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.
Looking for a ladder
In the stratosphere
So I can be happy
Let my bones melt away
Stranded on a plane
That was circling round
I carry my heart
Like a soldier with a hand grenade
Walking down the aisle
In the supermarket
Looking for the things ought to
Carry my senses away
Listen to the ring
Of the telephone
Somebody's calling
Somebody's all alone
Looking for a home
In the magazine page
Wages in my pocket
Gonna buy me anything that I need
Searching for fame
My battery light
Wash me away
Gaping at the oceans below.
Nobody's scared
'Cause there's nobody there
Mind is awake
Anything could lead me astray
Listen to the voice
On the radio wave
Somebody needs you
Somebody's far away.
In the stratosphere
So I can be happy
Let my bones melt away
Stranded on a plane
That was circling round
I carry my heart
Like a soldier with a hand grenade
Walking down the aisle
In the supermarket
Looking for the things ought to
Carry my senses away
Listen to the ring
Of the telephone
Somebody's calling
Somebody's all alone
Looking for a home
In the magazine page
Wages in my pocket
Gonna buy me anything that I need
Searching for fame
My battery light
Wash me away
Gaping at the oceans below.
Nobody's scared
'Cause there's nobody there
Mind is awake
Anything could lead me astray
Listen to the voice
On the radio wave
Somebody needs you
Somebody's far away.
Lyrics submitted by pennylanechic
Movie Theme Lyrics as written by Hansen Godrich
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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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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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.
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Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
"I carry my heart Like a soldier with a hand grenade" Wow... it's so relaxed, I like it. I feel like I'm in a different place. Beck owns.
"Beck has always battled the common expectation brought upon him by "Loser." In reality, "funky, groovy, ironic" Beck is only one part of his repertoire. "Wistful, lost, melodic and futilistic" Beck is equally as interesting and enveloping if not more so. "Movie Theme" is a perfect example. Beck is a man who sees the world in a different light as everyone else. It's almost as if he feels he's got it all figured out, and doesn't like the final result. So he sings of despair and getting through, fooling yourself into smiling through life. This is the most prevalant theme on "The Information," the constant battle between being fed up with society, and trying your best to blend in. "
WOW, what an amazing comment!! totally agree here..
this song, is soooooooo perfect. can't believe there are people who don't like it still. to me it's one of the best on The Information, though i love most of the cd equally, even though it's seen as simplistic and the kind of album with which Beck could have done better but to me.. it's amazing, totally.
Best toking song ever.
This is the only song on the whole disc (The Information) that still hasnt grown on me... it reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite or some really cheesey 80s movie with the beat... but just reading the lyrics, it is pretty cool.
@redhotzeplover <br /> <br /> U missing out bud
Something about this song, it's so spacey and trippy that it makes me delve into philosophical thought. I'm questioning a lot of things about life now.
This song may be my least favorite off of the new album. A little too drawn out it seems. The theme of the song is major depression based on the lyrics and tone of the music. The speaker in the song has lost his purpose and direction in life. The use of the words "looking" and/or "searching" in nearly every stanza shows this loss of direction.
In the first two stanzas, he experiments with drugs to soothe his pains to let his "bones melt away". But, the drugs didn't work for him because he gets "stranded" and his heart becomes like a "hand grenade". In the next four stanzas, the speaker continues his wandering for various things to give him satisfaction or to "carry his senses away." Despite the fact he's got wages to buy himself "anything he needs", he wants to be "washed away (suicide?/major life change)".
In the 7th stanza, he faces the belief that he has lost himself completely, so "nobody's there" in his head.
The speaker might experience the most pain in the last stanza. There's a voice calling for him that needs him, but the speaker has placed himself so far away from the rest of the world within his own misery. If he does kill himself, the speaker will have to deal with the fact that there was someone that needed him to live, but he failed that person to end his own suffering.
I think it's possible this is another tribute song to Elliott Smith. It could be Beck's attempt to sympathize with the mindset that Smith must have had to live with in his final days.
This song may be my least favorite off of the new album. A little too drawn out it seems. The theme of the song is major depression based on the lyrics and tone of the music. The speaker in the song has lost his purpose and direction in life. The use of the words "looking" and/or "searching" in nearly every stanza shows this loss of direction.
In the first two stanzas, he experiments with drugs to soothe his pains to let his "bones melt away". But, the drugs didn't work for him because he gets "stranded" and his heart becomes like a "hand grenade". In the next four stanzas, the speaker continues his wandering for various things to give him satisfaction or to "carry his senses away." Despite the fact he's got wages to buy himself "anything he needs", he wants to be "washed away (suicide?/major life change)".
In the 7th stanza, he faces the belief that he has lost himself completely, so "nobody's there" in his head.
The speaker might experience the most pain in the last stanza. There's a voice calling for him that needs him, but the speaker has placed himself so far away from the rest of the world within his own misery. If he does kill himself, the speaker will have to deal with the fact that there was someone that needed him to live, but he failed that person to end his own suffering.
I think it's possible this is another tribute song to Elliott Smith. It could be Beck's attempt to sympathize with the mindset that Smith must have had to live with in his final days.
Beck has always battled the common expectation brought upon him by "Loser." In reality, "funky, groovy, ironic" Beck is only one part of his repertoire. "Wistful, lost, melodic and futilistic" Beck is equally as interesting and enveloping if not more so. "Movie Theme" is a perfect example. Beck is a man who sees the world in a different light as everyone else. It's almost as if he feels he's got it all figured out, and doesn't like the final result. So he sings of despair and getting through, fooling yourself into smiling through life. This is the most prevalant theme on "The Information," the constant battle between being fed up with society, and trying your best to blend in.