He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
Imagine your brain as a canister filled with ink
Yeah, now think of your body as the pen where the ink resides
Fuse the two, kapow, what are you now?
You're the human magic marker, won't you please surprise my eyes?
It's in your nature, you can paint whatever picture you like
No matter what Ted Koppel says on channel 4 tonight
So modify this third rock from the sun
By painting myriads of pictures with the colors of the one
I'm sick of painting in black and white
My pen is dry and I'm all uptight
So sick of limiting myself
To fit your definition
I'm sick of painting in black and white
My pen is dry and I'm all uptight
So sick of limiting myself
To fit your definition
Picture the scene, where whatever you thought
Would, in the blink of an eye, manifest and become illustrated
You'd be sure man that every line drawn
Reflected a life that you loved not an existence that you hated
So, must we demonstrate that we can't get it straight?
We've painted a picture now we're drowning in the paint
Let's figure out what the fuck it's about
Before the picture we painted chews us up and spits us out
I'm sick of painting in black and white
My pen is dry and I'm all uptight
So sick of limiting myself
To fit your definition
I'm sick of painting in black and white
My pen is dry and I'm all uptight
So sick of limiting myself
To fit your definition
Redefine
I'm sick of painting in black and white
My pen is dry and I'm all uptight
So sick of limiting myself
To fit your definition
So, must we demonstrate that we can't get it straight?
We've painted a picture now we're drowning in the paint
Let's figure out what the fuck it's about
Before the picture we painted chews us up and spits us out
Yeah, now think of your body as the pen where the ink resides
Fuse the two, kapow, what are you now?
You're the human magic marker, won't you please surprise my eyes?
It's in your nature, you can paint whatever picture you like
No matter what Ted Koppel says on channel 4 tonight
So modify this third rock from the sun
By painting myriads of pictures with the colors of the one
I'm sick of painting in black and white
My pen is dry and I'm all uptight
So sick of limiting myself
To fit your definition
I'm sick of painting in black and white
My pen is dry and I'm all uptight
So sick of limiting myself
To fit your definition
Picture the scene, where whatever you thought
Would, in the blink of an eye, manifest and become illustrated
You'd be sure man that every line drawn
Reflected a life that you loved not an existence that you hated
So, must we demonstrate that we can't get it straight?
We've painted a picture now we're drowning in the paint
Let's figure out what the fuck it's about
Before the picture we painted chews us up and spits us out
I'm sick of painting in black and white
My pen is dry and I'm all uptight
So sick of limiting myself
To fit your definition
I'm sick of painting in black and white
My pen is dry and I'm all uptight
So sick of limiting myself
To fit your definition
Redefine
I'm sick of painting in black and white
My pen is dry and I'm all uptight
So sick of limiting myself
To fit your definition
So, must we demonstrate that we can't get it straight?
We've painted a picture now we're drowning in the paint
Let's figure out what the fuck it's about
Before the picture we painted chews us up and spits us out
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Corpse I Fell In Love With
Gadjits, The
Gadjits, The
Show Me a Little Shame
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
He certainly did earn that reputation.
Grand Theft Auto
Insane Ian
Insane Ian
The way this song speaks to me🥺🥺when I sing it I feel like I relate
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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.
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
When I saw them on their Current tour (End of 2007) they played this song but a kind of stripped down acoustic version. Not major full on acoustic 1 man thing. But they took out a look of the heavier bits. I was a bit disappointed but in the end it did sound alright.
As for the meaning it is a tad political imo. About not fitting into the system and breaking free:
" So modify this third rock from the sun, by painting myriads of pictures with the colors of one. I'm sick of painting in black and white my pen is dry, now I'm uptight. So sick of limiting myself to fit your definition."
Is what you should take away from this song. x