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.
Ferie dearest, was it loe soothfast or a façade
A serenade siren'd to lure Zounds! not to court me?
A menad, yet the sweetest colleen
Certes didst thou me unveil meekly life pristine
Lorelei
A poet of tragedies, scribe I lauds to Death
Yet who the hell was I to dare?
Lorelei
Canst thou not see thou to me needful art?
Canst thou not see the loss of loe painful is?
Dedally didst thou perform the tragic pasquinade
For all years a damndest and driegh'd accolade
Caus'd for all eyes mazed to behold a mêlee
In the midst did I swainly cast thee my bouquet
The one and sole faggot that feedeth the fire
Bellow'd bidingly by my heart's quailing quire
Lorelei
A poet of tragedies, scribe I lauds to Death
Yet who the hell was I to dare?
Lorelei
Canst thou not see thou to me needful art?
Canst thou not see the loss of loe painful is?
Perchance author I thee this ikon'd apologue for aught
Doth the wecht burthen thee?, then bethink thine afterthought
'Tween Aether and 'Nether art thou the peerless phoenix
Prithee, darlingmost! - court me rather than the peevish prolix
A serenade siren'd to lure Zounds! not to court me?
A menad, yet the sweetest colleen
Certes didst thou me unveil meekly life pristine
Lorelei
A poet of tragedies, scribe I lauds to Death
Yet who the hell was I to dare?
Lorelei
Canst thou not see thou to me needful art?
Canst thou not see the loss of loe painful is?
Dedally didst thou perform the tragic pasquinade
For all years a damndest and driegh'd accolade
Caus'd for all eyes mazed to behold a mêlee
In the midst did I swainly cast thee my bouquet
The one and sole faggot that feedeth the fire
Bellow'd bidingly by my heart's quailing quire
Lorelei
A poet of tragedies, scribe I lauds to Death
Yet who the hell was I to dare?
Lorelei
Canst thou not see thou to me needful art?
Canst thou not see the loss of loe painful is?
Perchance author I thee this ikon'd apologue for aught
Doth the wecht burthen thee?, then bethink thine afterthought
'Tween Aether and 'Nether art thou the peerless phoenix
Prithee, darlingmost! - court me rather than the peevish prolix
Lyrics submitted by TheUnholyMaster
Lorelei Lyrics as written by Laura Elizabeth Weymouth Tina Weymouth
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Lovely song, and, contrary to popular opinion, I think the use of archaic whose meaning is slightly opaque actually adds to the gothic ambience of the music rather than detracts from it.
Anyway, the credits at the bottom are amusingly erroneous - I think they've got this page confused with the song 'Lorelei' by the Comeback Kid. Oops.