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.
Things have been tough
Without the dumb dumb boys
I can't seem to speak
The language
I remember how they
Used to stare at the ground
They looked as if they
Put the whole world
Looked as if they put
The whole world down
The first time I saw
The dumb dumb boys
I was fascinated
They just stood in front
Of the old drug store
I was most impressed
No one else was impressed
Not at all
And we'd sing
Da-da-da-da-da-da
Dumb dumb day
Where are you now my
Dumb dumb boys are you
Alive or dead
Have you left me the last
Of the dumb dumb daze
Then the sun goes down
And the boys broke down
People said we were negative
They said we'd take but
We would never give
But we'd sing da-da-da
Da-da-da dumb dumb day
Da-da-da-da-da dumb
And hope it would pay
Da-da-da-da it's been
A dumdumdum day
A dumb dumb day
Now I'm looking for
The dumb dumb boys
Where are you now
When I need your noise
Now I'm looking for
The dumb dumb boys
The walls close in and
I need some noise
Without the dumb dumb boys
I can't seem to speak
The language
I remember how they
Used to stare at the ground
They looked as if they
Put the whole world
Looked as if they put
The whole world down
The first time I saw
The dumb dumb boys
I was fascinated
They just stood in front
Of the old drug store
I was most impressed
No one else was impressed
Not at all
And we'd sing
Da-da-da-da-da-da
Dumb dumb day
Where are you now my
Dumb dumb boys are you
Alive or dead
Have you left me the last
Of the dumb dumb daze
Then the sun goes down
And the boys broke down
People said we were negative
They said we'd take but
We would never give
But we'd sing da-da-da
Da-da-da dumb dumb day
Da-da-da-da-da dumb
And hope it would pay
Da-da-da-da it's been
A dumdumdum day
A dumb dumb day
Now I'm looking for
The dumb dumb boys
Where are you now
When I need your noise
Now I'm looking for
The dumb dumb boys
The walls close in and
I need some noise
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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.
No Surprises
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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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
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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.
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.
its about how iggy missed his old band, the stooges.
also a great song. so sad... i find it very cathartic (sp?). a work of genius without a doubt
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