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.
Your breath is sweet
Your eyes are like two jewels in the sky
Your back is straight, your hair is smooth
On the pillow where you lie
But I don't sense affection
No gratitude or love
Your loyalty is not to me
But to the stars above
One more cup of coffee for the road
One more cup of coffee 'fore I go
To the valley below
Your daddy, he's an outlaw
And a wanderer by trade
He'll teach you how to pick and choose
And how to throw the blade
He oversees his kingdom
So no stranger does intrude
His voice it trembles as he's calling out
For another plate of food
One more cup of coffee for the road
One more cup of coffee 'fore I go
To the valley below
Your sister sees the future
Like your mama and yourself
You've never learned to read or write
There's no books upon your shelf
And your pleasure knows no limits
Your voice is like a meadowlark
But your heart is like an ocean
Mysterious and dark
One more cup of coffee for the road
One more cup of coffee 'fore I go
To the valley below
Your eyes are like two jewels in the sky
Your back is straight, your hair is smooth
On the pillow where you lie
But I don't sense affection
No gratitude or love
Your loyalty is not to me
But to the stars above
One more cup of coffee for the road
One more cup of coffee 'fore I go
To the valley below
Your daddy, he's an outlaw
And a wanderer by trade
He'll teach you how to pick and choose
And how to throw the blade
He oversees his kingdom
So no stranger does intrude
His voice it trembles as he's calling out
For another plate of food
One more cup of coffee for the road
One more cup of coffee 'fore I go
To the valley below
Your sister sees the future
Like your mama and yourself
You've never learned to read or write
There's no books upon your shelf
And your pleasure knows no limits
Your voice is like a meadowlark
But your heart is like an ocean
Mysterious and dark
One more cup of coffee for the road
One more cup of coffee 'fore I go
To the valley below
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Light Up The Sky
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Van Halen
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"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.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Amazing song! The Arabic influence is incredible, and pull's it off extremely well - I certainly can't sing like this and if I try to sing along it sounds like dreadful wailing (and I'm not a terrible singer, in general!)
This song is about a guy who falls in love with an uneducated, beautiful, mysterious, travelling gypsy who he is love with, but her commitment is to nature and her family and he knows he cannot hold onto her.
@rebbit can you plz show me the Arabic influence that you are talking about? <br /> <br /> and yea great understanding I feel the same about the song too. about a guy.....<br />
I think this song is about unrequitted love
I always thought it was Bob commenting about a wild girl who he wants for a relationship...but being wild, she'll never settle down.
This is a haunting song. Always been one of my favorite, late at night, alone with a beer song.
his vocals are amazing, spine tingling song.
I absolutley adore this song.I can't believe there isn't more comment on this.It was the very first Dylan song I'd ever listened.And now I'm a huge Dylan fan and I know all of his songs by heart.
Anyway I think this song tells the story of a rambler who falls in love with a gypsy girl who is wild and hard to tame.So he doesn't have any chose but rambling on.
I think he sings it after they made love for the last time,
Your breath is sweet Your eyes are like two jewels in the sky. Your back is straight, your hair is smooth On the pillow where you lie.
He knows he's got to go.Because she won't be his to have.He still loves her.Although he doesn't sense any love from her.Or affection or gratitude to make him stay.
Note:Sorry for my english if I made any mistake.
@ecekam : I think you got it right. They are definately laying in the same bed in the beginning. Thats a great start to understand the mood in the rest of teh song.<br /> <br /> Much later in the song I & I he sings: “Beens son long since a strange woman slept in my bed, look how sweet she sleeps, how free must be her dreams”
The song is arabic/spanish/greek... as it's arranged in phrygian mode.
As far as meaning, it's classic Dylan, interpreting the existance (and relationship) between Man and Woman. I wouldn't read too specific into it. It must be understood from (what is likely) his point of view.. intense love. The man's ability to love a woman, to desire her, solely, irrelevant of status, means, wealth.. simply her sexiness. The sexiness, of course, has a price.. her mind is 10 milleniums behind his; she is a simpleton, oblivious to his complexeities. Yet, her simplicities are a dagger. He knows this.. takes want he can from her, as she is already (still) under the spell of other men. Disgusted with his desires, drags his own dagger across her upon exit... Metaphorically.
@res07njc : Very interesting. COuld also be that she is superior in her “simplicity”. Although subject to her fathers dominance, she is closer to the real world/nature than he is in his “complexity” as you write it. Her “pleasure knoes no limits” she’s close to true nature, and her loyalty is “to the stars above”:<br /> <br /> And your pleasure knows no limits<br /> Your voice is like a meadowlark<br /> But your heart is like an ocean<br /> Mysterious and dark<br /> <br /> She is probably more ture to life than most of us. <br /> <br /> Just a thought of course :-)<br />
how has no one commented on this song its amazing
who is the woman he sings this song with?
Emmylou Harris
Such an amazing song, and his vocals are wicked.