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.
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Got a man in uniform
Riding up my day
He never said where he was from
And we were better off that way
There was something in the way
When he was polishing his buckle
So well he would see his reflection
But the sparkle's gone
Reckless with his seatbelt
And his foot is on the pedal
And his keys in the ignition
But the handbrake's on
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
And every time I look around
I see couples everywhere
As if my world was falling down
As if anyone would care
Huggin and a-kissin
It's a world of things I'm missing
I ain't got a pot to piss in
And in all my talk
It's pretty inconceivable
In fact it's unbelievable
I'm not so bloody leavable
Oh my God
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
Keep me satisfied
Keep me warm at night
I'm not after all the sake or the sushi in Japan
I'm a-waiting for my man
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
Around the time I took it back
He had a handlebar mustache
He was a hypochondriac
And he looked like Graham Nash
The place that he lived in was a
really really really really really nice place
But I got sick and tired of trying
To explain he wasn't dying
It was only influenza or a common cold
Fearin at my worst I went and got a proper nurse
And then they hit it off together
Now they're growin old
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
So he got a fisherman instead
But his chaff was out of line
Trying to get me into bed
He said "Your place or mine?"
But I had to kill the moment, funny feeling in my stomach
Made a date, I took the bait
The bugger reeled me in
But I had to avoid him now
That there was something bout his smile
It was tiny at the time
But now it's wearing thin
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
Keep me satisfied
Keep me warm at night
I'm not after all the sake
Or the sushi in Japan
I'm just waiting for my mister tambourine man
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
Then Malcolm came along
And stole away my heart
I know he's the one
Cause I read it in my chart
He was born in January
I was born in August
I'm a Leo that's a lion
He's a Capricorn
We were meant to be together
And it doesn't matter whether
You believe it's in the date and time that you were born
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
Keep me satisfied
Keep me warm at night
I'm not after all the sake or the sushi in Japan
I'm just waiting for my nowhere man
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
Got a man in uniform
Riding up my day
He never said where he was from
And we were better off that way
There was something in the way
When he was polishing his buckle
So well he would see his reflection
But the sparkle's gone
Reckless with his seatbelt
And his foot is on the pedal
And his keys in the ignition
But the handbrake's on
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
And every time I look around
I see couples everywhere
As if my world was falling down
As if anyone would care
Huggin and a-kissin
It's a world of things I'm missing
I ain't got a pot to piss in
And in all my talk
It's pretty inconceivable
In fact it's unbelievable
I'm not so bloody leavable
Oh my God
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
Keep me satisfied
Keep me warm at night
I'm not after all the sake or the sushi in Japan
I'm a-waiting for my man
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
Around the time I took it back
He had a handlebar mustache
He was a hypochondriac
And he looked like Graham Nash
The place that he lived in was a
really really really really really nice place
But I got sick and tired of trying
To explain he wasn't dying
It was only influenza or a common cold
Fearin at my worst I went and got a proper nurse
And then they hit it off together
Now they're growin old
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
So he got a fisherman instead
But his chaff was out of line
Trying to get me into bed
He said "Your place or mine?"
But I had to kill the moment, funny feeling in my stomach
Made a date, I took the bait
The bugger reeled me in
But I had to avoid him now
That there was something bout his smile
It was tiny at the time
But now it's wearing thin
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
Keep me satisfied
Keep me warm at night
I'm not after all the sake
Or the sushi in Japan
I'm just waiting for my mister tambourine man
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
Then Malcolm came along
And stole away my heart
I know he's the one
Cause I read it in my chart
He was born in January
I was born in August
I'm a Leo that's a lion
He's a Capricorn
We were meant to be together
And it doesn't matter whether
You believe it's in the date and time that you were born
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
Keep me satisfied
Keep me warm at night
I'm not after all the sake or the sushi in Japan
I'm just waiting for my nowhere man
Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey
Hey hey, hey hey
Lyrics submitted by nohitter151
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Light Up The Sky
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Great version of a great song,
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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.
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