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.
Pack up what you own, and you dial up who you can phone, and you save up all your pennies, and we hope but, oh -- is there any -- and we wonder, oh, how can he put you out tonight? Go back in your mind, twenty years in time, and we'll go a-walking through your garden; see the trees you planted in your yard then. All your work, it didn't seem so hard then, but it's hard tonight. Five years further on, from the stage it looked like we'd won, but how many of those who heard you play have gone their insouciant ways? And the streets run bloody to this day, and to your house tonight. And we, still so touched, can we offer you that much more than those who you fought and who left you with nought, and who lied to you? They lied to you, but this you always knew. So pack up your bulls and smalls, and we'll tack up your paintings on our walls, and we'll write down all our songs then, and we'll right up all our wrongs then, and we'll tear up the streets a million strong then, in your name tonight.
Lyrics submitted by NIpTErINk
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
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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.
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
One of my favorite songs. The last verse, in my opinion, is songwriting at it's very best. Most bands would be lucky to write one song as good as this, and Ted Leo keeps coming up with album after album of them. I don't know how he does it. It's almost not fair. But I love it, I feel like I'm in on some big secret when I listen to Ted Leo's music. Like I'm privy to the greatest music in the world, and most people will never know it. There loss. So there loss. In highschool, I used to be pissed off if a band I was listening to for a while would blow up. But not anymore, I would love it everyone in the world got the chance to listen to this music. I truly think it would make the world a better place. Thank you Ted.
Mr. Leo said this was about his friend from London who almost got evicted from his apartment. That's straight from the horse's mouth.
well if that's the case this song just has that extra level of personal appreciation added to it for me. i was evicted last winter (right around christmas!) and it fucking sucks. i think NoFX said it best (maybe not best, but definatly more outright then Ted)- "You're adding and subtracting until you find you self in a rut"
i love ted