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.
Call in the air strike, tell them to make the drop
Initiate a cycle no one but you can stop
Would it be fair to say that you're in love with love?
And is that enough?
I bet you feel really potent stuff
The shadows of doubt on how things turn out are typically gray
But even the stopped clock on the wall is right two times a day
And it's still enough
Just how much distance means we're on our own?
And can we be happy, happy alone?
The universe opens up the door
And we go right in, it's there, it's new, it's cool
It's something we ain't seen before
And five minutes in, an egg timer rings
To clip off our carefree flapping wings
Show us the things we can't afford then throw us overboard
But it's still enough
Just how much distance means we're on our own?
Until I see you off at home, down the sidewalk in my head
I might be sinking like a stone, but perfectly happy, just openly happy
In my heart I've always known, I gotta be happy alone
So burn my mail, destroy the phone, yeah, I'd rather be happy alone
The moving sky, the rocks below all so perfectly happy alone
Our little hearts have turned to stone, it better be happy all alone
Initiate a cycle no one but you can stop
Would it be fair to say that you're in love with love?
And is that enough?
I bet you feel really potent stuff
The shadows of doubt on how things turn out are typically gray
But even the stopped clock on the wall is right two times a day
And it's still enough
Just how much distance means we're on our own?
And can we be happy, happy alone?
The universe opens up the door
And we go right in, it's there, it's new, it's cool
It's something we ain't seen before
And five minutes in, an egg timer rings
To clip off our carefree flapping wings
Show us the things we can't afford then throw us overboard
But it's still enough
Just how much distance means we're on our own?
Until I see you off at home, down the sidewalk in my head
I might be sinking like a stone, but perfectly happy, just openly happy
In my heart I've always known, I gotta be happy alone
So burn my mail, destroy the phone, yeah, I'd rather be happy alone
The moving sky, the rocks below all so perfectly happy alone
Our little hearts have turned to stone, it better be happy all alone
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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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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”
Blue
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“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.
Head > Heels
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“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
This might be my favorite Earlimart song now. It's really smart, and I'm sure most people will see it as a song about a relationship and breaking up and being happier single, but I think it's completely different.
This album, Mentor Tormentor, was released on Majordomo because their previous label Palm dropped them for not really producing anything in years. Aaron Espinoza said in an interview that during the time between the albums he fell in love with a girl and became engaged and was completely happy, and when he's happy he has nothing to write about really. It was Ariana Murray, the other constant in the band, that eventually motivated and convinced Aaron to start writing again. I think this song is about that period where Ariana wanted to be making music but Aaron wasn't writing.
I could go line-by-line and show how each stanza could support my idea for the song, but I think if you really read the lyrics you can figure most of it out for yourself. It's like Ariana was afraid that Earlimart was going to die completely, and they both would be alone, musically. The last line is perfect, "I'd better be happy alone." She's hopeless, wholly expecting the end of Earlimart, and she hopes to not be too angry about it.
I might be looking too far into it, but so much about the song just doesn't make sense if it were about a relationship/break up. I dunno, maybe I'm not really explaining my hypothesis well enough, but it makes perfect sense to me, and makes the song really stand-out on an already outstanding album.
And now the only thing we need is more songs with Ariana singing.