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.
Alphabet city is haunted
Constantina feels right at home
She probably won't say you're wrong
But you're already wrong
You're already wrong
And you threw up whatever she shot down
Said show me around this alphabet town
Said show me around
There's a name you keep repeating
You got nothing better to do
And you're with someone who'll hear you say it and just not mind
Her hand on your arm
Her hand on your arm
She put her hand on your arm
And told you her name you can't pronounce it
I'll show you around this alphabet town
I'll show you around this alphabet town
I know what you are
I just don't mind
I won't say you're wrong
I know what you want
And it's what I want
So let's go out
I'm ready to go out
I'll show you around this alphabet town
I'll show you around this alphabet town
Constantina feels right at home
She probably won't say you're wrong
But you're already wrong
You're already wrong
And you threw up whatever she shot down
Said show me around this alphabet town
Said show me around
There's a name you keep repeating
You got nothing better to do
And you're with someone who'll hear you say it and just not mind
Her hand on your arm
Her hand on your arm
She put her hand on your arm
And told you her name you can't pronounce it
I'll show you around this alphabet town
I'll show you around this alphabet town
I know what you are
I just don't mind
I won't say you're wrong
I know what you want
And it's what I want
So let's go out
I'm ready to go out
I'll show you around this alphabet town
I'll show you around this alphabet town
Lyrics submitted by EnjOy IncUbus, edited by Afternoonmoon, ol_ly
Alphabet Town Lyrics as written by Steven Paul Smith
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
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I think the term "Alphabet City or town" implies apathy for where he lives, basically it being so insignificant to him that the people who inhabit it are just seen as initials of the alphabet. People come in alphabetical order. Just another person, they don't matter to him.
I figure that there's a girl he is talking about in particular that he's showing around though this town he despises. He doesn't have feelings for her and nor does she for him. She may be a drug dealer to make the situation even more unhealthy. They are both aware of the fact that this relationship is meaningless. But they are both going along with it. I figure using each other as an escape.
There's a heavy apathy / emptiness implied in both their lives cause firstly they are both seeking an escape but at the same time, the escape itself is meaningless. I can only imagine how lonely that must be. For me, it has to be one of the saddest songs I've ever heard. The harmonica is haunting and just deepens the overall feeling of this song. The thing that is just so genius about Eliott's songwriting is that he implies things that aren't so obvious "told you her name you can't pronounce", "with someone who will hear you say it and just not mind", the idea of "alphabet town". He's not just talking about crying or any other pop cliche lyric that shows sadness. His pain runs deep. Real pain is in the small gestures of carelessness rather than just straightforward pain. This song carries depth and shows or describes a sad situation and the way it makes Elliott feel or not feel. It amazes me.