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.
Do you like jumping through the keyhole in your door
I feel like jumping through the keyhole in your door
If you jump this one time, baby
You won't jump no more.
Well I feel like fallin’ from a treetop to the ground
I feel like fallin’ from a treetop to the ground
My rider she got a mean joker
And he don't allow me around, no
I go there early in the mornin'
And I go there late at night
I go there early in in the mornin'
And I go there late at night
I don't care how late I go there, oh
He never never turns out the light
Listen, you know
I believe he's alookin’ for me
He's up all hours of the night
Hey! I believe he's alookin’ for me
He's up all hours of the night
She used to be my rider
And he ain't treatin her right.
Uh and I said she used to be my rider
and he ain't treatin' her right.
I met this joker one mornin'
He was out on the edge of town
I met this joker one mornin'
and he was out on the edge of town
I had to beg and plead
Just to keep him from blowin' me down
Oh, I got the mean jumper blues, oh
Got the mean jumper blues
Oh, I got them mean jumper blues
I feel like jumpin' through the keyhole in your door
I feel like jumpin' through the keyhole in your door
If you jump this one time, baby, yeah
You won't jump no more
I said I said if you ju-ju-just jump this one time, baby, yeah
You won't jump no more
Hey hey yeah! I swear if you jump this one time, baby
Please please jump this one time baby, yeah!
Please please just jump this one time baby, yeah!
You won't jump no more
I got the mean jumper blues
I said I got the mean jumper blues yeah
I got them mean jumpers blues
I feel like jumping through the keyhole in your door
If you jump this one time, baby
You won't jump no more.
Well I feel like fallin’ from a treetop to the ground
I feel like fallin’ from a treetop to the ground
My rider she got a mean joker
And he don't allow me around, no
I go there early in the mornin'
And I go there late at night
I go there early in in the mornin'
And I go there late at night
I don't care how late I go there, oh
He never never turns out the light
Listen, you know
I believe he's alookin’ for me
He's up all hours of the night
Hey! I believe he's alookin’ for me
He's up all hours of the night
She used to be my rider
And he ain't treatin her right.
Uh and I said she used to be my rider
and he ain't treatin' her right.
I met this joker one mornin'
He was out on the edge of town
I met this joker one mornin'
and he was out on the edge of town
I had to beg and plead
Just to keep him from blowin' me down
Oh, I got the mean jumper blues, oh
Got the mean jumper blues
Oh, I got them mean jumper blues
I feel like jumpin' through the keyhole in your door
I feel like jumpin' through the keyhole in your door
If you jump this one time, baby, yeah
You won't jump no more
I said I said if you ju-ju-just jump this one time, baby, yeah
You won't jump no more
Hey hey yeah! I swear if you jump this one time, baby
Please please jump this one time baby, yeah!
Please please just jump this one time baby, yeah!
You won't jump no more
I got the mean jumper blues
I said I got the mean jumper blues yeah
I got them mean jumpers blues
Lyrics submitted by Kutzko
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"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.
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
wow i can't believe nobody has commented on this song. i'm not too suprised though cuz it is really obscure. i really love it though, it's one of my all time favorites to listen to while driving. it's just one of theose driving songs. def not a counting crows original, i believe it was blind lemon jefferson who did the original.
i got the general broken heart message, but why is the guy refered to as "rider" and what does mean jumper blues mean? i don't really get the allusions in this song. anybody got any ideas or insight?
Its a great song, awesome lyrics. But In my opinion i think "Rider" is referring to a women, and the mean jumper blues is just the way he's feeling blue, Because he can't have his rider. The allusions of this song is that a women is with a joker (man) who is not treating her right and the person whos telling this song goes to the womens house every morning and every night to comfort her. Thats why it said i feel like jumping through the keyhole in your door aka jumping into your life. <br /> <br /> Hope this helped :) x
I totally agree. I cant believe no one had commented on this! I love this song, I listen to it daily. Your right, it is originally a Blind Melon song. Your general broken heart scenario is almost right on point. Its not a broken heart about "a girl" say, its more about the want to get high, getting high, and all the crazy shit that comes along with it. When he says 'I feel like jumping through the key-hole in your door, just jump this one time baby..." etc is the feeling you get when you wanna get get, dont wanna get high alone... etc etc. I believe this to be true because I am an a recovering addict... and I know the feeling all to well. Once you jump your good. However it is a vicious cycle. All good things must come to an end :) I listen to this song when im having a bad day, and wanting to go fuck up. It really helps.
@thethiefkindlyspoke
It's originally from the 1920's and it was Blind Lemon Jefferson, not Blind Melon :). The beauty of songs is they can mean whatever they mean to you and nobody is "wrong". <br /> <br /> I believe this song is your typical broken heart. The term "easy rider" was popular at the time and referenced women that slept around and had sexual talents in a lot of blues songs. Blind Lemon was considered the father of Texas blues, so it stands to reason he was talking about a woman that left him for another man.