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.
Houses iced in whitewash guard a pale shoreline
Cornered by the cactus and the pine
Here I wander where sweet sage and strange herbs grow
Down a crumpled sun-baked stony road
Dusty wheels, leaning rusting in the sun
Snuff brown walls where Spanish lizards run
Here I'm shadowed by a dragon fig tree's fan
Ringed by ants and musing over man
I'll unwind my old strings while the sun shine down
Won't climb any high thing while the sun shine
Formentera Lady, sing your song for me
Formentera Lady, sun lover
Lamplight glows on old guitars, the travelers strum
Incense children dance to an Indian drum
Here Odysseus charmed for dark Circe fell
Still, her perfume lingers, still her spell
Time's grey hand won't catch me while the stars shine down
Untie and unlatch me while the stars shine
Formentera Lady, dance your dance for me
Formentera Lady, dark lover
Cornered by the cactus and the pine
Here I wander where sweet sage and strange herbs grow
Down a crumpled sun-baked stony road
Dusty wheels, leaning rusting in the sun
Snuff brown walls where Spanish lizards run
Here I'm shadowed by a dragon fig tree's fan
Ringed by ants and musing over man
I'll unwind my old strings while the sun shine down
Won't climb any high thing while the sun shine
Formentera Lady, sing your song for me
Formentera Lady, sun lover
Lamplight glows on old guitars, the travelers strum
Incense children dance to an Indian drum
Here Odysseus charmed for dark Circe fell
Still, her perfume lingers, still her spell
Time's grey hand won't catch me while the stars shine down
Untie and unlatch me while the stars shine
Formentera Lady, dance your dance for me
Formentera Lady, dark lover
Lyrics submitted by ruben, edited by carloshenrique, arobert
Formentera Lady Lyrics as written by Robert Fripp Peter John Sinfield
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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themodernword.com/joyce/music/crimson.html
He’s got some good points. It’s interesting, anyway.