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'm going to Colorado
To unload my head
I'm going to New York City
And that's in New York, friends
I'm going to Arizona
Sex on the rocks all warm and red
And we all bled
And the writing in the stall says
We write our maps in the stalls
I'm going up to Alaska
I'm gonna get off scot-fucking-free
And we all did
This trucker's atlas roads the ways
The freeways and highways don't know
The buzz from the bird on my dash
Road locomotive phone
I don't feel and it feels great
I sold my atlas by the freight stairs
I did lines and I crossed roads
I crossed the lines of all the great state roads
I'm going up over to Montana
You got yourself a trucker's atlas
You knew you were all hot
Maybe you'll go and blow a gasket
Start at the northwest corner
Go down through California
Beeline, you might drive three days
And three nights to the tip of Florida
Do you speak the lingo?
Oh no?
How far does your road go?
Oh you don't know?
To unload my head
I'm going to New York City
And that's in New York, friends
I'm going to Arizona
Sex on the rocks all warm and red
And we all bled
And the writing in the stall says
We write our maps in the stalls
I'm going up to Alaska
I'm gonna get off scot-fucking-free
And we all did
This trucker's atlas roads the ways
The freeways and highways don't know
The buzz from the bird on my dash
Road locomotive phone
I don't feel and it feels great
I sold my atlas by the freight stairs
I did lines and I crossed roads
I crossed the lines of all the great state roads
I'm going up over to Montana
You got yourself a trucker's atlas
You knew you were all hot
Maybe you'll go and blow a gasket
Start at the northwest corner
Go down through California
Beeline, you might drive three days
And three nights to the tip of Florida
Do you speak the lingo?
Oh no?
How far does your road go?
Oh you don't know?
Lyrics submitted by Ducks, edited by AntiGravityTapes
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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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Great version of a great song,
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i just heard like 20 seconds of this version. god does it ever fucking blow (lozl). it doesn't capture the theme of this song's lyrics AT ALL!