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.
It’s been a while
How you’ve come back in style
Singing hey nonny na na na na
Back on the block
Really nothing but talk
Singing hey nonny na na na na
C’mon hey nonny na na na na
C’mon hey nonny na na na na
One two three
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Tell her that there’s just something wrong
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Uh huh
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Tell her that there’s just something wrong
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Uh huh
Back by demand
Do whatever you can
You look older I can tell by your hands
Drinks only gin, says it's how to keep thin
And she’s crying after every meal
Lord you don’t know how you’re making me feel
Rrraah
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Tell her that there’s just something wrong
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Uh huh
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Tell her that there’s just something wrong
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Uh huh
Oh no
Six records in
Don’t know where to begin
Singing nonny na na na na
Tell her that I just can’t go on
You’ll follow through it’s the best you can do
Singing hey nonny na na na na
Tell her that I just can’t go on
C’mon hey nonny na na na na
Tell her that I just can’t go on
How you’ve come back in style
Singing hey nonny na na na na
Back on the block
Really nothing but talk
Singing hey nonny na na na na
C’mon hey nonny na na na na
C’mon hey nonny na na na na
One two three
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Tell her that there’s just something wrong
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Uh huh
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Tell her that there’s just something wrong
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Uh huh
Back by demand
Do whatever you can
You look older I can tell by your hands
Drinks only gin, says it's how to keep thin
And she’s crying after every meal
Lord you don’t know how you’re making me feel
Rrraah
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Tell her that there’s just something wrong
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Uh huh
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Tell her that there’s just something wrong
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Uh huh
Oh no
Six records in
Don’t know where to begin
Singing nonny na na na na
Tell her that I just can’t go on
You’ll follow through it’s the best you can do
Singing hey nonny na na na na
Tell her that I just can’t go on
C’mon hey nonny na na na na
Tell her that I just can’t go on
Lyrics submitted by cajames4
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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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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Is this song talking about a girl who has an eating disorder? maybe bulimia? I don't know, the part that made me think that was this:
"Drinks only gin, says it's how to keep thin And she’s crying after every meal Lord you don’t know how you’re making me feel"
And when he says you look older I can tell by your hands... when you are bulimic you do end up looking older after purging especially if you have been doing it for awhile because you get dark circles under your eyes, as well as a lot of other complications. Your hands can also get very dry... i think i read that somewhere.
When he says in the first verse "how you've come back in style".. reminds me of how being really "thin" is in right now... especially what they portray in the media through celebs such as Nicole Richie, Lindsay, Keira. I mean, I guess the pressure for girls to be thin was always around, but especially these days... we see these pictures of stars looking so emaciated on the covers of magazines and on tv and I know a lot of girls do look up to them and want to look like that.
Maybe this girl wants to get better...but it's a lot harder to actually follow through with the actions. It's hard for him to see her going through this, and he doesn't know what he can do to help her. There is nothing he can do or say to help her or heal her. He feels helpless and is saying "I just can't go on".
I don't know...this is what I thought about when I heard this song.