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.
Under the darkened, Ancient oak
Gentle in the nights breeze
I stop and stare, rest a while
With hands upon my knees
Through jades leaves, bush and scrub
I spy my journeys end
Black it looms, silent gloom
The castle called Avend
On I trot, past forest eyes
Past horrors of the night
Through the dark, I see a sign
A gently glowing light
Upon reaching the castle I ascend the ivy
Towards the golden window
My heart pounds and my breath is rushed
As I fight both brick and branch
The ledge is mine and over I sweep
Silent like the falling snow
Quiet, I slip across the polished floow
Tonight, I will dine with chance
The Blue Lotus, a legend, I thought a myth
Old poems and stories gone
A beauty of unimaginable lust
Both men's hearts, and Gods, were won
Skin like milk, an angels face
They say her smile could kill
Her hair the blackest of all black
Stories I thought though, still
So there she lay, sleeping upon the bed
Half covered by fantastic silks
Her breast I see, moves with her dreams
A sight I will always recall
A single candle that showed me the way
Through forest, river and hills
Glows upon that lovely skin
Shadows dancing around the walls
Closer I creep, toward my prize
The Blue Lotus lies before me
Her lips are full, red as blood
Moist as they invite me
Stoop I did to kiss those lips
In that glowing room
When suddenly, she did awake,
Her eyes filled with doom
From silks, her hands wer round my neck
Escape there was no hope
A brief flash of teeth is all that I saw
And gone was my throat
Her bloodlust deep, she swallowed me
Red was all I saw
She drank her fill and watched me fall
Gently to the floor
A league away my death is found
By locals who tend this land
Who lay me down in shallow earth
A single Lotus placed in my hand.
Gentle in the nights breeze
I stop and stare, rest a while
With hands upon my knees
Through jades leaves, bush and scrub
I spy my journeys end
Black it looms, silent gloom
The castle called Avend
On I trot, past forest eyes
Past horrors of the night
Through the dark, I see a sign
A gently glowing light
Upon reaching the castle I ascend the ivy
Towards the golden window
My heart pounds and my breath is rushed
As I fight both brick and branch
The ledge is mine and over I sweep
Silent like the falling snow
Quiet, I slip across the polished floow
Tonight, I will dine with chance
The Blue Lotus, a legend, I thought a myth
Old poems and stories gone
A beauty of unimaginable lust
Both men's hearts, and Gods, were won
Skin like milk, an angels face
They say her smile could kill
Her hair the blackest of all black
Stories I thought though, still
So there she lay, sleeping upon the bed
Half covered by fantastic silks
Her breast I see, moves with her dreams
A sight I will always recall
A single candle that showed me the way
Through forest, river and hills
Glows upon that lovely skin
Shadows dancing around the walls
Closer I creep, toward my prize
The Blue Lotus lies before me
Her lips are full, red as blood
Moist as they invite me
Stoop I did to kiss those lips
In that glowing room
When suddenly, she did awake,
Her eyes filled with doom
From silks, her hands wer round my neck
Escape there was no hope
A brief flash of teeth is all that I saw
And gone was my throat
Her bloodlust deep, she swallowed me
Red was all I saw
She drank her fill and watched me fall
Gently to the floor
A league away my death is found
By locals who tend this land
Who lay me down in shallow earth
A single Lotus placed in my hand.
Lyrics submitted by Disposition_987
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
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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”
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,
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.
Wow! This one is so epic! I've done a bit of research into what blue lotuses symbolise (I've got nothing better to do). Apparently:
Many ancient cultures found the blue lotus to be of great use and of esteemed status. In Asia and Africa, the blue lotus symbolized immortality in recognition of the plant's ability to survive and resprout after long droughts, and the seed's ability to remain viable for many years (Edwards, 1998). In China it was regarded as a religious symbol, and a symbol of feminine beauty.
So this fits in with my idea that she is some kind of beautiful vampiress (is there any other kind?) and so now, presumably, he is a vampire too!
Hmm. Sounds like the story of Sleeping Beauty/Briar Rose with a twist, i.e., her being a vampire.
Awesome song. ^__^
Thats funny, I live in NWA as well, so I know exactly who/what this last guy is talking about..
This song is of epic proportions.
It's just so damn cool.
I love the vocal styles going on here, nicely meloncholy and kind of strung-out sounding; interesting.
Some kind of ancient warrior is questing to find some vampire princess type character and comes to a castle where he quietly enters, finding a candle-lit chamber where she sleeps. He slowly approaches (I'm note sure if he seeks to kill her or rape her, or who the hell knows...) her and gets mezmerized by her beauty, reflecting on things he's heard of her beauty, so he goes to softy kiss her while she lays there, possibly already aware of his presence. He notices the rhythm of her breasts moving as she breaths. She suddenly awakens and attacks him very aggressively, an interesting ironic twist considering her outward appearance. She apparently draws blood and in the midst of the struggle drinks some of it. I beleive he emerges from his unseccessful quest alive, or was it successful? He got owned by a chick, though, that's all that matters. What a wuss.
I live in Northwest Arkansas, Page played this little beaut during the 'Weekly Beating', that's when I heard for the first time. I've always had ideas for a cool music video/animation for the song because it's onw of those full of imagery songs, good ol' medieval vampire stuff.