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.
Along the Palo Duro canyon
Red River shows so many eyes
One eye squinting shading from the sun, shoot me
Black as oil, his hair shone
Lily white his skin glistened
Restless as the reed between his lips blew
It's just that mean old Texas sun
It makes me dizzy, dizzy, dizzy in my head
What day is this? I quietly asked the sky
What time is it? he asked me sitting up
Love that villain on the run
He's got me spinning 'round and falling on my head
What are you running from? I asked the white boy
From the guys who chased me there come run
I need your dark skin to sit beside me in my car
Light up my cigar, I'll light you
It's just that mean old Texas sun
It makes me dizzy, dizzy, dizzy in my head
Love that villain on the run
He's got me spinning 'round and falling on my head
And dizzy, dizzy, dizzy
In my head
He said, you're only Indian in Oklahoma
You could be melting in America
White on red, melt with my skin
These two hearts will beat along the walls of our hotel
I need your dark skin to sit beside me in my car
Light up my cigar, I'll light you
It's just that mean old Texas sun
It makes me dizzy, dizzy, dizzy in my head
The last I saw of Oklahoma
A gas station fading in the dusk
Goodbye to my father, I thought, I'm carrying the light
The light of my Comanche
Make sure the dog remembers me
I dream the sand beneath your feet
I hold the light
It's just that mean old Texas sun
It makes me dizzy, dizzy, dizzy in my head
Love that villain on the run
He's got me spinning 'round and falling on my head
And dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, dizzy
In my head
Red River shows so many eyes
One eye squinting shading from the sun, shoot me
Black as oil, his hair shone
Lily white his skin glistened
Restless as the reed between his lips blew
It's just that mean old Texas sun
It makes me dizzy, dizzy, dizzy in my head
What day is this? I quietly asked the sky
What time is it? he asked me sitting up
Love that villain on the run
He's got me spinning 'round and falling on my head
What are you running from? I asked the white boy
From the guys who chased me there come run
I need your dark skin to sit beside me in my car
Light up my cigar, I'll light you
It's just that mean old Texas sun
It makes me dizzy, dizzy, dizzy in my head
Love that villain on the run
He's got me spinning 'round and falling on my head
And dizzy, dizzy, dizzy
In my head
He said, you're only Indian in Oklahoma
You could be melting in America
White on red, melt with my skin
These two hearts will beat along the walls of our hotel
I need your dark skin to sit beside me in my car
Light up my cigar, I'll light you
It's just that mean old Texas sun
It makes me dizzy, dizzy, dizzy in my head
The last I saw of Oklahoma
A gas station fading in the dusk
Goodbye to my father, I thought, I'm carrying the light
The light of my Comanche
Make sure the dog remembers me
I dream the sand beneath your feet
I hold the light
It's just that mean old Texas sun
It makes me dizzy, dizzy, dizzy in my head
Love that villain on the run
He's got me spinning 'round and falling on my head
And dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, dizzy
In my head
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
Dizzy Lyrics as written by Kristin Hersh
Lyrics © HEYDAY MEDIA GROUP LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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My favorite Throwing Muses song. The story it tells is just lightly evoked but so full of atmosphere. It's like a montage of stills from a movie you loved but can't remember very well.
I love this song too, especially because it's slow-quick-slow phrasing makes it a challenge to learn off by heart. I'd love to be driving through Texas with this on the CD player...and (preferably) Dennis Quaid in the passenger seat!
I read an interview wherein Kristin said that this was her attempt to write a commercial pop song for the radio - she hates the song. Personally, I like it. I first heard it while living in North Carolina - it brought back fond memories of backpacking in the Southwest.