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.
Could we do it again
If he asked how it felt
And I didn't say this time
You tried to scare me with empty thoughts
That means not a thing
'Cause I'm down behind you
Could we swing it again
If I changed how he looked
And turned to the right to bend
You live with something that I can't explain
But your face cracks a smile when you see it shining
You feel things in your own way
And I'm supposed to lay down and bow to you
I'm tired of bailing hay for something that I can't see
I don't want to be you
You don't want to be me.
Just let it breathe
If the moon goes up tomorrow and I'm down on a farm
And you don't believe whose writing with me
Keep your hands to yourself
Keep your mind to yourself
Keep your breath to yourself
Let me float on by you
You see things in your own way
And I'm supposed to lay down and bow to you
I'm tired of bailing hay for something that I can't see
You don't want to be me
I don't want to be you
It's so very necessary
It's so delectable to see a stone
It's so impossible to find a reason
When you're standing there
Watching me now
Could we live it again
If we dressed just the same
And held on to lovers when
We couldn't really live with anyone
See mostly ourselves so just go on lying
You feel things in your own way
And I'm supposed to lay down and bow to you
I'm tired of bailing hay for someone that I can't see
I don't want to be you
You don't want to be me
Just let it breathe
Let it breathe
If he asked how it felt
And I didn't say this time
You tried to scare me with empty thoughts
That means not a thing
'Cause I'm down behind you
Could we swing it again
If I changed how he looked
And turned to the right to bend
You live with something that I can't explain
But your face cracks a smile when you see it shining
You feel things in your own way
And I'm supposed to lay down and bow to you
I'm tired of bailing hay for something that I can't see
I don't want to be you
You don't want to be me.
Just let it breathe
If the moon goes up tomorrow and I'm down on a farm
And you don't believe whose writing with me
Keep your hands to yourself
Keep your mind to yourself
Keep your breath to yourself
Let me float on by you
You see things in your own way
And I'm supposed to lay down and bow to you
I'm tired of bailing hay for something that I can't see
You don't want to be me
I don't want to be you
It's so very necessary
It's so delectable to see a stone
It's so impossible to find a reason
When you're standing there
Watching me now
Could we live it again
If we dressed just the same
And held on to lovers when
We couldn't really live with anyone
See mostly ourselves so just go on lying
You feel things in your own way
And I'm supposed to lay down and bow to you
I'm tired of bailing hay for someone that I can't see
I don't want to be you
You don't want to be me
Just let it breathe
Let it breathe
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
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
Jane's Addiction
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."
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
no comments for this song? I think its beautiful. what's it about? hell if i know...i always felt like it was possibly about forced labor or a parent-child relationship or someone resisting organized religion.
I always pictured a relationship that doesn't work out between a farmhand and the owner's daughter...
this song is totally about someone ( a guy ) who messed up once or many times before, and he finally realizes he messed up and wants her back, but they both have to take their time to build up what the once had . "Could we swing it again If I changed how he looked And turned to the right to bend You live with something that I can’t explain But your face cracks a smile when you see it shining" , he know that he needs to change for good to win her back, and she knows they still have something special but they have to take it slow this time(she's afraid she will get hurt again) ... LET IT BREATHE
My initial thoughts are that this song is about two people who were once together and are now apart. The singer is considering getting back together ("could we do it again", "could we swing it again") but during their relationship they had problems ("I don't want to be you, you don't want to be me") and it lead them to their current state of being apart. The singer is questioning if their relationship was fatally flawed and if they get back together wouldn’t it just me more of the same flawed relationship ("could we live it again if we dressed the same and held on to lovers when we couldn’t… live with anyone?”) Yet there are strong feelings of wanting/needing/desiring to get back together driven perhaps by compulsion, lingering feelings, proximity. (“it’s so very necessary…when you’re standing there”). He feels the need to try because it’s sitting right there and there’s no sense of closure, so he wants to try again and turn over every stone to make it work (“it so delectable to see a stone”). Once you’re out of a relationship your mind can tend to wander back to the good times and you ignore why you broke up. I imagine that’s what the singer is feeling. (“it’s so impossible to find a reason”) He knows his love is unrequited (“you feel things in your own way”). He asks himself if he should be feeling love if it’s ummatched (“I’m supposed to lay down and bow to you”). He’s frustrated by feeling this way (“I’m tired of bailing hay for someone that I can’t see”). The person he can’t see is the person who once loved him back. He doesn’t want to stop loving her (“I don’t want to be you”) but she doesn’t want to love him back (“you don’t want to be me”)
Ultimately though he comes to the conclusion that he need time and space from the relationship. (“let it breathe”). The repetition of that statement is a self-delivered reminder to the singer. It mirrors that mind of a man who feels unrequited love, that space and time are necessary because the heart heals slowly.
@mathew1015 on second thought, i think i missed a lot of what was going on in the first few verses. I'm going to revisit this.