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.
Godless brother in love
You might as well
Lay down that rose
And fold the flag
She is money and tabs
That broken freedom in
See her big children burning rags
By the riverside
You can hear them on the hilltop laughing
Cursing every bird in the air
Telling her what fun they're having
Driving eyes closed
Godless brother
As far as I can tell
The night won't compensate the blight
She looks lovely
As lightning all
But what the hell
Her big kids all run down the road
With no memories at all
And you can hear them on the hilltop laughing
Cursing every bird in the air
Telling her what fun they're having
Driving eyes closed
You might as well
Lay down that rose
And fold the flag
She is money and tabs
That broken freedom in
See her big children burning rags
By the riverside
You can hear them on the hilltop laughing
Cursing every bird in the air
Telling her what fun they're having
Driving eyes closed
Godless brother
As far as I can tell
The night won't compensate the blight
She looks lovely
As lightning all
But what the hell
Her big kids all run down the road
With no memories at all
And you can hear them on the hilltop laughing
Cursing every bird in the air
Telling her what fun they're having
Driving eyes closed
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"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
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Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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homeboy knows how to write a song, thats for sure.
I'm definitely hearing some different lyrics in spots, and I agree with @notfromohio that the song is political--probably the most beautifully understated politically-oriented song I've ever heard.
Here's my interpretation:
Godless brother = Perhaps a soldier or "brother at arms" Mother = The Statue of Liberty ("Lady Liberty"), who is stuck observing the ensuing bad behavior, which is out of her control. Children = The politicians etc. on Capital Hill (see later note)
Godless brother in love You might as well Lay down that rose and Fold the Flag
[[[Rose and a folded flag are traditional in military funerals--he's saying that the death is bound to happen, so you might as well go through the funerary motions now]]]
She hears money and Taps that broken freedom bell. See her big children burning rags By the riverside.
[[[The Liberty Bell is referred to here--and it is both literally and figuratively broken. It's as though when the mother (Lady Liberty) hears all of this talk about money, she taps the bell to remind them what it stands for. The "big children" are politicians, burning rags, being careless with natural resources.]]]
And you can hear them on the hilltop laughing Cursing every bird in the air Telling her what fun they're having Driving eyes closed.
[[["Hilltop" is Capitol Hill, (which is why I think the "children" are meant to be politicians}. "Cursing every bird in the air" could refer to airplanes, and the paranoia and fear mongering that ran rampant after 9/11. “Driving eyes closed” of course, refers to the self-induced blindness or shortsightedness of the people “driving” the country, and having a very good time doing it.]]]
Godless brother as far as I can tell The night won't compensate the blind.
[[[The darkness/blindness that night brings is no compensation for the blind, because they never get to see, even when there is light.]]]
She looks lovely as lightning Oh but what the hell... Her big kids all run down the road With no memories at all.
[[The Statue of Liberty’s raised arm is an extremely common site of lightning strikes. The politicians are “running down the road with no memories at all,” meaning that they are rushing forward without any caution or thought as to where they are going or where they have (or their country has) been.
And you can hear them on the hilltop laughing Cursing every bird in the air Telling her what fun they're having Driving eyes closed.
[[[Repeat analysis of first chorus.]]]
Can someone tell me a song meaning?
I heard this song the first time Sam every played it live, at the SDSU Open Air Theater. Gorgeous!
It's actually just "Godless Brother".
Instead of "Godless brother As far as I can tell And I won't compensate the blight"
it's: "Godless brother As far as I can tell The night won't compensate the blind"
I think it's about a mother who's lost control of her children, or they've grown up and she can't protect them anymore.
The night won't compensate the blind... I love love love that line. Beautiful, as always.
I definitely agree with you there. It's 'the night won't compensate the blind', and it's better off for it too. It truly is a beautiful lyric, and as always Sam has thoroughly impressed me with this song. <br /> <br /> So far, I'm absolutely loving his new album.
Godless brother in love You might as well Lay down that rose And fold the flag
She is money and tabs That broken freedom bell See her big children burning rags By the riverside
And you can hear them on the hilltop laughing Cursing every bird in the air Telling her what fun they're having Driving eyes closed
Godless brother As far as I can tell The night won't compensate the blind
She looks lovely As lightning Aw, but what the hell? Her big kids all run down the road With no memories at all
And you can hear them on the hilltop laughing Cursing every bird in the air Telling her what fun they're having Driving eyes closed
This is the most beautiful song.
I think this song is political in nature. "Godless brother" refers to a disheartened patriot, a citizen who loves his country; "Godless" may or may not refer to the "In God We Trust" and public prayer controversies. Anyway, this patriot is in love with Lady Liberty, whose children are our irresponsible, careless government.
She is money and tabs --(nat'l debt) That broken freedom bell -- (yeah, we fought for Iraqi freedom...oh and btw now Saddam can't See her big children burning rags undercut OPEC oil prices. We now have to pay ridiculous prices for gasoline.) By the riverside -- (last 2 lines -- gov't unregulated, wild, irresponsible)
And you can hear them on the hilltop laughing Cursing every bird in the air -- (again, wild, uncontrollable)
Telling her what fun they're having Driving eyes closed -- (reckless, no thought for the future -- the bailout plan, for instance)
"She looks lovely As lightning -- (America/freedom/democracy is a beautiful thing, but... Aw, but what the hell?
Her big kids all run down the road
With no memories at all" -- her "big kids" refuse to learn from past mistakes)
= a very well-written song: meaningful lyrics set to a beautiful tune.
@notfromohio not tabs, but taps, per the album insert.
Repost: format error fixed and comment(s) edited
I think this song is political in nature. "Godless brother" refers to a disheartened patriot, a citizen who loves his country; "Godless" may or may not refer to the "In God We Trust" and public prayer controversies. Anyway, this patriot is in love with Lady Liberty, whose children are our irresponsible, careless government.
She is money and tabs --(nat'l debt) That broken freedom bell -- (yeah, we fought for Iraqi freedom...oh and btw now Saddam can't See her big children burning rags undercut OPEC oil prices. = Oil companies make a killing) By the riverside -- (last 2 lines -- gov't unregulated, wild, irresponsible)
And you can hear them on the hilltop laughing Cursing every bird in the air -- (again, wild, uncontrollable) Telling her what fun they're having Driving eyes closed -- (reckless, no thought for the future -- the bailout plan, for instance)
"She looks lovely As lightning -- (America/freedom/democracy is a beautiful thing, but... Aw, but what the hell? Her big kids all run down the road With no memories at all" -- her "big kids" refuse to learn from past mistakes)
= a very well-written song: meaningful lyrics set to a beautiful tune.