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 made of Sopwith Camel
Sherman PT-17, sixty and cloudy, I go slow
Compared to modernity I am a humming bee
Sweater-weather and
Hugs and drugs and movies
But baby ice
Is growing on the wing
Baby ice is growing on the wing
You rolled the dice but
You didn’t know anything
Underneath the oxide
Underneath the oxide
It’s all the same song
I am made of no newspapers
When the V-1 buzzing stopped
Only prayers
I am made of young curiosity, deluded piety
Double-whiskey for the men
Don’t talk to thy neighbour
If they don’t take your same lord as saviour
In a songless meeting house
Proud to be the only ones
Who get saved in the end
From hugs and drugs and movies
But baby ice
Is growing on the wing
Baby ice is growing on the wing
You rolled the dice but
You didn’t know anything
What if I start now?
Just like someone’s watching me
Somebody’s watching me
What if I start now?
Just like someone’s watching me
But baby ice
Is growing on the wing
Baby ice is growing on the wing
Baby ice is growing on the wing
Baby ice is growing on the wing
Underneath the oxide
Underneath the oxide
Underneath the oxide
It’s all the same
Sherman PT-17, sixty and cloudy, I go slow
Compared to modernity I am a humming bee
Sweater-weather and
Hugs and drugs and movies
But baby ice
Is growing on the wing
Baby ice is growing on the wing
You rolled the dice but
You didn’t know anything
Underneath the oxide
Underneath the oxide
It’s all the same song
I am made of no newspapers
When the V-1 buzzing stopped
Only prayers
I am made of young curiosity, deluded piety
Double-whiskey for the men
Don’t talk to thy neighbour
If they don’t take your same lord as saviour
In a songless meeting house
Proud to be the only ones
Who get saved in the end
From hugs and drugs and movies
But baby ice
Is growing on the wing
Baby ice is growing on the wing
You rolled the dice but
You didn’t know anything
What if I start now?
Just like someone’s watching me
Somebody’s watching me
What if I start now?
Just like someone’s watching me
But baby ice
Is growing on the wing
Baby ice is growing on the wing
Baby ice is growing on the wing
Baby ice is growing on the wing
Underneath the oxide
Underneath the oxide
Underneath the oxide
It’s all the same
Lyrics submitted by gm50
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Thanks mcseas for the insight.
This song from that standpoint seems a bit cynical. It alludes to the fact that inheritance is not only biological but perhaps social in many ways. A Sopwith Camel plan created in the during WWI certainly does not match up to that of modern planes, "compared to modernity, I am a humming bee". If one inherits his position in society as a Sopwith Camel, his own reality is fixed for him, something this song hints cannot be helped or changed, "I go slow".
I believe a Sopwith Camel could become an F-16 in a free society, but I digress.
Matt also talks quite a bit about religious beliefs being passed down generation by generation.
"Ice is growing on the wing", the plane is going down in other words, we are all dying, ice is growing on all of our wings, etc.
"Underneath the oxide, it's all the same" The Earth's crust is composed almost entirely of oxides. Matt is saying underneath the crust, in a coffin perhaps, it doesn't make a difference what kind of "plane" you are.
wasnt sure what this song was about, but i recently saw a NS show and matt said it was about inheriting/having traits from your parents/grandparents...
Both of the below comments make a lot of sense, and I agree.
In my opinion, I think that this song is anti-war and relates to the fact that people are kind of stupid. For example, there's the lyric, "Don’t talk to thy neighbour If they don’t take your same lord as saviour". This refers to the fact that people of separate religions tend to be unable to coexist peacefully, and either ignore each other or fight.