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.
If you're anywhere around here, just come back.
I'll give you everything you need this time, I promise.
It's not so much the way you hurt me, it's more like the way you make me want to hurt myself.
When you show up it's like a landmine, close enough to leave indelible scars adhered to one such impressionable person.
Don't say names, protect the innocent, he sure needs a break.
But, What if everyone's got to get back just in time to smoke that last cigarette, and you're still lingering around the set, trying to set me off.
Maybe we could take some time to work this out.
I really thing our duties here are the same:
Make it bearable to be careful with each other's emotions
But the only way to mine out what you're doing,
Is for you to envy me.
Then, we can both stay interested.
Oh Charlena, maybe you should write this down,
So we could get it right next time around.
No, Charlena, It's not as simple as it sounds,
To keep your feet planted on common ground.
If anyone knows you, I do.
And if anyone can forgive you, well I'd try to.
But you keep on doing that thing to me.
It's like your dragging me down into your disease,
And can't you see it's brining me to my knees.
What if we could get it all back,
The same way it was before you.
Attacked all evidence of decency in me,
And left me in the debris?
So, Charlena, maybe you could sort this out,
And tell me how you feel about it now.
Whoa, Charlena, maybe you should just sit down,
I'm not sure that it's worth this anyhow.
I'll give you everything you need this time, I promise.
It's not so much the way you hurt me, it's more like the way you make me want to hurt myself.
When you show up it's like a landmine, close enough to leave indelible scars adhered to one such impressionable person.
Don't say names, protect the innocent, he sure needs a break.
But, What if everyone's got to get back just in time to smoke that last cigarette, and you're still lingering around the set, trying to set me off.
Maybe we could take some time to work this out.
I really thing our duties here are the same:
Make it bearable to be careful with each other's emotions
But the only way to mine out what you're doing,
Is for you to envy me.
Then, we can both stay interested.
Oh Charlena, maybe you should write this down,
So we could get it right next time around.
No, Charlena, It's not as simple as it sounds,
To keep your feet planted on common ground.
If anyone knows you, I do.
And if anyone can forgive you, well I'd try to.
But you keep on doing that thing to me.
It's like your dragging me down into your disease,
And can't you see it's brining me to my knees.
What if we could get it all back,
The same way it was before you.
Attacked all evidence of decency in me,
And left me in the debris?
So, Charlena, maybe you could sort this out,
And tell me how you feel about it now.
Whoa, Charlena, maybe you should just sit down,
I'm not sure that it's worth this anyhow.
Lyrics submitted by Nocturn
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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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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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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"
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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.
I really like this song, and band. :) I think the meaning is pretty straight-forward.
Pretty sure this was written about my ex. Love the title, favorite song by them.