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 broke and I'm hungry, I'm hard up and I'm lonely
I've been dancing on this killing floor for years
And of the few things I am certain, I'm the captain of my burden
I'm sorry doll, I could never stop the rain
Once you said I was your hero
You would dance with me on a dime
We could spin this world right right right round
And catch back up on the flip side
I was gonna get this real big engine
I was gonna get them Broadway stars
You were gonna be my Judy Garland
We were gonna share your tin man heart
There's a dirty wind blowin', there's a storm front comin' in
There's an SOS on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails and heart attacks and broken dreams tonight
We used to drive all night
All over town
We'd go waltzing Matilda
When Matilda came around
I sang them blues to you
There's a dirty wind blowin', there's a storm front comin' in
There's an SOS on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails and heart attacks and broken dreams tonight
There's a dirty wind blowin', there's a storm front comin' in
There's an S-O-S on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails and heart attacks and broken dreams
And heart attacks and broken dreams
Atlantis is my only dream tonight
I've been dancing on this killing floor for years
And of the few things I am certain, I'm the captain of my burden
I'm sorry doll, I could never stop the rain
Once you said I was your hero
You would dance with me on a dime
We could spin this world right right right round
And catch back up on the flip side
I was gonna get this real big engine
I was gonna get them Broadway stars
You were gonna be my Judy Garland
We were gonna share your tin man heart
There's a dirty wind blowin', there's a storm front comin' in
There's an SOS on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails and heart attacks and broken dreams tonight
We used to drive all night
All over town
We'd go waltzing Matilda
When Matilda came around
I sang them blues to you
There's a dirty wind blowin', there's a storm front comin' in
There's an SOS on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails and heart attacks and broken dreams tonight
There's a dirty wind blowin', there's a storm front comin' in
There's an S-O-S on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails and heart attacks and broken dreams
And heart attacks and broken dreams
Atlantis is my only dream tonight
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"
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
This is a great song. Their best, in my opinion. I love the line
"You were gonna be my Judy Garland, We were gonna share your tin man heart"
To me its about someone having a hard time and a friend tell him that its all going to be ok and there is a light at the end of a tunnel.
I have to Agree totally with RavenSan
Very catchy song , How come these guys arent massive , they should be
the judy garland makes this song, and waltzing too.
To me, this is about someone who was in love, but they did something self destructive and ruined it, stated in the lines:
And of the few things that I am certain, I'm the captain of my burden.
Which mean he is most likely the cause of the problem. The first verses are just memories and plans they made. Then the chorus comes in with a lot of imagery depicting a storm, which could mean their plans were ruined. The last line, Atlantis is my only dream tonight, probably means that through the storm the person is hoping to find some sort of paradise at the end of it, but the song doesn't really have a solid conclusion so I would say its unknown if they find it.
I got all this from a personal experience I've been through, so you all might not see it the same way as me.
The "Waltzing Matilda" line is likely a reference to Tom Waits' "Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind In Copenhagen)", which is itself a take on the traditional "Waltzing Matilda". Gaslight Anthem references Waits songs on number of occasions.
The title is a reference to a famous line in the 50s film On The Waterfront with Marlon Brando. Terry: You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it.
The whole thing is a maritime metaphor for a relationship. Atlantis was a lost city under the sea according to Greek myth and legend.
Wasn't "I coulda been a contender" The line from a movie? I forget which one, but was it?
im probably reading far too much into this but this is my interpretation...
the title...i coulda been a contender...we coulda been a couple, together, happy.
verse 1, he feels sorry for himself, i think he's saying that he's spent a lifetime looking for the woman for him, "iv been dancing on this killing floor for years" and he's lonely because of a life he's chosen but understands that its his choice n he has to deal with it "i'm the captain of my burden"
verse 2, a very sad verse with words like " ONCE u said i was ur hero" and "gonna" all past tense. he clearly met an amazing woman, a woman who turned his world upside down and meant everything to him. "you would dance with me on a dime" i think is saying how they would dance to the sound of a jukebox. i think in the last 3 lines he is saying that he was "gonna" support her in her dreams and her career as a singer and she would be his own "judy garland". we were going to share ur empty heart, together. she will still have a career and become a star, but he wont be there with her to see it.
verse 3, i find this really interesting, when i hear a "dirty wind blowing" i picture a sand storm, a dusty dirty sand storm in the desert. "a storm front coming in" a storm as everyone knows is scary, with load bangs of thunder and bright flashes of lightning, not unlike war, when u see fighting from a distance u often see a big flash of an explosion followed by a thunderous bang. the last 3 lines i think he's talking to himself, "steady now, soldier hold fast now" he's making himself focus, he's going away to war now concentrate on what u have to do, he needs all is focus if he wants to live through this. "It's heads or tails on heart attacks and broken dreams" heads and tails....50/50 on dying and destroying his and her dreams.
verse 4, "waltzing matilda" i dont no what he means by that but i think he's still reminiscing the time they had together, note that this reminiscing verse compared to the others is very short, he really is trying to put her to the back of his head and focus on whats coming.
he now repeats the chorus 3 times which tells me he's now fully focused on what he has to do, understands theres a big chance of death and "broken dreams" but he's now got his head clear of any distractions. the last line is brilliant," Atlantis is my only dream tonight" when he goes to sleep he allows himself to relax and take his mind off the stress of what he's going through, "atlantis" he could be talking about what he sees as paradise and hope, something to live for...
maybe i have too much of an imagination
like that interpretation. valid points.
The line "Soldier hold fast now" a traditional sailor tattoo is to have "Hold Fast" on your knuckles or wrists, they belived it would help them hold/grip the rope tighter, i agree with "cieran" saying it is not unlike a war (a storm at sea) and the sailors are the soldiers fighting to get to their "only dream" a greek myth also to do with a sea, but i do belive this song is written about a romance that has gone wrong but hides it in the whole thing behind the sea. Does any one else also think that the name of the album and album cover are related to this song? sink or swim is to do with the sea and so is the album cover but this could just be me making no real conections bettween anything