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.
Oh, is this the way they say the future's meant to feel?
Or just twenty thousand people standing in a field?
And I don't quite understand just what this feeling is
But that's okay 'cause we're all sorted out for E's and wizz
And tell me when the spaceship lands 'cause all this has just got to mean something-ing
Oh, in the middle of the night
It feels alright, but then tomorrow morning
Oh, oh, then you come down, oh
Oh yeah, the pirate radio told us what was going down
Got the tickets from some fucked up bloke in Camden Town
Oh, and no-one seems to know exactly where it is
But that's okay 'cause we're all sorted out for E's and wizz
At four o'clock the normal world seems very, very, very far away
All right
In the middle of the night
It feels alright, but then tomorrow morning
Oh, oh, then you come down, oh
Just keep on moving
Everybody asks your name, they say we're all the same and now it's
"Nice one," "geezer"
But that's as far as the conversation went
I lost my friends, I dance alone
It's six o'clock, I want to go home
But it's "no way," "not today"
Makes you wonder what it meant
And this hollow feeling grows and grows and grows and grows
And you want to call your mother
And say "mother, I can never come home again
'Cause I seem to have left an important part of my brain somewhere
Somewhere in a field in Hampshire, all right"
In the middle of the night
It feels alright, but then tomorrow morning
Oh, oh, then you come down
Oh, oh, then you come down
Oh, what if you never come down?
Or just twenty thousand people standing in a field?
And I don't quite understand just what this feeling is
But that's okay 'cause we're all sorted out for E's and wizz
And tell me when the spaceship lands 'cause all this has just got to mean something-ing
Oh, in the middle of the night
It feels alright, but then tomorrow morning
Oh, oh, then you come down, oh
Oh yeah, the pirate radio told us what was going down
Got the tickets from some fucked up bloke in Camden Town
Oh, and no-one seems to know exactly where it is
But that's okay 'cause we're all sorted out for E's and wizz
At four o'clock the normal world seems very, very, very far away
All right
In the middle of the night
It feels alright, but then tomorrow morning
Oh, oh, then you come down, oh
Just keep on moving
Everybody asks your name, they say we're all the same and now it's
"Nice one," "geezer"
But that's as far as the conversation went
I lost my friends, I dance alone
It's six o'clock, I want to go home
But it's "no way," "not today"
Makes you wonder what it meant
And this hollow feeling grows and grows and grows and grows
And you want to call your mother
And say "mother, I can never come home again
'Cause I seem to have left an important part of my brain somewhere
Somewhere in a field in Hampshire, all right"
In the middle of the night
It feels alright, but then tomorrow morning
Oh, oh, then you come down
Oh, oh, then you come down
Oh, what if you never come down?
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Light Up The Sky
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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 remember this at the time when it seemed to be a dig at what some people with guitars thought was a passing fad of dance music. In 2023 things are much clearer on what was the fad and what stood the test of time. Brit Pop died after a couple of years and dance music is still going strong. That's why bands like Pulp may still tour but their set list is songs now 30 years old. To many clubbers this song was unintentionally funny because it describes someone who goes to a rave, while on drugs and still manages to have a miserable time. Also to suggest UK raves didn't change the country is laughable. Unlike Brit Pop which at best changed haircuts for a couple of years. The biggest irony of this song however is the underlying suggestion dance music was all about drugs. When we all now know that heroin (heroin chic) and cocaine were rife in the indie guitar scene. Leading to many a second dull album and band breakup. So sorted for E's at the time was wrongly held as an anti drug anthem, which came from a scene with a far worse drug problem. Oh and Jarvis is now making house music. Irony upon irony.