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.
I was twenty-one years when I wrote this song
I'm twenty-two now but I won't be for long
Time hurries on
And the leaves that are green
Turn to brown
And they wither in the wind
And they crumble in your hand
Once my heart was filled with the love of a girl
I held her close but she faded in the night
Like a poem I meant to write
And the leaves that are green
Turn to brown
And they wither with the wind
And they crumble in your hand
I threw a pebble in a brook
And watched the ripples run away
And they never made a sound
And the leaves that are green
Turn to brown
And they wither iwith the wind
And they crumble in your hand
Hello, hello, hello, hello
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
That's all there is
And the leaves that are green
Turn to brown
I'm twenty-two now but I won't be for long
Time hurries on
And the leaves that are green
Turn to brown
And they wither in the wind
And they crumble in your hand
Once my heart was filled with the love of a girl
I held her close but she faded in the night
Like a poem I meant to write
And the leaves that are green
Turn to brown
And they wither with the wind
And they crumble in your hand
I threw a pebble in a brook
And watched the ripples run away
And they never made a sound
And the leaves that are green
Turn to brown
And they wither iwith the wind
And they crumble in your hand
Hello, hello, hello, hello
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
That's all there is
And the leaves that are green
Turn to brown
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I only found out recently that Billy Bragg had nicked the first 2 lines from Paul Simon. An admirer of Mr Bragg as I am, I think these lyrics belong in this song far more than they do in "A New England". The only criticism I would give is that the music is a little too "happy" for the lyrics, and doesn't give much sense of the mood, which I think should be, at best, melancholy. After all, getting old is pretty depressing! "Hazy Shade Of Winter" perfectly describes the life process and its music sets the exact scene whereas the music and lyrics seem to contradict themselves in this song.
I agree somewhat. Many times, Simon's melodies don't seem to match his lyrics. I think the point of this is to create an ironic juxtaposition. I actually think that the irony works with this song, although it distracts from the lyrics of others (i.e., Save the Life of My Child). A Hazy Shade of Winter is a separate case, because Simon does not attempt irony in pairing the music with the lyrics.
I think the original Paul Simon solo version has that 'less happy' arrangement and works much better