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 was running
From imaginary vampire bats
I was shrieking at the moon
While Montezuma laughed
Oh, astral blues
And reds and greens and golds
I hope that I die
When I'm 100 years old
Looking like a New Yorker cartoon
Sleeping in a golden cocoon
With you
I was making love
To my sister from another life
I was stitching the seams of my open dreams
With a needle from a camel's eye
If I could give myself some advice
I'd go out of my mind right now
I'd stay here with my baby
Forever in the here and now
Looking like a New Yorker cartoon
Sleeping in a golden cocoon
With you
I was returning my salute
To the lieutenant paper bag
And my best friend, Farmer Dave
Lit me up so I could take a drag
My sister's former flame
Threw his shirt into the fire
An ancient child prodigy
A genius who inspires
Looking like a New Yorker cartoon
Sleeping in a golden cocoon
With you
With you
With you
From imaginary vampire bats
I was shrieking at the moon
While Montezuma laughed
Oh, astral blues
And reds and greens and golds
I hope that I die
When I'm 100 years old
Looking like a New Yorker cartoon
Sleeping in a golden cocoon
With you
I was making love
To my sister from another life
I was stitching the seams of my open dreams
With a needle from a camel's eye
If I could give myself some advice
I'd go out of my mind right now
I'd stay here with my baby
Forever in the here and now
Looking like a New Yorker cartoon
Sleeping in a golden cocoon
With you
I was returning my salute
To the lieutenant paper bag
And my best friend, Farmer Dave
Lit me up so I could take a drag
My sister's former flame
Threw his shirt into the fire
An ancient child prodigy
A genius who inspires
Looking like a New Yorker cartoon
Sleeping in a golden cocoon
With you
With you
With you
Lyrics submitted by kzag83, edited by indyregula, ranprieur
New Yorker Cartoon Lyrics as written by Johnathan Rice
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Oh, AZTLAN blues And reds and greens and golds I hope that I die When I'm 100 years old
I was making love To my sister from another life I was stitching seams of my OPEN dreams With a needle from a camel's eye
I was returning my SALUTE To the LIEUTENANT paper bag And my best friend, Farmer Dave Lit me up so I could take a drag
My sister's formed with flame Threw his shirt into the fire An ancient child prodigy A genius who inspirED
Very very cool song. I read somewhere that John said this song is about an actual night where a bunch of people on the tour took Psychedelics and a lot of imagery in the song was inspired by that.. He said that someone actually threw their shirt into the fire. Very cool imagery here, I guess that is where all these Aztec inspired colors and "Paper Bag Lieutenants" and "Imaginary vampire bats" come from. Also, for those who don't know a lot about who J and J tour with, "Farmer Dave" Scher is a good friend and band member who tours with Jenny (and John tours with her so there are connections there) John said that night everything turned all cartoon-y and slow moving, so this song i'd like to think mirrors that with its repetitiveness as well as the imagery.
My sister's formER flame
I was stitching seams of my opium dreams