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 didn't want to do it but I got too lonely
I had to call you up in the middle of the night
I know it's awful hard to try to make love long distance
But I really needed stimulation
Though it was only my imagination
It's just a fantasy (oh oh oh oh)
It's not the real thing (oh oh oh oh)
It's just a fantasy (oh oh oh oh)
It's not the real thing (oh oh oh oh)
But sometimes a fantasy (oh oh oh oh)
Is all you need, oh oh oh
When am I gonna take control get a hold of my emotions
Why does it only seem to hit me in the middle of the night
You told me there's a number I can always dial for assistance
I don't want to deal with outside action
Only you can give me satisfaction
It's just a fantasy (oh oh oh oh)
It's not the real thing (oh oh oh oh)
It's just a fantasy (oh oh oh oh)
It's not the real thing (oh oh oh oh)
But sometimes a fantasy (oh oh oh oh)
Is all you need, oh oh oh
Sure it would be better if I had you here to hold me
Be better baby but believe me it's the next best thing
I'm sure there's many times you've wanted me to hear your secrets
Don't be afraid to say the words that move me
Anytime you want to tell them to me
It's just a fantasy
It's not the real thing
It's just a fantasy
It's not the real thing
But sometimes a fantasy
Is all you need
Just a fantasy (it's just a fantasy)
It's not the real thing (it's not the real thing)
It's just a fantasy (it's just a fantasy)
It's not the real thing (it's not the real thing)
It's just a fantasy (it's just a fantasy)
It's not the real thing (it's not the real thing)
It's just a fantasy (it's just a fantasy)
It's not the real thing (it's not the real thing)
Just a fantasy (it's just a fantasy)
It's not the real thing (it's not the real thing)
It's just a fantasy (it's just a fantasy)
It's not the real thing (it's not the real thing)
I had to call you up in the middle of the night
I know it's awful hard to try to make love long distance
But I really needed stimulation
Though it was only my imagination
It's just a fantasy (oh oh oh oh)
It's not the real thing (oh oh oh oh)
It's just a fantasy (oh oh oh oh)
It's not the real thing (oh oh oh oh)
But sometimes a fantasy (oh oh oh oh)
Is all you need, oh oh oh
When am I gonna take control get a hold of my emotions
Why does it only seem to hit me in the middle of the night
You told me there's a number I can always dial for assistance
I don't want to deal with outside action
Only you can give me satisfaction
It's just a fantasy (oh oh oh oh)
It's not the real thing (oh oh oh oh)
It's just a fantasy (oh oh oh oh)
It's not the real thing (oh oh oh oh)
But sometimes a fantasy (oh oh oh oh)
Is all you need, oh oh oh
Sure it would be better if I had you here to hold me
Be better baby but believe me it's the next best thing
I'm sure there's many times you've wanted me to hear your secrets
Don't be afraid to say the words that move me
Anytime you want to tell them to me
It's just a fantasy
It's not the real thing
It's just a fantasy
It's not the real thing
But sometimes a fantasy
Is all you need
Just a fantasy (it's just a fantasy)
It's not the real thing (it's not the real thing)
It's just a fantasy (it's just a fantasy)
It's not the real thing (it's not the real thing)
It's just a fantasy (it's just a fantasy)
It's not the real thing (it's not the real thing)
It's just a fantasy (it's just a fantasy)
It's not the real thing (it's not the real thing)
Just a fantasy (it's just a fantasy)
It's not the real thing (it's not the real thing)
It's just a fantasy (it's just a fantasy)
It's not the real thing (it's not the real thing)
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More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
I think it's him trying to tell his girl he needs a little spice while he's away from her. And if she's not going to get it from her, he's going to live a fantasy with a sex hot line