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 left the North
I traveled South
I found a tiny house
And I can't help the way that I feel
Oh yes, you can kick me
And you can punch me
And you can break my face
But you won't change the way I feel
'Cause I love you, oh
And is it really so strange?
Oh, is it really so strange?
Oh, is it really so, really so strange?
I say, "No", you say, "Yes"
But you will change your mind
I left the South
I traveled North
I got confused, I killed a horse
I can't help the way that I feel
Oh yes, you can kick me
And you can butt me
And you can break my spine
But you won't change the way I feel
'Cause I love you, oh
And is it really so strange?
Oh, is it really so strange?
Oh, is it really so, really so strange?
I say, "No", you say, "Yes"
But you will change your mind
I left the North again
I traveled South again
And I got confused, I killed a nun
I can't help the way I feel
I can't help the way I feel
I can't help the way I feel
I lost my bag in Newport Pagnell
Why is the last mile the hardest mile?
My throat was dry, with the sun in my eyes
And I realized, I realized
I could never, I could never, never, go back home again
I traveled South
I found a tiny house
And I can't help the way that I feel
Oh yes, you can kick me
And you can punch me
And you can break my face
But you won't change the way I feel
'Cause I love you, oh
And is it really so strange?
Oh, is it really so strange?
Oh, is it really so, really so strange?
I say, "No", you say, "Yes"
But you will change your mind
I left the South
I traveled North
I got confused, I killed a horse
I can't help the way that I feel
Oh yes, you can kick me
And you can butt me
And you can break my spine
But you won't change the way I feel
'Cause I love you, oh
And is it really so strange?
Oh, is it really so strange?
Oh, is it really so, really so strange?
I say, "No", you say, "Yes"
But you will change your mind
I left the North again
I traveled South again
And I got confused, I killed a nun
I can't help the way I feel
I can't help the way I feel
I can't help the way I feel
I lost my bag in Newport Pagnell
Why is the last mile the hardest mile?
My throat was dry, with the sun in my eyes
And I realized, I realized
I could never, I could never, never, go back home again
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
Is It Really So Strange Lyrics as written by Johnny Marr Steven Morrissey
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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”
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
This song has become a kind of anthem for me in connection to a relationship I have just ended. all the time I thought I could convince someone to love me, but it ended up blowing up in my face.The Smiths are my official breakup theraphy. It helps to wollow in your self pity, till you get over it.
I think that's a big part of their appeal. Everyone can feel identified with their misery.
Just a little side note:
Not ALL of Morrissey's lyrics have to do with "sexuality", I'm sure.
It's getting really annoying how on all the songs, everyone posts that it has to do with "homosexuality"
If you didn't know that he was a homosexual (which he MIGHT be), you wouldn't have a clue.
JEEZ.
Just my opinion
Not all of them are, but some of them are. This one is probably the most obvious one.<br /> <br /> "Oh yes, you can kick me <br /> And you can punch me <br /> And you can break my face <br /> But you won't change the way I feel <br /> 'Cause I love you"<br /> <br /> 'Oh, is it really so, really so strange ? <br /> I say NO, you say YES<br /> <br /> Do people overly say "OH THIS IS ABOUT BEING GAY" too much? Yes. But this song is legitimately on topic with it. Just saying.
The gay interpretations seem lazy to me. It always reminds me of this Moz lyrics: "Most people keep their brains between their legs". There's more to life than sex...
I think his lyrics are way less specific than people think too; more about general concepts of feelings/relationship dynamics that anyone can relate to, regardless of sexual preference.
I think this song is about being in love with someone you don't know well, which people find strange (as in "creepy"). The object of his interest is creeped out by his obsessive infatuation.
The traveling around part is a metaphor for trying to escape a feeling instead of facing it, but you can't get away from it. Instead, you just get confused
I love you :)
"I could never never go back home again."
-24 Hours From Tulsa by Gene Pitney
"I can never go home anymore" - The Shangri-Las 1965.
(24 hours from Tulsa..its actually Hal David's/Burt Bacharach's song that Gene covered.
@CharmingMan I love Morrissey's lyrics, and he uses the metaphor of "home" quite often. Think in: "There is a Light.." when he sings "it's their home..." and "don't drop me home, because I haven't got one". He uses "home" at a metaphor for all that is safety and security. His lyrics often delve into being "far away from", "searching for" or having "lost" his home, and therefore his sense of security and wellbeing, which is just another single note in Morrissey's massive chord of lonliness, self-doubt and persuit of a soulmate that sustains his appeal as not only a musical artist, but a modern day poet and the perhaps unwilling, spokesman of his generation. (See Bob Dylan for a similar situation with himself and his overly zealous fans.) Respect to you all from myself, David, a writer and musician from Éire (Ireland).
A funny song about a stalker, me thinks.
does anyone understand the "killed a horse/nun" part? it seems like it's referencing something specific, but i have no idea what...
why are some of you guys jerks?
Anyway, this is another one about accepting yourself, namely your sexuality.
I agree with Birdy, tbh. It's absolutely obligatory to listen to I Know It's Over while drinking heavily if you've been dumped. Not this song tho...not enough self pity in this one... ;)
I love this song, my favorite part is when morrissey sings
"why is the last mile the hardest mile? my throat was dry, with the sun in my eyes"