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.
Chill
Light on my side as my ego becomes
A funky child with some words on my tongue
Be like intake of breath and my mouth gets loose
So while I scatter my spit, I dream of juice
Have you ever made out in dark hallways?
Displayed a kiss that made your day?
Or, say, play a track from your record collection
It's your mix, congratulations
We changed a lot and then some, some
Know that we have always been down, down
If I ever didn't thank you, you
Then just let me do it now (come back in)
I bet you light up when we start the show
Follow me now, very close because I told you so
You know we glow because we throw sun rays
Yeah, we be freaky and we wanna stay, uh
We changed a lot and then some, some
Know that we have always been down, down
If I ever didn't thank you, you
Then just let me do it now
Lightning strikes, yo, we be in that violent force of light
Guaranteed to turn it out as bad as Dolemite
Because we're dope, kid, change like a chameleon
And the channel whenever the whack show "Real World" is on
You know we dazzle like ghetto box boomin' battles
Rattle inside your head, feel redeemed like cola bottles
Fall in love with your teachers, on the wax we are self made
Check the technique, 311 in L.A.
Changed a lot and then some, some
Know that we have always been down, down
If I ever didn't thank you, you
Then just let me do it now
Keep my feet on the ground
Keep my head in the clouds
Electrified by the sound
It comes from the down, and
We changed a lot and then some, some
Know that we have always been down, down
If I ever didn't thank you, you
Then just let me do it now
Light on my side as my ego becomes
A funky child with some words on my tongue
Be like intake of breath and my mouth gets loose
So while I scatter my spit, I dream of juice
Have you ever made out in dark hallways?
Displayed a kiss that made your day?
Or, say, play a track from your record collection
It's your mix, congratulations
We changed a lot and then some, some
Know that we have always been down, down
If I ever didn't thank you, you
Then just let me do it now (come back in)
I bet you light up when we start the show
Follow me now, very close because I told you so
You know we glow because we throw sun rays
Yeah, we be freaky and we wanna stay, uh
We changed a lot and then some, some
Know that we have always been down, down
If I ever didn't thank you, you
Then just let me do it now
Lightning strikes, yo, we be in that violent force of light
Guaranteed to turn it out as bad as Dolemite
Because we're dope, kid, change like a chameleon
And the channel whenever the whack show "Real World" is on
You know we dazzle like ghetto box boomin' battles
Rattle inside your head, feel redeemed like cola bottles
Fall in love with your teachers, on the wax we are self made
Check the technique, 311 in L.A.
Changed a lot and then some, some
Know that we have always been down, down
If I ever didn't thank you, you
Then just let me do it now
Keep my feet on the ground
Keep my head in the clouds
Electrified by the sound
It comes from the down, and
We changed a lot and then some, some
Know that we have always been down, down
If I ever didn't thank you, you
Then just let me do it now
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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,
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
It's definitely a song for the fans. Nothing compares to hearing this song live...