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.
We've moved on six miles from where we were yesterday
And yesterday is but a long, long ways away
So we'll camp out tonight beneath the bright starlight
And forget rotten peaches and the places we've stayed
I left from the dockland two years ago now
Made my way over on the S.S. Marie
And I've always had trouble wherever I've settled
Rotten peaches are all that I see
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Seems I've seen that devil fruit since the world begun
Mercy I'm a criminal, Jesus I'm the one
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Seems I've seen that devil fruit since the world begun
Mercy I'm a criminal, Jesus I'm the one
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
There ain't no green grass in a U.S. state prison
There is no one to hold when you're sick for your wife
And each day out you'll pick, you'll pick rotten peaches
You'll pick rotten peaches for the rest of your life
Oh I've had me my fill of cocaine and pills
For I lie in the light of the Lord
And my home is ten thousand, ten thousand miles away
And I guess I won't see it no more
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Seems I've seen that devil fruit since the world begun
Mercy I'm a criminal, Jesus I'm the one
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Seems I've seen that devil fruit since the world begun
Mercy I'm a criminal, Jesus, Jesus I'm the one
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
And yesterday is but a long, long ways away
So we'll camp out tonight beneath the bright starlight
And forget rotten peaches and the places we've stayed
I left from the dockland two years ago now
Made my way over on the S.S. Marie
And I've always had trouble wherever I've settled
Rotten peaches are all that I see
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Seems I've seen that devil fruit since the world begun
Mercy I'm a criminal, Jesus I'm the one
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Seems I've seen that devil fruit since the world begun
Mercy I'm a criminal, Jesus I'm the one
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
There ain't no green grass in a U.S. state prison
There is no one to hold when you're sick for your wife
And each day out you'll pick, you'll pick rotten peaches
You'll pick rotten peaches for the rest of your life
Oh I've had me my fill of cocaine and pills
For I lie in the light of the Lord
And my home is ten thousand, ten thousand miles away
And I guess I won't see it no more
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Seems I've seen that devil fruit since the world begun
Mercy I'm a criminal, Jesus I'm the one
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Seems I've seen that devil fruit since the world begun
Mercy I'm a criminal, Jesus, Jesus I'm the one
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
Rotten peaches rotting in the sun
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I think this song is about being in jail and having to pick "rotten peaches" in smouldering heat as punishment
but i think the first verse is like the ending in the beginning about getting out adn being free from prison and the peaches
I love Madman Across The Water. I think it is Elton's strongest album. The lyrics are very visual and concrete especially on this song. It's obviously about being on a chain gang and picking peaches. Very unique song. I didn't think I liked gospel or soul but I stand corrected by this song.
On Madman Across the Water there's the two big hits that everyone's heard a million times on the radio "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" (both excellent songs of course)
but there's 3 songs on the last half of the album that are just as superb and they go together perfectly and they are "Holiday Inn" "Rotten Peaches" and "All the Nasties" in that order.
The two radio hits and those three lined up together are what make the album so good IMO.
I'm not sure this song's about being in jail ; to me it's about a guy far away from his home and just wandering through the U.S picking up peaches to get some money. The atmosphere and the images used in the song really make me think of The Grapes of Wrath also... But anyway, it's a terrific song and clearly my favorite from Elton !
This song is very melodic and catchy, although the subject matter is depressing and about people who are trapped. The lyrics for "Rotten Peaches" were actually written by Bernie Taupin (a straight married male). I think this is a song about different heterosexual males caught in unique situations that they are not used to. "...left from the dockland two years ago now"...."no green grass in U.S. State Prison"..... "no one to hold on to when you're sick for your wife" ... and in desperation did things that they didn't necessarily enjoy.
rotten peaches , represent a wasted life, yes prison many other things drugs, etc. society sees these poor souls as rotten peaches. simple and straight forward.