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.
When people listen to you, don't you know it means a lot?
'Cause you've got to work so hard for everything you've got
Can't rest on your laurels now
Not when you've got none
You'll find yourself in a gutter
Right back where you came from
Someone told me being in the know is the main thing
We all need the security that belonging brings
Can't stand on your own in these times
Against all the odds
You'll just fall behind like all the other sods
You slap our backs and pretend you knew about
All the things that we were gonna do
What ya gonna do, what ya gonna do
When it's over?
You're on your own now, don't you think that it's a shame?
But you're the only one responsible to take the blame
So what ya gonna do when the novelty has gone?
Yeah, what ya gonna do when the novelty has gone?
You slap our backs and pretend you knew about
All the things we were gonna do
What ya gonna do, what ya gonna do
When it's over?
'Cause you've got to work so hard for everything you've got
Can't rest on your laurels now
Not when you've got none
You'll find yourself in a gutter
Right back where you came from
Someone told me being in the know is the main thing
We all need the security that belonging brings
Can't stand on your own in these times
Against all the odds
You'll just fall behind like all the other sods
You slap our backs and pretend you knew about
All the things that we were gonna do
What ya gonna do, what ya gonna do
When it's over?
You're on your own now, don't you think that it's a shame?
But you're the only one responsible to take the blame
So what ya gonna do when the novelty has gone?
Yeah, what ya gonna do when the novelty has gone?
You slap our backs and pretend you knew about
All the things we were gonna do
What ya gonna do, what ya gonna do
When it's over?
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Light Up The Sky
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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"
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
i remember reading somewhere that this song was written about the 1970's punk scene coming to an end. basically all these kids who were into the punk scene were just following along in order to belong to the group hence the lines "Someone told me being in the know is the main thing. We all need the security that belonging brings" To me, it's about realizing that going along with the group just to fit in is never worth it and eventually the "Novelty" will wear off.
How come no-one's commented on this song yet, it's fabulous. Anyway, I'm guessing it's about being famous and how it could all be over pretty soon.
I like the music and "chorus" -whatcha gonna do when it's over, whatcha gonna do when the novelty is gone?- more than the whole lyric on paper. I like the punky feel of it.
Reading the whole song is different than when I've listened to it. Like other things I had my own idea/impression independent of the actual thing (in this case lyrics) and it's different. My idea impression before reading the lyrics... was confronting some neophyte about what will happen "tomorrow" or in the long run. It was criticizing/sneering at the aesthetes or even him sneering at himself.
I like all three versions, the first version is my favorite though. It had alot of different lyrics that affected my life very personaly.
i think the songs really about his affair and how the novelty of cheating on his wife wore off and now he has to face the consequence of violating her trust the person who he had the affair with might have been a mutual friend hence the line "You slap our backs and pretend you knew About all the things that we were gonna do" and now he's the only one to blame for it all
Children On Stun, I think he wrote this before his affair with Annik
It was written as far back at 77 so he didn't meet Annik by them.
mmm, the guitar in this song is awesome.
This song is a message to the punk rock movement, the words Ian directly addressing people in his audience, and his distaste with the guys in spiked leather who would spit on him from the crowd.
I read somewhere that Joy Division never intended their songs to have a unique interpretation.<br /> <br /> I think this song is full of bitterness and irony.<br /> <br /> At first I thought it was a critique against the injustice, cruelty and craziness of a life lived by the rules of mainstream, conventional society and the system, a subject he also touches in Candidate ("We're living by your rules, that's all that we know."), in my opinion.<br /> <br /> But the world "novelty" does not really fit. I agree it must refer to the punk movement (explosion) of his time and the novel tactics it used (situationism) to make itself heard. I think he was predicting quite justly that it would lose its power, once the novelty had passed, and would be alienated from its purpose by the consumerist system. Which it did, punk is widely considered just a music genre today focusing on its superficial characteristic, while its revolutionary and political content has faded.<br /> <br /> So my (possible wrong) opinion is that he is describing the evolution of the punk movement, both with sympathy and criticism, and its reception and eventual defeat by mainstream society.<br /> <br /> Definitely he's criticizing the idea of compromising your ideals to become part of a group for the safety it brings, I read these parts as completely sarcastic.<br /> <br /> This is fast turning into one of my favorite songs.
I'm sorry, but you are grasping at straws and sounding like the biggest defeatist. As my paternal grandmother used to say, "Bite the Bullet" cause you only have one life and attitude means EVERYTHING. Punk is still alive. Members of the genre have, perhaps, watered down the messages, but that may have more to do with the state of affairs in countries such as Britian and the U.S. where life has become much more comfortable for everyone (compared to what it was during wartime; the depression; etc)
Yeah thanks, I know you mean well, but I am a pessimistic person. Also sorry for double-posting, perhaps a mod can delete the second message?
I read somewhere that Joy Division never intended their songs to have a unique interpretation.
I think this song is full of bitterness and irony.
At first I thought it was a critique against the injustice, cruelty and craziness of a life lived by the rules of mainstream, conventional society and the system, a subject he also touches in Candidate ("We're living by your rules, that's all that we know."), in my opinion.
But the world "novelty" does not really fit. I agree it must refer to the punk movement (explosion) of his time and the novel tactics it used (situationism) to make itself heard. I think he was predicting quite justly that it would lose its power, once the novelty had passed, and would be alienated from its purpose by the consumerist system. Which it did, punk is widely considered just a music genre today focusing on its superficial characteristic, while its revolutionary and political content has faded.
So my (possible wrong) opinion is that he is describing the evolution of the punk movement, both with sympathy and criticism, and its reception and eventual defeat by mainstream society.
Definitely he's criticizing the idea of compromising your ideals to become part of a group for the safety it brings, I read these parts as completely sarcastic.
This is fast turning into one of my favorite songs.