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.
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
When the party was nice, the party was bumpin'
Hey, yippie, yi, yo
And everybody havin' a ball
Ha, ha, yippie, yi, yo
I tell the fellas stop the name callin'
Hey, yippie, yi, yo
Then them gyals respond to the call
I hear a woman shout out
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
I see ya' little speed boat head up our coast
She really want to skip town
Get back ruffy, back scruffy
Get back you flea infested mongrel
I'm gonna tell myself I might not get angry
Hey, yippie, yi, yo
To hear dem gyals calling them canine
Hey, yippie, yi, yo
But they say, "Hey man dat is part of the party"
Hey, yippie, yi, yo
Them woman in front and they man behind
I hear a woman shout out
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
A doggy is nothing if he don't have a bone (yeah, yeah, yeah)
All a doggy hold ya' bone, all doggy hold it
Ah doggy is nothing if he don't have a bone
All doggy hold ya' bone, all doggy hold it (hol' it, hol' it)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
I see ya' little speed boat head up our coast
She really want to skip town
Get back fluffy, back scruffy
Get back you flea infested mongrel
Well if I am a dog
The party is on
I gotta get my groove on 'cause my mind done gone
Do you see the rays coming from my eyes?
Walking through the place the diji-man just breaking 'em down
Me and my white socks
Short and I can't see color
Any color but you
I'm figuring that's why they call me pit bull
'Cause I'm the man of the land when they see me they say, "ooh"
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
When the party was nice, the party was bumpin'
Hey, yippie, yi, yo
And everybody havin' a ball
Ha, ha, yippie, yi, yo
I tell the fellas stop the name callin'
Hey, yippie, yi, yo
Then them gyals respond to the call
I hear a woman shout out
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
I see ya' little speed boat head up our coast
She really want to skip town
Get back ruffy, back scruffy
Get back you flea infested mongrel
I'm gonna tell myself I might not get angry
Hey, yippie, yi, yo
To hear dem gyals calling them canine
Hey, yippie, yi, yo
But they say, "Hey man dat is part of the party"
Hey, yippie, yi, yo
Them woman in front and they man behind
I hear a woman shout out
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
A doggy is nothing if he don't have a bone (yeah, yeah, yeah)
All a doggy hold ya' bone, all doggy hold it
Ah doggy is nothing if he don't have a bone
All doggy hold ya' bone, all doggy hold it (hol' it, hol' it)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
I see ya' little speed boat head up our coast
She really want to skip town
Get back fluffy, back scruffy
Get back you flea infested mongrel
Well if I am a dog
The party is on
I gotta get my groove on 'cause my mind done gone
Do you see the rays coming from my eyes?
Walking through the place the diji-man just breaking 'em down
Me and my white socks
Short and I can't see color
Any color but you
I'm figuring that's why they call me pit bull
'Cause I'm the man of the land when they see me they say, "ooh"
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
Who let the dogs out?
Who, who, who, who, who? (yippie, yi, yo)
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Light Up The Sky
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
This song is about the inspirational film "Cool Runnings" and that fabled bobsled crew's amorous nights in the Olympic Village.