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.
This part's for my love of old
How the rose in your heart you hold
Still all the water in your wells won't make it grow
Oh, the call of the nightingale
How I love beneath the ghostly sails
We move like gypsies 'neath the mist and beneath the gloom
Oh, how the river flows
Under the ice and snow
The keeper of the flame
The rose captain knows my name
This perfume breath I breathed
For you my dear, my love will never leave
This part's for my love of new
How the bulbs in my heart are true
They send the shoots through my fingers into your bones
Oh, the call of the collared dove
How I long to be your one true love
We'll move like gypsies 'neath the stars and beneath the moon
Oh, how the river flows
Under the ice and snow
The keeper of the flame
The rose captain knows our names
This perfume breath we breathed
For you my dear, my love,
Will never leave
Oh, the rose captain knows, knows our names
Oh, the rose captain knows, he knows our names
How the rose in your heart you hold
Still all the water in your wells won't make it grow
Oh, the call of the nightingale
How I love beneath the ghostly sails
We move like gypsies 'neath the mist and beneath the gloom
Oh, how the river flows
Under the ice and snow
The keeper of the flame
The rose captain knows my name
This perfume breath I breathed
For you my dear, my love will never leave
This part's for my love of new
How the bulbs in my heart are true
They send the shoots through my fingers into your bones
Oh, the call of the collared dove
How I long to be your one true love
We'll move like gypsies 'neath the stars and beneath the moon
Oh, how the river flows
Under the ice and snow
The keeper of the flame
The rose captain knows our names
This perfume breath we breathed
For you my dear, my love,
Will never leave
Oh, the rose captain knows, knows our names
Oh, the rose captain knows, he knows our names
Lyrics submitted by chickenflicker
The Rose Captain Lyrics as written by Alex Brown Church
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think the actual ship is their relationship. The rose is their love. The river that flows under the ice and snow is his love even though she doesnt love him. She is the keeper of the flame and the rose captain is the cupid that knows who loves eachother. Together they deal with the mist and gloom of their relationship.
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