this day of reckoning
I'm riding shotgun with you
Tangled twisted strands of love
Hanging from above
Chorus:
I'm burnin for you
Burnin for you
We were first time lovers
In a secret rendezvous
Burnin, burnin
Burnin for you
When I come knocking on her front door
The neighbour said she don't live there no more
Well she moved from the country
down to the city
Where the scene was dark
And the street was gritty
In the hustle and bustle and all the commotion
She got addicted to the locomotion
On this day of reckoning
By the old wooden bridge
I wait for you
Tangled twisted strands of love
Hanging from above
Chorus
I remember the smell of the burning leaves
And we were making love
She was like a young Georgia O'Keefe
From another time
In an old abandoned railroad shack
On should never go
Where anything can happen
When the zephyr blows
On this day of reckoning
I'm calling to you
Tangled twisted strands of love
Hanging from above
Chorus
The phone rings she said
I can't tell you where I'm calling from
Cause my papa's on the lam
For something shady that he's done
There hangs a tale of love
For the first time
For the first time
Smack in the heart of the bible belt
Where nothing ever changes
While nothing remains the same
When first I saw the raven
Lean against the wind
I said who's the girl
With the tattoo on her skin
I followed her home
She lives down by the water
My friend Teddy told me
She's the Frenchman's daughter
On this day of reckoning
I'm riding shotgun with you
Tangled twisted strands of love
Hanging from above
Chorus:
I'm burnin for you
Burnin for you
We were first time lovers
In a secret rendezvous
Burnin, burnin
Burnin for you
When I come knocking on her front door
The neighbour said she don't live there no more
Well she moved from the country
down to the city
Where the scene was dark
And the street was gritty
In the hustle and bustle and all the commotion
She got addicted to the locomotion
On this day of reckoning
By the old wooden bridge
I wait for you
Tangled twisted strands of love
Hanging from above
Chorus
I remember the smell of the burning leaves
And we were making love
She was like a young Georgia O'Keefe
From another time
In an old abandoned railroad shack
On should never go
Where anything can happen
When the zephyr blows
On this day of reckoning
I'm calling to you
Tangled twisted strands of love
Hanging from above
Chorus
The phone rings she said
I can't tell you where I'm calling from
Cause my papa's on the lam
For something shady that he's done
There hangs a tale of love
For the first time
For the first time
Lyrics submitted by punkmebabygal
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