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.
Raise your glass,
We have incorporated.
Place your bets,
We're all so sick of waiting.
Queen takes Jack,
You got me this time,
But I'll get you back.
So pick a number.
To all the ones who tried the most;
Was I supposed to cheer your efforts?
Sorry that I chose so poorly.
Golly gee, am I the poster girl?
She's the kind of girl who looks for love in all the lonely places.
The kind who comes to poker, pockets stuffed with kings and aces.
She's the kind of girl who only asks you over when its raining,
Just to make you lie there catching water dripping from the ceiling.
Lift your hats
Off to the checkout girls with tattooed backs;
They'd make an angel's skin crawl.
If you ask them for assistance,
Theres an even chance
You'll get a number.
To all the girls at pearl, the surly boys who get to masticate them;
I've a prize for each and every one of you, so just be patient.
To all the ones that hated me the most; a toast.
You really had me going for a second, I was nervous.
Boy, am I the poster girl.
Shes the kind of girl who gets her slings and arrows from the dumpster.
The kind who tells you shes bipolar just to make you trust her.
Shes the kind of girl who leaves out condoms on the bedroom dresser,
Just to make you jealous of the men she fucked before you met her.
To all the ones that thought they knew me best; a test to prove your prowess.
Who was mine in '99? I want last names and current status.
To all the ones that hated me the most; a toast.
You really had me going for a second, I was nervous.
Boy am I the poster girl for some suburban sickness,
Better keep a healthy distance.
Now it's up to you,
Know what to do,
It's pretty dirty business.
We have incorporated.
Place your bets,
We're all so sick of waiting.
Queen takes Jack,
You got me this time,
But I'll get you back.
So pick a number.
To all the ones who tried the most;
Was I supposed to cheer your efforts?
Sorry that I chose so poorly.
Golly gee, am I the poster girl?
She's the kind of girl who looks for love in all the lonely places.
The kind who comes to poker, pockets stuffed with kings and aces.
She's the kind of girl who only asks you over when its raining,
Just to make you lie there catching water dripping from the ceiling.
Lift your hats
Off to the checkout girls with tattooed backs;
They'd make an angel's skin crawl.
If you ask them for assistance,
Theres an even chance
You'll get a number.
To all the girls at pearl, the surly boys who get to masticate them;
I've a prize for each and every one of you, so just be patient.
To all the ones that hated me the most; a toast.
You really had me going for a second, I was nervous.
Boy, am I the poster girl.
Shes the kind of girl who gets her slings and arrows from the dumpster.
The kind who tells you shes bipolar just to make you trust her.
Shes the kind of girl who leaves out condoms on the bedroom dresser,
Just to make you jealous of the men she fucked before you met her.
To all the ones that thought they knew me best; a test to prove your prowess.
Who was mine in '99? I want last names and current status.
To all the ones that hated me the most; a toast.
You really had me going for a second, I was nervous.
Boy am I the poster girl for some suburban sickness,
Better keep a healthy distance.
Now it's up to you,
Know what to do,
It's pretty dirty business.
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More Featured Meanings
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.
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.
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.
for everyone wondering what she's yelling, from The Virginia Companion (and it's actually Brian!!):
"After several failed attempts on my part in the studio to shout anything random that sounded "good", it was Sean Slade who suggested that I shout "Mishima" in time with the music. This was of course a nod to Yukio Mishima, the acclaimed Japanese playwright and poet, who committed seppuku after giving a speech intended to start coup d'etat. However you may interject any historical figure or gibberish of your choice."
And in the sheet music the lyrics there are marked as "!!! !!!" .... so I wouldn't read too much into that, ha.
Also may be of interest from the Virginia Companion:
"This one lives, thematically, with "Backstabber," though it was written a few years earlier. I was filled with a weird brand of vitriol for a few years there and, with no recent breakup providing a handy target, I turned to whatever else was making me angry.
White Suburban Girl Guilt dies hard.
At the time, there was a collection of checkout girls at Pearl Art & Craft Supplies on Massachusetts Avenue. I wanted them to like me."
These words haven't given me any epiphanies yet.... anyone else?!
@smittenerest <br /> "I turned to whatever else was making me angry. White Suburban Girl Guilt dies hard. At the time, there was a collection of checkout girls at Pearl Art & Craft Supplies on Massachusetts Avenue. I wanted them to like me."<br /> <br /> I think what she is saying here is that during that time period, she looked at these girls, these girls with tattooed backs, these masochistic, uncaring, bored, non-committal, cold and self-destructive yet self-centered suburbanite girls, and she saw herself. I think we all know these girls. She wanted them to like her because she would fit in perfectly with the group - she was just like them at one time. In the song there's the Golly Gee line and she's basically saying, Good Lord, I should have been the poster girl for this group! She knows all about what kinds of girls these are, because hell, she was one once. But I think she has definitely moved past the ways and mentality of these girls. She definitely has matured, but harbors the "White Suburban Girl Guilt" still, because of how selfish and cold - it's a pretty dirty business being one of those kinds of girls.<br /> <br /> And the whole 'who was mine in 99' line - She's saying that she's been through so many men since then, if you really knew her well you would know the guy(s) she was with back then. She'll need a last name so that she can try to remember them [there were just so many], and she'll want their current status, single or otherwise, just in case she wants to get back with them again. Haa, I love it.