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 the dead, we the dead find a country road
Country road, lead the dead from our homes to the ground
Keep a book of the maggots our bodies will snare
'Cause the earth is the earth, no need to travel in the air
The CN Tower is built upon our bones!
The CN Tower will always be our home!
Decorate 'round the base, all the graves of our lost loves
Cabbages, ginger root and a crucifix
Never rode on the plains, never thought I couldn't stay
Had a good run anyway, had a good run anyway
I could fill up the lake with all the things I didn't say
Had a good run anyway, had a good run anyway
From the top of the tower
Radio buds in our ears
We can see your house from here
(x2)
Country road, lead the dead from our homes to the ground
Keep a book of the maggots our bodies will snare
'Cause the earth is the earth, no need to travel in the air
The CN Tower is built upon our bones!
The CN Tower will always be our home!
Decorate 'round the base, all the graves of our lost loves
Cabbages, ginger root and a crucifix
Never rode on the plains, never thought I couldn't stay
Had a good run anyway, had a good run anyway
I could fill up the lake with all the things I didn't say
Had a good run anyway, had a good run anyway
From the top of the tower
Radio buds in our ears
We can see your house from here
(x2)
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if arcade fire is the lifeblood of montreal, then i think owen pallet is the lifeblood of our great city, toronto. these songs feel so familiar to me, and they carry such a great emotion of place, who hasn't at one point thought that the CN tower belongs to the dead, andhat they could fill up the lake with all the things they didn't say?
Oh dear me, I can't get enough of Owen. He is the epitome of everything beautiful in this world. Maybe my opinion is a little strong...ahah. Gorgeous song though.
this is final fantasy's best song and im going to buy really pissed if i cant buy thier album anywhere
I had no idea that Canada had the worlds tallest building! Thank you, Owen Pallett
The 49 MP version is so pretty. I think it's refreshing to have him rework his pieces.
god it's so eerily beautiful. i love owen pallett's music. he's fricking amazing.
I so dig those electronic beats.
I thought it was about dead people hanging out being dead, thinking about their lives and living in a tower. Im glad i know what the cn tower is now. and i always thought he said "the cn tower's built upon a boat" which i now see would not make sense.
I think that the song is about how the CN tower is an amazing acheivement. It also symbolizes how there are things that these people didn't get around to while they were alive and they were really important to them but at least they have a superficial accomplishment. Does that even make sence?!
Anyways, I just got tickets to his concert and I am so excited and I hope he plays this.
this song talks about the validity of the human body as a vessel living and dying and finding its home in the earth. We see people die every day. what we do not see is any religion raising them from the dead hints the line "no need to travel in the air." Many would argue one religion talks specifically about that very thing refered to by many as a zombie and to that person i would say where are all these christians who are being raised from the dead because all i've seen so far is their having died. then we goes on to speak of how short lived life really is and i agree that all the time in the world could never be enough for me in this wonderful existance i call life. the cn tower actually has very little to do with the song in my opinion actually. its just the sight of a graveyard which is fiting.
I saw an african pastor and his flock steal a body from a morgue and bring it back to life. I saw his interview afterwards too. I believe it was genuine but you won't. "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who do not, no proof is enough."-Stuart Chase