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.
It's much too groovy a summer's day
To waste running 'round in the city
But here on the sand I can dream away
Or look at the girls in their pretty
It's a turn down day, nothin' on my mind
It's a turn down day and I dig it
There's nothing easier I can do
Than lyin' around doing nothing
It's a turn down day, just a turn 'round day
It's a turn down day and I dig it
Soft summer breeze and the surf rolls in
To laughter of small children playin'
Someone's radio has the news tuned in
But nobody cares what he's sayin'
Don't you know
It's a turn down day, nothin' on my mind
It's a turn down day and I dig it
Things that are waitin' to mess my mind
Will just have to wait 'til tomorrow
It's a turn down day, just a turn 'round day
It's a turn down day and I dig it
It's a turn down day, nothin' on my mind
It's a turn down day, just a turn 'round day
It's a turn down day, just a turn 'round day
To waste running 'round in the city
But here on the sand I can dream away
Or look at the girls in their pretty
It's a turn down day, nothin' on my mind
It's a turn down day and I dig it
There's nothing easier I can do
Than lyin' around doing nothing
It's a turn down day, just a turn 'round day
It's a turn down day and I dig it
Soft summer breeze and the surf rolls in
To laughter of small children playin'
Someone's radio has the news tuned in
But nobody cares what he's sayin'
Don't you know
It's a turn down day, nothin' on my mind
It's a turn down day and I dig it
Things that are waitin' to mess my mind
Will just have to wait 'til tomorrow
It's a turn down day, just a turn 'round day
It's a turn down day and I dig it
It's a turn down day, nothin' on my mind
It's a turn down day, just a turn 'round day
It's a turn down day, just a turn 'round day
Lyrics submitted by wickedred88
Turn Down Day Lyrics as written by Jerry Paul Keller David N. Blume
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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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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.
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I should have also noted the escalating Viet-Nam War and it's depressing effects on the youth culture. America has survived more serious wars than Viet-Nam but Viet-Nam presented unusual frustrations, including that the "mission" was not really to win the war, just "embarrass" the enemy and set up a corrupt Narco based government is South Vietnam to stem the tide of communism. Like Laos and Thailand. But this did not seem to be working and the media was full of bad news from Viet-Nam that was divisive. The draft also was a threat to the happy days youth culture of the late 1950s-mid 1960s. This was far less a factor when the song was written that when the song was released.