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.
With the heartbreak open
So much you can't hide
Put on a little makeup, makeup
Make sure they get your good side, good side
If the words unspoken
Get stuck in your throat
Send a treasure token token
Write it on a pound note, pound note
Goody two, goody two, goody goody two shoes
Goody two, goody two, goody goody two shoes
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
We don't follow fashion
That would be a joke
You know we're going to set them, set them
So everyone can take note, take note
When they saw you kneeling
Crying words that you mean
Opening their eyeballs, eyeballs
Pretending that you're Al Green, Al Green
Goody two, goody two, goody goody two shoes
Goody two, goody two, goody goody two shoes
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
No one's gonna tell me
What's wrong or what's right
Or tell me who to eat with sleep with
Or that I've won the big fight, big fight
Look out or they'll tell you
You're a Superstar
Two weeks and you're an all time legend
I think the games have gone much too far
If the words unspoken
It get stuck in your throat
Send a treasure token, token
Write it on a pound note, pound note
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
He said, don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
He said don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
He said no drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
He said no drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
So much you can't hide
Put on a little makeup, makeup
Make sure they get your good side, good side
If the words unspoken
Get stuck in your throat
Send a treasure token token
Write it on a pound note, pound note
Goody two, goody two, goody goody two shoes
Goody two, goody two, goody goody two shoes
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
We don't follow fashion
That would be a joke
You know we're going to set them, set them
So everyone can take note, take note
When they saw you kneeling
Crying words that you mean
Opening their eyeballs, eyeballs
Pretending that you're Al Green, Al Green
Goody two, goody two, goody goody two shoes
Goody two, goody two, goody goody two shoes
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
No one's gonna tell me
What's wrong or what's right
Or tell me who to eat with sleep with
Or that I've won the big fight, big fight
Look out or they'll tell you
You're a Superstar
Two weeks and you're an all time legend
I think the games have gone much too far
If the words unspoken
It get stuck in your throat
Send a treasure token, token
Write it on a pound note, pound note
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
He said, don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
He said don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
He said no drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
He said no drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuends follow
There must be something inside
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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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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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
On the face of it they seem to be about fame, appearing to be very clean living, and at the same time hinting that he is interested in sex rather than intoxicants.
I am probably reading far too much into them but Adam Ant is someone who had a mystical/psychotic experience and there is something about these lyrics, that make me think that they may also be about an altered state of consciousness, or my axe to grind.
A little preamble. Derrida claims that the Western world, our philosophy, religion, and self above all, centre on the experience of hearing oneself speak in ones head. We usually assume that the phoneme are accompanied by ideas which we call to mind via the phonemes, to weigh up the ideas, or practice saying them to others. Derrida however believes that there is no duality (phoneme in the head, plus idea, concept whatever) except in time. We say things to ourselves, and then we hear and react to them. By doing this we create in ourselves a sort of radio play with one actor and two personae who act out a sordid love affair inside our heads. Derrida illustrates this with his book "The Post Card" which appears to be a collection of auto-erotic, homo-erotic, self-addressed, postcards. Derrida links the way in which language gets inside us to the myth of the fall in Genesis.
Adam Ant also named himself Adam after Adam in Genesis and as an ant, some how minute in comparison to that which he had experienced.
The verse
If the words unspoken, Get stuck in your throat Send a treasure token, token, Write it on a pound note, pound note
Remind me of the Fall (Adam's apple stuck in your throat), and Derrida's gambit, comparing words in the mind to those written on post cards.
This verse, seems so straight forward till the final line.
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do? You don't drink don't smoke - what do you do? Subtle innuendoes follow, There must be something inside
It sounds like he is being asked what he is into. And the subtle innuendoes suggests that he is into sex (as he was, by all accounts) but what is the "There must be something inside" bit? Again, this reminds me of Derrida and the internal love affair.
Then there are some verses that seem to be about fame, but once again, returning to the words stuck in his throat. I am sure that I am reading too much into this!