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.
I'm in a skip divided, malfunction
I flap around and dive bomb
Frantically around your lie
Enveloped in a sad distraction
I've got your voice repeating endlessly
Could you guide me in
Could you smother me
I'd swoop around your head
But I never hit
I'm blinded by your daylight
Electric veins passed through me
I thought there was this big connection
I only got my name and I got this situation
I just need a number and location
Without appropriate papers or permissions
I'm no to buy tight situation
And then I head into your french windows
I thought there was this big connection
I only got my name
I only got my situation
I just need my number and location
The wall keeps telling me
Hey Hey, Hey Hey
Hey Hey, The devil may
Hey Hey, Hey Hey, Hey Hey
Yeah, you are a fool, you are a fool
For sticking round, for sticking round
Yeah, you are a fool, you are a fool
For sticking round, for sticking round
I've done every trick in the book
I tried to look at you
Every trick in the book
How come I look?
No more common dress or elliptical caress
Don't look into your eyes cause you're desperately in love, in love, in love
When you walk in a room everything disappears
When you walk in a room it's a terrible mess
When you walk in a room I start to melt
When you walk in a room I follow you 'round
Like a dog I'm a dog, I'm a dog, I'm a dog, I'm a lapdog
I'm your lapdog, yeah
I just got my number and location
I just need my number and location
I flap around and dive bomb
Frantically around your lie
Enveloped in a sad distraction
I've got your voice repeating endlessly
Could you guide me in
Could you smother me
I'd swoop around your head
But I never hit
I'm blinded by your daylight
Electric veins passed through me
I thought there was this big connection
I only got my name and I got this situation
I just need a number and location
Without appropriate papers or permissions
I'm no to buy tight situation
And then I head into your french windows
I thought there was this big connection
I only got my name
I only got my situation
I just need my number and location
The wall keeps telling me
Hey Hey, Hey Hey
Hey Hey, The devil may
Hey Hey, Hey Hey, Hey Hey
Yeah, you are a fool, you are a fool
For sticking round, for sticking round
Yeah, you are a fool, you are a fool
For sticking round, for sticking round
I've done every trick in the book
I tried to look at you
Every trick in the book
How come I look?
No more common dress or elliptical caress
Don't look into your eyes cause you're desperately in love, in love, in love
When you walk in a room everything disappears
When you walk in a room it's a terrible mess
When you walk in a room I start to melt
When you walk in a room I follow you 'round
Like a dog I'm a dog, I'm a dog, I'm a dog, I'm a lapdog
I'm your lapdog, yeah
I just got my number and location
I just need my number and location
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death
Skip Divided Lyrics as written by Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
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Great version of a great song,
I hate to do line-by-line interpretations but maybe in certain songs it's necessary in order to get what they mean.
I'm in a skip divided, malfunction I flap around and dive bomb Frantically around your light enveloped in a sad distraction
This paragraph means he's trying to get to someone who he is impressed by... instead he fails and it makes him sad.
I've got your voice repeating endlessly Could you guide me in Could you smother me
This paragraph means he is obsessed by this woman (it's a female because Thom makes it clear in some live versions of this song. He wants this woman to lead the way... he is sexually obsessed with her... hence the choice of the word 'smother'.
I swoop around your head But I never hit I'm blinded by your daylight Electric veins have passed through me I thought there was this big connection I only got my name and I got this situation
He tries to catch her attention, but always fails... it's not clear whether it's his or her fault, but maybe it's his since he blames it on the fact that he feels she's too much for him. He felt a very strong connection with her and felt it was mutual. All he got was she possibly mentioned his name and then this...
I just need a number and location Without appropriate papers and permissions I'm known to bite in tight situations But then head into your French windows I thought there was this big connection They only got my name They only got my situation
This is an explanation why he feels intimidated and too insecure to approach this woman. He doesn't feel he has the right to do so, even though her eyes told her she is interested. But that's all he has to go by.
I just need my number and location My mole keeps telling me Hey Hey, Hey Hey Hey Hey, The devil may Hey Hey, Hey Hey, Hey Hey
You are a fool, you are a fool For sticking round, for sticking 'round
And he ends up feeling like a fool sometimes, for trying to get to her, because he feels he might be wrong and she might not be interested in him.
Yeah, you are a fool, you are a fool For sticking round, for sticking round I've tried every trick in the book I've tried to look at you every trick in the book how come I lose?
He's tried everything to get her to come forward and show more interest, but nothing works.
When you walk in the room everything disappears When you walk in the room it's a terrible mess When you walk in a room I start to melt When you walk in a room I follow you 'round Like a dog I'm a dog, I'm a dog, I'm a dog, I'm a lapdog I'm your lapdog, yeah
This is obviously about the effect she has on him when they are in the same place... his actions become a disaster. He just can't be his normal self. This woman has too much of an effect on him and he just loses it. He feels like an idiot because he can't stop acting like he's desperate for her and yet it doesn't seem to have an effect on her.
I just got my number and location I just need my number and location
These two lines have always confused me... Thom mentioned this song is about 'dislocation', which is a pretty confusing term, but I guess it probably has a lot to do with what this song means.