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.
Said I want to live the city life
This small town could eat me alive
I gotta pack my things and go where the railroad takes me
Mama's too poor to send me away
But I've been saving up on most everday
Little bit of each check from the Gas & Deli
And the whistle keeps on blowing
And the train keeps on rolling
And he said
I ain't never been to New York City
I ain't seen the San Francisco Bay
I ain't never tried my hand in Vegas
But you bet your bottom dollar
That's where I'm going the day after today
So he locked the door and he killed the lights
Took a six pack to get him through the night
Didn't have a plan just a good sense of direction
And Maybelline, his beauty queen
She cried all night cause the sheets were clean
But he left her a lovers' note there apologizing
He said I hear the whistle blowing
Gotta catch it the train is rolling
And he said
I ain't never been to New York City
I ain't seen the San Francisco Bay
I ain't never tried my hand in Vegas
But you bet your bottom dollar
That's where I'm going the day after today
The air is thick on the concrete isle
Ain't nothing green for like twenty miles
And he ain't used to the sun and moon a hiding
So he took his foot from out his mouth
And he packed his things and went back down south
But Maybelline said "Babe my time's arising."
Said I hear the whistle blowing
Gotta catch it the train is rolling
And she said
I ain't never been to New York City
I ain't seen the San Francisco Bay
I ain't never tried my hand in Vegas
I never seen the L.A. lights shine bright
Bright, brighter than your smile was ever
Brighter than my desire was ever
Longer burning than our love was ever...
And she said
I ain't never been to New York City
I ain't seen the San Francisco Bay
I ain't never tried my hand in Vegas
But you bet your bottom dollar
That's where I'm going the day after today
This small town could eat me alive
I gotta pack my things and go where the railroad takes me
Mama's too poor to send me away
But I've been saving up on most everday
Little bit of each check from the Gas & Deli
And the whistle keeps on blowing
And the train keeps on rolling
And he said
I ain't never been to New York City
I ain't seen the San Francisco Bay
I ain't never tried my hand in Vegas
But you bet your bottom dollar
That's where I'm going the day after today
So he locked the door and he killed the lights
Took a six pack to get him through the night
Didn't have a plan just a good sense of direction
And Maybelline, his beauty queen
She cried all night cause the sheets were clean
But he left her a lovers' note there apologizing
He said I hear the whistle blowing
Gotta catch it the train is rolling
And he said
I ain't never been to New York City
I ain't seen the San Francisco Bay
I ain't never tried my hand in Vegas
But you bet your bottom dollar
That's where I'm going the day after today
The air is thick on the concrete isle
Ain't nothing green for like twenty miles
And he ain't used to the sun and moon a hiding
So he took his foot from out his mouth
And he packed his things and went back down south
But Maybelline said "Babe my time's arising."
Said I hear the whistle blowing
Gotta catch it the train is rolling
And she said
I ain't never been to New York City
I ain't seen the San Francisco Bay
I ain't never tried my hand in Vegas
I never seen the L.A. lights shine bright
Bright, brighter than your smile was ever
Brighter than my desire was ever
Longer burning than our love was ever...
And she said
I ain't never been to New York City
I ain't seen the San Francisco Bay
I ain't never tried my hand in Vegas
But you bet your bottom dollar
That's where I'm going the day after today
Lyrics submitted by *nygirl*
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
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"
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
I OVE THIS SONG IT SHOWS THE DIVERSITY IN HER VOICE. I LOVE THAT HER SONGS SAY SIMPLE THINGS BUT MEAN THE WORLD TO ME. loVE JOY SHES AMAZING