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.
Come away,
Teach me, sweetheart.
Come on past,
Brave young bachelors.
I'm alone,
Teach me, sweetheart.
My mother-in-law was standing by the stove
Hissing like a snake, hissing like a snake,
Hissing like a snake.
She gave orders to spill my blood,
She gave orders
To spill my blood, I thought.
I thought, I thought, and I thought some more.
Come away,
Teach me sweetheart.
Come on past,
Brave young bachelors.
I'm alone,
Teach me, sweetheart.
My father-in-law was lying on his bed
Growling like a dog, growling like a dog,
Growling like a dog.
He gave orders to spill my blood,
He gave orders
To spill my blood, I thought.
I thought, I thought, and I thought some more.
Come away,
Teach me sweetheart.
Come on past,
Brave young bachelors.
I'm alone,
Teach me, sweetheart.
My sister-in-law was sitting on her stoop
Cawing like a crow, cawing like a crow,
Cawing like a crow.
She gave orders to spill my blood,
She gave orders
To spill my blood, I thought.
I thought, I thought, and I thought some more.
Come away,
Teach me sweetheart.
Come on past,
Brave young bachelors.
I'm alone,
Teach me, sweetheart.
My brother-in-law was leaning on the love-seat
Tapping with his tail, tapping with his tail,
Purring like a cat.
He gave orders to spill my blood,
He gave orders
To spill my blood, I thought.
Teach me, sweetheart.
Come on past,
Brave young bachelors.
I'm alone,
Teach me, sweetheart.
My mother-in-law was standing by the stove
Hissing like a snake, hissing like a snake,
Hissing like a snake.
She gave orders to spill my blood,
She gave orders
To spill my blood, I thought.
I thought, I thought, and I thought some more.
Come away,
Teach me sweetheart.
Come on past,
Brave young bachelors.
I'm alone,
Teach me, sweetheart.
My father-in-law was lying on his bed
Growling like a dog, growling like a dog,
Growling like a dog.
He gave orders to spill my blood,
He gave orders
To spill my blood, I thought.
I thought, I thought, and I thought some more.
Come away,
Teach me sweetheart.
Come on past,
Brave young bachelors.
I'm alone,
Teach me, sweetheart.
My sister-in-law was sitting on her stoop
Cawing like a crow, cawing like a crow,
Cawing like a crow.
She gave orders to spill my blood,
She gave orders
To spill my blood, I thought.
I thought, I thought, and I thought some more.
Come away,
Teach me sweetheart.
Come on past,
Brave young bachelors.
I'm alone,
Teach me, sweetheart.
My brother-in-law was leaning on the love-seat
Tapping with his tail, tapping with his tail,
Purring like a cat.
He gave orders to spill my blood,
He gave orders
To spill my blood, I thought.
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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.
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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"
Mental Istid
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
i am the first comment on this wonderous song?! i feel so special! I dont really have an interpretation for this song, i just truly believe that it is beautiful and powerful.
Difficulties of ones inlawes caused by the death of your loved one...
this is such an interesting song. i really like it. alot. i have a theory on the meaning but i wouldn't want to ruin things. its just interesting and kind of disturbing but beautiful.
I love this song so much. I think it's a simple Cinderella story. Pretty girl v wicked step-family. It's written so well though. I love the animal similes for each step-member.