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 heard the men saying something
The captains tell they pay you well
And they say they need sailing men to
Show the way and leave today
Was it you that said, how long?
How long?
They say the sea turns so dark that
You know it's time, you see the sign
They say the point demons guard is
An ocean grave for all the brave
Was it you that said, how long, how long
How long to the point of no return?
Your father, he said he needs you
Your mother, she said she loves you
Your brothers, they echo your words
How far to the point of no return?
To the point of no return
How long, how long?
Today I found a message floating
In the sea from you to me
You wrote that when you could see it
You cried with fear, the point was near
Was it you that said
How long, how long, how long to the point of no return?
How long, how long to the point of no return
No return
How long
How long
How long
How long
How long
How long
How long
How long
The captains tell they pay you well
And they say they need sailing men to
Show the way and leave today
Was it you that said, how long?
How long?
They say the sea turns so dark that
You know it's time, you see the sign
They say the point demons guard is
An ocean grave for all the brave
Was it you that said, how long, how long
How long to the point of no return?
Your father, he said he needs you
Your mother, she said she loves you
Your brothers, they echo your words
How far to the point of no return?
To the point of no return
How long, how long?
Today I found a message floating
In the sea from you to me
You wrote that when you could see it
You cried with fear, the point was near
Was it you that said
How long, how long, how long to the point of no return?
How long, how long to the point of no return
No return
How long
How long
How long
How long
How long
How long
How long
How long
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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Lord Huron
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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"
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,
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
"Know" or "No" it's a play on words! Also, think of the waaaaaaay back. Christopher Columbus "The World is Flat". This is a swashbuckling song very Celtic in influence (i.e. dance a jig). It's also very thought provoking as many have written here. Here's the best interpretation from Jim Owston (I won't even try to add more texture): zeegrooves.blogspot.com/2010/01/kansas-point-of-know-return.html Lastly, keep listening to these wonderful progressive bands of the 70s and beyond (i.e. Kansas, Yes, Styx, Journey, Heart) soon destined to the R&R Hall of Fame.
When I first heard the song I thought there was no meaning at all, but when I finally looked up the lyrics, I instantly thought of a friend of mine named Corin who's in the army
"I heard the men saying something The captains tell they pay you well And they say they need sailing men to Show the way, and leave today Was it you that said, "How long, how long?"" That me think of how Corin always wanted to be in the army as long as I can remember
"They say the sea turns so dark that You know it's time, you see the sign They say the point demons guard is An ocean grave, for all the brave, Was it you that said, "How long, how long, How long to the point of know return?"" That part is saying that the trip isn't going to be easy, and that only the brave people who survive will make it all the way through
"Your father, he said he needs you Your mother, she says she loves you Your brothers, they echo your words: "How far to the point of know return?" "Well, how long?"" That's talking about how the army is going to make you a better man (Your father, he said he needs you), how people back home miss him (Your mother, she says she loves you), and how he's a hero to some people, including me (Your brothers, they echo your words)
"Today I found a message floating In the sea from you to me It said that when you could see it You cried with fear, the Point was near Was it you that said, "How long, how long To the Point of Know Return?"" That part reminds me of how Corin mailed me saying that it's hard, but he's going to stick with it and see it all the way through
and the "know" is about the fact that the earth is really round, and eventually you will return to where you started
I think it means "How Long until you return to know, return to the point of knowledge, that Jesus is Lord, died for your sins, and has saved you?" The message is from God and is in the sea for everyone to see.
This just a guess, but it used to be that becoming a sailor was a rather dangerous venture. You went to sea "knowing" you might not return home.
I think that this song means that there is a call for special men (or women) with leadership qualities, who can get things done despite the nay sayers (the demons) who would rather watch you fail and criticize your efforts. Whether these men were explorers of the past, or soldieers, or business leaders (i.e. Bill Gates), the words aply equally.
I think this may be about the earth being flat the way it was tought to be long ago.
It is about the insanity that accompanies a wicked spiritual awakening. Ecstatic and frightening.
Absolutely. It is about Agnosticism.<br /> They say the sea turns so dark that<br /> (when society becomes so unquestionably bad)<br /> You know it's time, you see the sign<br /> (you see individuals close to you, intellectually unreachable)<br /> They say the point demons guard is<br /> (religion-mechanism, to keep people stupified to their en$lavement)<br /> An ocean grave, for all the brave<br /> (ocean (forced world view or God) dies when enlightment happens)
Dreaming has two functions, the first is to rest the body, the second is to return to the point of origin.
This song is talking about being born.
I heard the men saying something The captains tell they pay you well And they say they need sailing men to Show the way, and leave today Was it you that said, "How long, how long?"
Before we were born, we wanted to come to earth, and we knew there would be both joy and pain here. Still, we also knew that by coming here we would lose the knowledge of where we were. So being born, meant to completely change into a new creature, a new life. There was much anticipation to be on earth and yet fear. Because in order to enter earth, in an earthly body, we must die as well.
The ocean of darkness is being in the womb. When we first discovered physical darkness.
"Today I found a message floating In the sea from you to me You wrote that when you could see it You cried with fear, the Point was near Was it you that said, "How long, how long To the Point of Know Return?"
The floating message was the point of light in the darkness. The vagina opening for birth, or the doctor opening the uterus for birth.
Still...when we dream at night, we go back to that other world and live and bring back knowledge to live this life on earth as well.
The point of "knowledge" returning ? What this lyricist is trying to convey, is the moving of the soul between realms, Earth itself being a realm. The dream realm, the physical realm, the ethereal realm, they all exist together and need to synchronize in order to function under the laws of destiny.
Could someone please tell me why it is spelled "know" in The Point of Know Return?
---Thanks