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.
Come on, come on, come on,
Get in, oh baby!
Well I worked it out
I gotta say goodbye
I can see it clear as day
With a naked eye
Smells like thunder
You look like rain
And it's spelling out
Disaster is my name
Oh, that we could make it easy
We could do it right
'Cause you know the time has come
It must be done
We are going downhill
Downhill, downhill
[Chorus]
Come on, (come on) can you see the light (can you see the light)
Come on, (come on) you know it feels right
The door is open
Are you gonna take the ride
We're playing it all wrong
That's why I'm saying it
Come on, get in
Get in, get in, come on
Gotta do it friendly (gotta do it friendly)
Gotta do it soon (gotta do it soon)
Got to get this mean old beast
Out of the room (out of the room)
'Cause he's been greedy (he's been greedy)
And we've been blind (and we've been blind)
While we let him creep up on us
From behind
Oh but he's not gonna get me
He's not getting you
'Cause you know the time has come
It must be done
We are going downhill
Downhill, downhill
[Chorus]
(Get in, get in, get in)
I'll take the anger (she'll take the anger)
You take the pain (you take the pain)
And we'll promise that we
Won't go back again (go back again)
Oh 'cause the time (the time)
The time has come (time has come)
We could break these chains
And baby we could run
So keep your eyes on the road and
Keep your hands on the wheel
'Cause we know the time is right
We just might
Make it going downhill
Downhill, downhill
[Chorus: x2]
Get in, get in, come on
Get in, oh baby!
Well I worked it out
I gotta say goodbye
I can see it clear as day
With a naked eye
Smells like thunder
You look like rain
And it's spelling out
Disaster is my name
Oh, that we could make it easy
We could do it right
'Cause you know the time has come
It must be done
We are going downhill
Downhill, downhill
[Chorus]
Come on, (come on) can you see the light (can you see the light)
Come on, (come on) you know it feels right
The door is open
Are you gonna take the ride
We're playing it all wrong
That's why I'm saying it
Come on, get in
Get in, get in, come on
Gotta do it friendly (gotta do it friendly)
Gotta do it soon (gotta do it soon)
Got to get this mean old beast
Out of the room (out of the room)
'Cause he's been greedy (he's been greedy)
And we've been blind (and we've been blind)
While we let him creep up on us
From behind
Oh but he's not gonna get me
He's not getting you
'Cause you know the time has come
It must be done
We are going downhill
Downhill, downhill
[Chorus]
(Get in, get in, get in)
I'll take the anger (she'll take the anger)
You take the pain (you take the pain)
And we'll promise that we
Won't go back again (go back again)
Oh 'cause the time (the time)
The time has come (time has come)
We could break these chains
And baby we could run
So keep your eyes on the road and
Keep your hands on the wheel
'Cause we know the time is right
We just might
Make it going downhill
Downhill, downhill
[Chorus: x2]
Get in, get in, come on
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
At a concert she talked about how there were too many negative songs about break-ups, so she wrote this one about ending a relationship when you realize your life would be a thousand times better without this other person in it
Sounds right to me! I just love how exuberant this song is.
Three words: Thelma and Louise.
Seriously, after watching that movie it's all I can think about when I hear this song, lol.