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.
Rock gets hot, now she can't stop
She's a lot, a lot like a robot
And she can't be bought, and her nerves are shot
And she starts to rot, from the inside out
She said I don't need you to save me, but there's people here trying to play me
And there's no jobs that will pay me, enough to feed my family
And I got my back up against the wall
And I got my back up against the wall
And no one hears her call
Cause there's no one there at all
And I got my back up against the wall
Alarm clock ringing, fools are creeping
Promises broken, yeeh, jobs are leavin
And the sky is darkening and the landlords stepping
But the bus is splitting and I won't be regretting
And there's no more jobs here, no more love here
No more room here for me, and there's no more jobs here
Only misery here, for me and my family
And I got my back up against the wall
And I got my back up against the wall
And no one hears her call
Cause there's no one there at all
And I got my back up against the wall
Now where have all the good times gone
(alright! alright! alright! alright!)
But something here is going wrong
(alright! alright! alright! alright)
Why even bother, when you getting clobbered
Nowhere is safe and sound, off the sweat they will profit
The youth they are robbing, they'll grind you down to the ground
Oh we all got big dreams now, the new factory just shut down
And there's not enough to go around, and they'll grind you down to the ground
And I got my back up against the wall
And I got my back up against the wall
And no one hears her call
Cause there's no one there at all
And I got my back up against the wall
She's a lot, a lot like a robot
And she can't be bought, and her nerves are shot
And she starts to rot, from the inside out
She said I don't need you to save me, but there's people here trying to play me
And there's no jobs that will pay me, enough to feed my family
And I got my back up against the wall
And I got my back up against the wall
And no one hears her call
Cause there's no one there at all
And I got my back up against the wall
Alarm clock ringing, fools are creeping
Promises broken, yeeh, jobs are leavin
And the sky is darkening and the landlords stepping
But the bus is splitting and I won't be regretting
And there's no more jobs here, no more love here
No more room here for me, and there's no more jobs here
Only misery here, for me and my family
And I got my back up against the wall
And I got my back up against the wall
And no one hears her call
Cause there's no one there at all
And I got my back up against the wall
Now where have all the good times gone
(alright! alright! alright! alright!)
But something here is going wrong
(alright! alright! alright! alright)
Why even bother, when you getting clobbered
Nowhere is safe and sound, off the sweat they will profit
The youth they are robbing, they'll grind you down to the ground
Oh we all got big dreams now, the new factory just shut down
And there's not enough to go around, and they'll grind you down to the ground
And I got my back up against the wall
And I got my back up against the wall
And no one hears her call
Cause there's no one there at all
And I got my back up against the wall
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
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,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
so true, so sad, so my families current situation.. the government doesn't pay my mum very well and i can't get a job.. the government sucks