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.
Stand back!
Stand back!
What are those dogs doing sniffing at my feet
They're on to something, picking up
Picking up this heat, this heat
[Chorus 1:]
Give me steam
And how you feel to make it real
Real as anything you've seen
Get a life with this dreamer's dream
You know your culture from your trash
You know your plastic from your cash
When I lose sight of the track
You know the way back
But I know you
You know your stripper from your paint
You know your sinner from your saint
Whenever heaven's doors are shut
You kick them open but
I know you
[Chorus 2:]
Give me steam
And how you feel to make it real
Real as any place you've been
Get a life with the dreamer's dream
Stand back!
Stand back!
Can't you see I've lost control I'm getting indiscreet
You're moving in so close 'til I'm picking up
Picking up this heat, this heat
[Chorus 1]
You know your green from your red
You know the quick from the dead
So much better than the rest
You think you've been blessed
But I know you
You know your ladder from your snake
You know the throttle from the brake
You know your straight line from a curve
You've got a lot of nerve
But I know you
[Chorus 2]
Everybody nosedive
Hold your breath, count to five
Back-slap, booby-trap,
Cover it up in bubble wrap
Room shake, earthquake
Find a way to stay awake
It's going to blow, it's going to break
This is more than I can take
Oh yeah, I need steam
Feel the steam all around me
Ah you're turning up the heat
When I start to dream aloud
See you move your hands and feet
Won't you step into this cloud of steam
This steam
[Chorus 1]
Help me yeah
Ready to steam out the log jam
Stir crazy from the freezer to the boil
Water's bubbling, it's b-b-b-bubbling
Bubbling [Repeat x 4]
Like it's coming to a boil
Give me steam, lady
Give me steam around me now
Ahh, coming alive [Repeat x 2]
Said give me some steam
Stand back!
What are those dogs doing sniffing at my feet
They're on to something, picking up
Picking up this heat, this heat
[Chorus 1:]
Give me steam
And how you feel to make it real
Real as anything you've seen
Get a life with this dreamer's dream
You know your culture from your trash
You know your plastic from your cash
When I lose sight of the track
You know the way back
But I know you
You know your stripper from your paint
You know your sinner from your saint
Whenever heaven's doors are shut
You kick them open but
I know you
[Chorus 2:]
Give me steam
And how you feel to make it real
Real as any place you've been
Get a life with the dreamer's dream
Stand back!
Stand back!
Can't you see I've lost control I'm getting indiscreet
You're moving in so close 'til I'm picking up
Picking up this heat, this heat
[Chorus 1]
You know your green from your red
You know the quick from the dead
So much better than the rest
You think you've been blessed
But I know you
You know your ladder from your snake
You know the throttle from the brake
You know your straight line from a curve
You've got a lot of nerve
But I know you
[Chorus 2]
Everybody nosedive
Hold your breath, count to five
Back-slap, booby-trap,
Cover it up in bubble wrap
Room shake, earthquake
Find a way to stay awake
It's going to blow, it's going to break
This is more than I can take
Oh yeah, I need steam
Feel the steam all around me
Ah you're turning up the heat
When I start to dream aloud
See you move your hands and feet
Won't you step into this cloud of steam
This steam
[Chorus 1]
Help me yeah
Ready to steam out the log jam
Stir crazy from the freezer to the boil
Water's bubbling, it's b-b-b-bubbling
Bubbling [Repeat x 4]
Like it's coming to a boil
Give me steam, lady
Give me steam around me now
Ahh, coming alive [Repeat x 2]
Said give me some steam
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
If you watch the video to this song, it is very much all about sex, more so even than sledgehammer. It's a woman who knows everything, and a guy who knows nothing except he knows everything about this woman (well put, Syndicate).
Definitely one of PG's best--it was popular for a reason. Of course, I'm a fan of most of his stuff.