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.
Friday night, I'm going nowhere
All the lights are changing green to red
Turning over TV stations
Situations running through my head
Looking back through time
You know it's clear that I've been blind, I've been a fool
To open up my heart to all that jealousy
That bitterness, that ridicule
Saturday, I'm running wild
And all the lights are changing red to green
Moving through the crowds I'm pushing
Chemicals are rushing in my bloodstream
Only wish that you were here
You know I'm seeing it so clear
I've been afraid
To show you how I really feel
Admit to some of those bad mistakes I've made
And if you want it
Come and get it
Crying out loud
The love that I was
Giving you was
Never in doubt
Let go of your heart
Let go of your head
And feel it now
Let go of your heart
Let go of your head
And feel it now
Babylon, Babylon, Babylon
Sunday, all the lights of London shining
Sky is fading red to blue
Kicking through the autumn leaves
And wondering where it is you might be going to
Turning back for home
You know I'm feeling so alone
I can't believe
Climbing on the stair
I turn around to see you smiling there
In front of me
And if you want it
Come and get it
Crying out loud
The love that I was
Giving you was
Never in doubt
Let go of your heart
Let go of your head
And feel it now
Let go of your heart
Let go of your head
And feel it now
Let go of your heart
Let go of your head
And feel it now
Let go of your heart
Let go of your head
And feel it now
Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon
Ah
All the lights are changing green to red
Turning over TV stations
Situations running through my head
Looking back through time
You know it's clear that I've been blind, I've been a fool
To open up my heart to all that jealousy
That bitterness, that ridicule
Saturday, I'm running wild
And all the lights are changing red to green
Moving through the crowds I'm pushing
Chemicals are rushing in my bloodstream
Only wish that you were here
You know I'm seeing it so clear
I've been afraid
To show you how I really feel
Admit to some of those bad mistakes I've made
And if you want it
Come and get it
Crying out loud
The love that I was
Giving you was
Never in doubt
Let go of your heart
Let go of your head
And feel it now
Let go of your heart
Let go of your head
And feel it now
Babylon, Babylon, Babylon
Sunday, all the lights of London shining
Sky is fading red to blue
Kicking through the autumn leaves
And wondering where it is you might be going to
Turning back for home
You know I'm feeling so alone
I can't believe
Climbing on the stair
I turn around to see you smiling there
In front of me
And if you want it
Come and get it
Crying out loud
The love that I was
Giving you was
Never in doubt
Let go of your heart
Let go of your head
And feel it now
Let go of your heart
Let go of your head
And feel it now
Let go of your heart
Let go of your head
And feel it now
Let go of your heart
Let go of your head
And feel it now
Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon, Babylon
Ah
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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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,
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Jeez, all of these comments and nobody's mentioned the Tower of Babel? Which happened to be located in BABYLON? And represents the "confusion of tongues"? Y'all need to read more. :) Anyway, that's what Babylon represents in the song: the misery caused by miscommunication and the inability of men and women to communicate using terms they can agree on. "Let go your heart Let go your head And feel it now" is about learning to communicate on a non verbal level.
I agree on the Tower of Babel interpretation. To me the general sense of the song is melancholic. It is about a man reflecting on his past relationship with a woman. He realizes now their love was true but his 'ego' (jealousy etc) was in the way. Probably in a jealous mood he said something like "I never loved you anyway" to her and their lives went different roads. (which he tries to rectify now > "the love I was giving was never in doubt") <br /> <br /> Now he misses her horrbibly (I conclude this from him describing 3 days in a row in detail - Friday-Saturday-Sunday- which already seem to feel like a very long period without her) <br /> <br /> I tend to interpret the chorus as: "I let go of your heart, I let go of your head and I feel the pain now, I see how stupid I have behaved" <br /> He sees now how silly he has behaved and he is surrendering to (the feeling of love for) her and his own miscomings. He lets go of his pride and admits (crying) out loud that he was wrong. <br /> <br /> I think her smiling on the stairs in the end of the song is just his imagination. He lost her and realizes they were trapped in the Tower of Babel effect: loved each other, but didn't find a way to reach each other in words.<br /> <br /> Literally the chorus could be read as an encouragement to people to let go of their heads and hearts and simply feel. To rise and shine just like the people of Babylon did before God decided to shatter them by language. To reach for heaven like they did by building the tower.<br /> <br /> (But somehow I keep on hearing a melancholic undertone in the song, a feeling of frustration and powerlessness, so I don't quite believe the optimism of the literal words)<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />
@JimmyJazz68 Agreed too! It's about just loving...but the one guy above you has it right about how the singer is feeling...you have the cause of the break up here.