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.
well I want to get messed up again the fact that you need to’s a man
and I want to get all out on somebody where does it get you out of
I could be underground I could be back upstairs with you
And that could be me up there standing around
I could be faking it all but you would never
because I need you I loved you I’m down
and that’s a wet piece of wood for the fire tonight
yeah I need you I loved you I’m down
I’m underground
and I want to get all out on somebody where does it get you out of
I could be underground I could be back upstairs with you
And that could be me up there standing around
I could be faking it all but you would never
because I need you I loved you I’m down
and that’s a wet piece of wood for the fire tonight
yeah I need you I loved you I’m down
I’m underground
Lyrics submitted by foreverdoomed
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"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.
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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,
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My favorite Spoon song ever. I believe the line above "need to's a man" has always been need to's enough. I've probably been singing that to myself so long I've forgotten how it really sounds.
This song is about having love in your grasp and not knowing what to do with it or how to keep it.
this song is also on drake tungsten's ep (britt daniel's side project) and the first line of the other version is "Well I want to get messed up on drugs." I think that reveals that this song is about a drug addiction and the real-life problems one faces when struggling just to survive through the addiction. I guess it's just a criticism on the complications of maintaining a relationship when so many other tempting things are trying to lure you away from her. I think "I Could Be Underground" is talking about how he is contemplating doing drugs in his basement and being in his room with his girlfriend.
One of the hidden gems in the Spoon catalog. It definitely strikes me as a song about wanting desperately to shake a drug addiction and be with the person you love.
(Well, I went and got messed up again.) The fact that you need to's enough (And I went and took it all out on somebody.) Where does it get you out of?
And I could be underground, I could be back upstairs with you Well that could be me Up there standing around I could be fakin it all
But you would never because I need you I loved you I'm down (And that's a wet piece of wood for the fire tonight) Yeah I need you I loved you I'm down I'm underground