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.
Eli's comin'
Eli's comin' (Eli's a-comin')
Well you better hide your heart, your loving heart
Eli's a-comin' and the cards say... a broken heart
Eli's comin', hide your heart, girl
Eli's comin', hide your heart, girl
Girl, Eli's a-comin', you better hide
Girl, Eli's a-comin', you better hide
Girl, Eli's a-comin', you better hide
Girl, Eli's comin', hide your heart, girl (hide it)
You better, better hide your heart
Eli's comin', better walk
Walk but you'll never get away
No, you'll never get away
From the burnin' a-heartache
I walked to Apollo by the bay
Everywhere I go though,
Eli's a-comin' (she walked but she never got away)
Eli's a-comin' (she walked but she never got away)
Eli's a-comin' and he's comin' to git ya
(she walked but... she walked but...)
Get down on your knees
(she walked but she never got away)
Eli's comin' (hide it, hide it, hide it)
Girl, Eli's a-comin', you better hide
Girl, Eli's a-comin', you better hide
Girl, Eli's a-comin', you better hide
Girl, Eli's comin', hide your heart, girl
(Hide it)
You better, better hide your heart
Eli's comin', better walk
Walk but you'll never get away
No, you'll never get away from the burnin' a-heartache
I walked to Apollo by the bay
Everywhere I go though, Eli's a-comin'
(she walked but she'll never getaway)
Eli's a-comin' (she walked but she'll never get away)
Eli's a-comin' and he's comin' to git ya
(She walked but, she walked but)
Get down on your knees
(She walked but she'll never get away)
Get down on your knees
No-no, no-no
Lord, I said no-no, no-no, no-no
(Hide it) She can
(Hide it) hide it
(Hide it) You better
(Hide it) Somebody
(Hide it) You got t'
(Hide it) Oh, my
(Hide it) Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Eli's comin' (Eli's a-comin')
Well you better hide your heart, your loving heart
Eli's a-comin' and the cards say... a broken heart
Eli's comin', hide your heart, girl
Eli's comin', hide your heart, girl
Girl, Eli's a-comin', you better hide
Girl, Eli's a-comin', you better hide
Girl, Eli's a-comin', you better hide
Girl, Eli's comin', hide your heart, girl (hide it)
You better, better hide your heart
Eli's comin', better walk
Walk but you'll never get away
No, you'll never get away
From the burnin' a-heartache
I walked to Apollo by the bay
Everywhere I go though,
Eli's a-comin' (she walked but she never got away)
Eli's a-comin' (she walked but she never got away)
Eli's a-comin' and he's comin' to git ya
(she walked but... she walked but...)
Get down on your knees
(she walked but she never got away)
Eli's comin' (hide it, hide it, hide it)
Girl, Eli's a-comin', you better hide
Girl, Eli's a-comin', you better hide
Girl, Eli's a-comin', you better hide
Girl, Eli's comin', hide your heart, girl
(Hide it)
You better, better hide your heart
Eli's comin', better walk
Walk but you'll never get away
No, you'll never get away from the burnin' a-heartache
I walked to Apollo by the bay
Everywhere I go though, Eli's a-comin'
(she walked but she'll never getaway)
Eli's a-comin' (she walked but she'll never get away)
Eli's a-comin' and he's comin' to git ya
(She walked but, she walked but)
Get down on your knees
(She walked but she'll never get away)
Get down on your knees
No-no, no-no
Lord, I said no-no, no-no, no-no
(Hide it) She can
(Hide it) hide it
(Hide it) You better
(Hide it) Somebody
(Hide it) You got t'
(Hide it) Oh, my
(Hide it) Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
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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.
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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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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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 like to sing this when the Giants play .. gotta love Eli Manning
His first name is not Eli he hates his real name so he uses an alias
@DmBl0vErx3 No song for Daniel Jones?
i first heard this song on the fantastic show Sports Night. although i do know it's about a womanizer and the spearker is warning women about him, i do get the same feeling as Dan (Josh Charles) got. eli represents something bad, something you can't really define, but you know it's bad. heh. whatever.
Sounds like the case, but I was wondering if there is any specific meaning to Laura Nyro as an experience with someone? Anyone know?
Another one of the Greatest songs of all time...If only people could understand the true meaning of Three Dog Night's songs...
Except, like most of their songs, they did not write them. Eli was written by Laura Nyro<br />
I'm guessing you don't or you'd fill us in on this one.
@Wedenfudd The meaning is straight forward, Eli is a cad who coming to get her to break her heart even if she tries to avoid him "I walk by Apollo by the Bay" - likely the Apollo Theater, but we will never know. Then he does get her "she walked but she never not away" and then breaks her heart by ignoring her "no he's never going to hear and he ain't going to follow down at the corner of the square". That last line is from Laura's original and not in the Three Dog Night's cover version. A lot of people have tried to add all sorts of deep meanings, (Apollo and Daphne from Greek mythology etc.) but I don't buy that.<br />
I believe this is what went through the mind of Eve after she had eaten from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and then heard God walking through the garden of eden , realizing that she was naked she wanted to hide herself (her body) but also her heart and soul from Eli , the name Eli means my God , so the song is really saying - my Gods coming hide your heart girl and since it says girl here it leads one to believe that the thoughts are being spoken to her or communicated to her from outside of herself , the serpent spoke to her in the garden and decieved her into believing that God was holding back something good from her and made her believe the knowledge of good and evil was a good thing and would make her like God , the serpent was very well still speaking to her and that's what this song is about , it's a Spirit of fear telling her to run from God and it's coming from the one who wants to keep her from God and from trusting that he is good.
Apollo was the god of music and if you look it up you'll see Apollo is everything that the Bible describes as Lucifer
Interesting--you too, Soz (the first replier).
Although I love this version from TDN this song was written by Laura Nyro's second album, I believe, Eli and the Thirteenth Confession (1968). Laura Nyro wrote a lot of other great hits, "Stoned Soul Picnic," covered by The 5th Dimension "Wedding Bell Blues," covered by The 5th Dimension "And When I Die" (covered by Blood, Sweat & Tears).
"I walked to Apollo by the bay" What the Hell does that mean? Something to do with the moon landing? Another version says "I walked to the Parlor every day" Either way it does not make sense.
in response to dantr5
continuing my comment, i think she is refering to the apollo theater which is near the east river that empty's into the bay that leads to the atlantic which makes sense as she is from NYC. As for sozosreign that is a very interesting intrepretation.
@tryndi17 The Apollo theater is not close to the East River, it's close to the Harlem River, and neither river nor the theater is near any bay in NYC at all.