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'm never gonna say the words
That you want
I'm never gonna feel the shame
Like you do
I'm never gonna stretch my shape
To be with you
I only need you for a day
'Cause I only want to be your
Saturday savior
I can be that
Saturday savior
I will be your
Saturday savior
I can be that impostor in your bed
Wake him up please
I'm never gonna make you feel
That you're satisfied
I'm never gonna feel your pain
Like you wish I would
I'm never gonna open up
More than this
I just want to be your
I just want to be your
I'm never gonna break apart
Quite like you
I'm never gonna long for life
The way you do
I'm never gonna push you out
'Cause you're not in
This will only take a while
'Cause I only want to be your
Saturday savior
That you want
I'm never gonna feel the shame
Like you do
I'm never gonna stretch my shape
To be with you
I only need you for a day
'Cause I only want to be your
Saturday savior
I can be that
Saturday savior
I will be your
Saturday savior
I can be that impostor in your bed
Wake him up please
I'm never gonna make you feel
That you're satisfied
I'm never gonna feel your pain
Like you wish I would
I'm never gonna open up
More than this
I just want to be your
I just want to be your
I'm never gonna break apart
Quite like you
I'm never gonna long for life
The way you do
I'm never gonna push you out
'Cause you're not in
This will only take a while
'Cause I only want to be your
Saturday savior
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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."
No Surprises
Radiohead
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
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How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
While I understand this album had a lot to do with drug abuse, and of course we'll never know Failure's true meaning for Saturday Saviour unless they come right out and clarify, but I don't think this song is about addiction. A lot of people seem to jump to the heroin metaphor conclusion if drugs are mentioned as being instrumental in the making of an album or some of the subject material. Granted in certain cases it makes sense, but I don't think that's what this song is about.
I could be wrong, but to me this screams fuck buddy/friends with benefits from the perspective of an apathetic guy. "I'm never going to say the words that you want" might mean he's never going to say I love you, which would imply this isn't a relationship. This could also mean he's never going to be a nice or caring partner, but I think my former theory makes more sense, as it's backed up by lines like "I only want you for a day" - not generally a sentiment that screams "couple". Also "I'm never gonna push you out, cause you're not in", and of course the song title perpetuates the idea of being momentary and fleeting.
The perspective sounds cold and indifferent, but also kind of righteous, like "this is who I am, deal with it yourself". He's not issuing an apology. He's never going to make himself available for the person he's talking to, and he seems to be assuring them he only wants them for sex ("the imposter in your bed"). The pieces all seem to point to this being about someone he only wants for a day, or a lay, and that's all he's ever going to want them for.
The song is pretty sad and depressing, but it's one of my favorites from Failure. Such a great tune.