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.
You play the game
I'll masturbate and sing a lullaby
You run the race
I'll pay the miles
You sing the pink love fuzz
And dance the musty queer
I'll stay at home ‘cause I'm the mouse
So high that I can't fly
More deep than space number nine
Can't tell time by telling time
She's so ready I'm so heavy
It's so heavy on me
Can't hold time by holding time
Barbarella
Come and save me from my misery
Can't you see it's a disease
Shoot the bad guys
And I'll gladly sing a tune for you
Lost in space-we could be free
Let go, let God they say
I do believe but not in yours or yours
I just believe it's all the same
Don't know just who I am
Don't know about the lamb
I'm the meat of the feast
Barbarella
Come and save me from my misery
Can't you see it's a disease
Shoot the bad guys
And I'll gladly sing a tune for you
Lost in space-we could be free
Na Na Na Na Na Na
Na Na Na Na Na Na Na
Na Na Na Na Na Na
And all the tangerines
They taste like jelly beans
This must be boring by now
Grab a scale and guess the weight of all
The pain I've given with my name
I'm a selfish piece of shit
Barbarella
Come and save me from my misery
Can't you see it's a disease
Shoot the bad guys
And I'll gladly sing a tune for you
Lost in space-we could be free
Barbarella
Come and save me from my misery
Can't you see it's a disease
Shoot the bad guys
And I'll gladly sing a tune for you
We'll watch Lost in Space on my TV
I'll masturbate and sing a lullaby
You run the race
I'll pay the miles
You sing the pink love fuzz
And dance the musty queer
I'll stay at home ‘cause I'm the mouse
So high that I can't fly
More deep than space number nine
Can't tell time by telling time
She's so ready I'm so heavy
It's so heavy on me
Can't hold time by holding time
Barbarella
Come and save me from my misery
Can't you see it's a disease
Shoot the bad guys
And I'll gladly sing a tune for you
Lost in space-we could be free
Let go, let God they say
I do believe but not in yours or yours
I just believe it's all the same
Don't know just who I am
Don't know about the lamb
I'm the meat of the feast
Barbarella
Come and save me from my misery
Can't you see it's a disease
Shoot the bad guys
And I'll gladly sing a tune for you
Lost in space-we could be free
Na Na Na Na Na Na
Na Na Na Na Na Na Na
Na Na Na Na Na Na
And all the tangerines
They taste like jelly beans
This must be boring by now
Grab a scale and guess the weight of all
The pain I've given with my name
I'm a selfish piece of shit
Barbarella
Come and save me from my misery
Can't you see it's a disease
Shoot the bad guys
And I'll gladly sing a tune for you
Lost in space-we could be free
Barbarella
Come and save me from my misery
Can't you see it's a disease
Shoot the bad guys
And I'll gladly sing a tune for you
We'll watch Lost in Space on my TV
Lyrics submitted by Pablo Nirvana Nut
Barbarella Lyrics as written by Tony Castaneda Scott Richard Weiland
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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.
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Was he on heroin when he made this album? I thought he made this while he was in jail. To me it's like he is admiting that what he does is hurting everyone around him and he wants to stop but can't. He wants someone to save him in this song. (Thats my take on it.)
In the movie Barbarella, the character discovers the pleasure of sex and kind of whores her way around trying to find Durand Durand and stop him from using his "destructo ray" (I can't remember what it was but it was bad.). Along the way she meets an angel who can't see and lost the will to fly. She makes love to him and he regains his will. He flys her around and they are pursued by these evil flying things. Barbarella shoots them down. On and on. Barbarella saves the day. Its a terrible movie, but terrible like the Evil Dead is terrible. It's great.