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.
Paintings they fall off the walls
When you come in traipsing in with your horse
Your six string guitar is a mess
Silver bullets hanging off your dress
Now I remember what I meant to be
To replace your history
Who let that girl into this room
So innocent yet doomed
[Chorus]
Who shot the poison arrow
Who shot the poison arrow
Who shot the poison arrow
Who shot the poison arrow
Awh here she comes
And she's playing hard to get
Awh there she goes
A promise you can never forget
Mirrors, they black out and freeze
When you pull me in too too deep
Every time I handcuff you
I know I come closer to the truth
Now I remember what I meant to say
To count all my blessings today
Who let that girl into this room
So innocent yet doomed
[Chorus]
Awh here she comes
Yeah she's playing hard to get
Awh there she goes
A promise you can never forget
When you come in traipsing in with your horse
Your six string guitar is a mess
Silver bullets hanging off your dress
Now I remember what I meant to be
To replace your history
Who let that girl into this room
So innocent yet doomed
[Chorus]
Who shot the poison arrow
Who shot the poison arrow
Who shot the poison arrow
Who shot the poison arrow
Awh here she comes
And she's playing hard to get
Awh there she goes
A promise you can never forget
Mirrors, they black out and freeze
When you pull me in too too deep
Every time I handcuff you
I know I come closer to the truth
Now I remember what I meant to say
To count all my blessings today
Who let that girl into this room
So innocent yet doomed
[Chorus]
Awh here she comes
Yeah she's playing hard to get
Awh there she goes
A promise you can never forget
Lyrics submitted by rachel_mtr
Poison Arrow Lyrics as written by Lee M Ranaldo Kim A Gordon
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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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,
Just A Little Lovin'
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
The end of this song is plain BRILLIANT. It shows that no matter how inaccessible for the mainstream or far away from rock SY gets, you can still say they fucking rock.
As for the meaning, I'll see it later.
I think that this is about falling for a femme fetale - who shot the poision arrow is a reference to cupid.
live, Thurston introduced "Poison Arrow" as a "love song", but he might have said "Love song", as in Courtney Love. I don't mean to suggest that Thurston was ever romantically interested in Love, but just as the earlier SY song "Junkie's Promise" was at least partially inspired by Kurt Cobain, "Poison Arrow" could be a third-person observation of Courtney Love as a "femme fatale" (or trainwreck, depending on your POV).
But, if it's a reference to cupid, why would the arrow have poison in it? Cupid didn't have that.
Cupid's arrow is poison IMO, because love is deadly. When you're in love you totally expose yourself to the person you love, you give yourself over to them and are completely vunerable!<br /> Especially when you don't want to fall in love, and you do anyway or when you willingly fall in love and you get your heart stomped all over.