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 am leaving you
Because I don't love you
I am leaving you
Because I don't love you
Well it's the knowledge,
It's the knowledge,
It's the knowledge
Of future clarity
That makes my voice tremble
With greater dignity
I am leaving you
Because I don't love you
I am leaving you
Because I don't love you
I'm sorry I have to be this
Brutally honest, Nicole
But my excuses were babies
Of snow that I just could not hold
So you pick up your asthma inhaler
And put it against your lips
And oh those lips I've loved
That I was dreaming of
They're so red and soft
I'm so sorry I couldn't love you enough
I'm so sorry I couldn't love you enough
I'm so sorry that I'm leaving you
Because I don't love you
I am leaving you
Because I don't love you
So pick up your asthma inhaler
And put it against your lips
Oh, those lips I've loved that I was dreaming of
They're still red and soft
I'm so sorry I couldn't love you enough
So sorry I couldn't love you enough
Because I don't love you
I am leaving you
Because I don't love you
Well it's the knowledge,
It's the knowledge,
It's the knowledge
Of future clarity
That makes my voice tremble
With greater dignity
I am leaving you
Because I don't love you
I am leaving you
Because I don't love you
I'm sorry I have to be this
Brutally honest, Nicole
But my excuses were babies
Of snow that I just could not hold
So you pick up your asthma inhaler
And put it against your lips
And oh those lips I've loved
That I was dreaming of
They're so red and soft
I'm so sorry I couldn't love you enough
I'm so sorry I couldn't love you enough
I'm so sorry that I'm leaving you
Because I don't love you
I am leaving you
Because I don't love you
So pick up your asthma inhaler
And put it against your lips
Oh, those lips I've loved that I was dreaming of
They're still red and soft
I'm so sorry I couldn't love you enough
So sorry I couldn't love you enough
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Light Up The Sky
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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.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
"...this song is pretty clearly an allegory for the industrial revolution in Russia..."
Actually, this song is definitely an allegory for the tooth fairy and hardcore gay porn. Your "theory" about this song is "pretty clearly" absurd. But it made me laugh.
I love the sample he uses... same as in Take No Heroes by The Tough Alliance, though who knows if it's their original or not.
The piano piece is also in "laugh" by Birdie. Other than that this song is pretty clearly an allegory for the industrial revolution in Russia and its effects on the Bolsheviks of the time.
actually i've revised my origional theory and I've concluded this song is about defecting from the soviet republic in the cold war.
He talks about how the politicians are very russian and used to be true, but now are flexible, because they are corrupt which is why he is leaving
"and oh those lips i've loved that i was dreaming of they're so red and soft"
jens clearly loved his soviet home but he doesn't love it anymore.
You're clearly retarded. Even if your embarrassment of an analysis weren't a total joke, Jens is from fucking Sweden.
The piano sample is from a song by Laura Nyro, called "Wedding Bell Blues". Gotta love Jens's sample choices.
Haha, gahcioi. I love the directness of the chorus and the lines: "but my excuses were babies of now that i just could not hold" It seems as if his excuses would have seemed pure enough, but were really just fabricated and would have passed away eventually.
I don't love you I don't love you I don't love you I don't love you I don't love you I don't love you!