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 remember a jet slowly scraping
Low and heavy across a sky of slate
I remember the angle of your elbow
As it doubled back
In the crack of fists across a face
I remember the suck of boots in mud
Guttural, sexual, in those clandestine woods
Down at the river's edge
Below the concrete bed
The smell of lilac in your hair
Where the stinging nettles grow
The the lonely rushes blow
I left you in a culvert there
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Buildings and dreams dissolve into rust
Now all the flowers are turning brown
'Cause the circus is coming to town
'Cause the circus is coming to town
I remember dying to cry out
But throat-stuck with briars and stones
As your ruddy lips grew much ruddier
Step you lightly now
We must keep our voices down
The dogs of remorse
Follow close on the wind
Take your face off, don't be shy
They can't hunt you with their eyes
But surely they know the scent of sin
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Buildings and dreams dissolve into rust
Now all the flowers are turning brown
'Cause the circus is coming to town
'Cause the circus is coming to town
I remember falling, falling back
Into that tangled bed: a mesh of twigs
Deflowered like a virgin bride
In the ground swell of spring
Underneath that deciduous canopy
Propped up with jagged scaffolding
Is that a train or thunder coming?
Is that a train or thunder?
Low and heavy across a sky of slate
I remember the angle of your elbow
As it doubled back
In the crack of fists across a face
I remember the suck of boots in mud
Guttural, sexual, in those clandestine woods
Down at the river's edge
Below the concrete bed
The smell of lilac in your hair
Where the stinging nettles grow
The the lonely rushes blow
I left you in a culvert there
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Buildings and dreams dissolve into rust
Now all the flowers are turning brown
'Cause the circus is coming to town
'Cause the circus is coming to town
I remember dying to cry out
But throat-stuck with briars and stones
As your ruddy lips grew much ruddier
Step you lightly now
We must keep our voices down
The dogs of remorse
Follow close on the wind
Take your face off, don't be shy
They can't hunt you with their eyes
But surely they know the scent of sin
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Buildings and dreams dissolve into rust
Now all the flowers are turning brown
'Cause the circus is coming to town
'Cause the circus is coming to town
I remember falling, falling back
Into that tangled bed: a mesh of twigs
Deflowered like a virgin bride
In the ground swell of spring
Underneath that deciduous canopy
Propped up with jagged scaffolding
Is that a train or thunder coming?
Is that a train or thunder?
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I think the song has something to do with rape. Great song, why has noone comment on yet?
Remind me of nick Cave's "Where The wild Roses Grow"
Which is always a good thing
Like Cop Shoot Cop's "The Divorce", it's a story told through music. I agree with n00dles about it being about rape, and contrary to the lyrics given, it's not a killer speaking; he tells her to walk lightly ("Step you lightly now / We must keep our voices down"), meaning she is still alive and now being brought back to where-ever by him. Considering the way it ends, she's probably really fucked up, and no longer knows if she's in a forest or city, and if that's thunder or a train.