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've got no need for open roads
'Cause all I own fits on my back
I see the world from rusted trains
And always know I won't be back
'Cause all my life is wrapped up in today
No past or future here
If I find my name's no good
I just fall out of line
But I miss you
But there's comin' home
There's no comin' home
With a name like mine
I still think of you
But everyone knows
Yeah everyone knows
If you care, let it go
I've seen more places than I can name
And over time they all start to look the same
But it ain't that truth we chase
No, it's the promise of a better place
But all this time, I been chasin' down a lie
And I know it for what it is
But it beats the alternatives
So I'll take the lie
I still miss you
There's no goin' home
There's no goin' home
With a name like mine
I still dream of you
But everyone knows
Yeah everyone knows
If you can, let it go
'Cause all I own fits on my back
I see the world from rusted trains
And always know I won't be back
'Cause all my life is wrapped up in today
No past or future here
If I find my name's no good
I just fall out of line
But I miss you
But there's comin' home
There's no comin' home
With a name like mine
I still think of you
But everyone knows
Yeah everyone knows
If you care, let it go
I've seen more places than I can name
And over time they all start to look the same
But it ain't that truth we chase
No, it's the promise of a better place
But all this time, I been chasin' down a lie
And I know it for what it is
But it beats the alternatives
So I'll take the lie
I still miss you
There's no goin' home
There's no goin' home
With a name like mine
I still dream of you
But everyone knows
Yeah everyone knows
If you can, let it go
Lyrics submitted by MrImSoGreat, edited by Atlantius, SephNite
Ghost Towns Lyrics as written by Benjamin P Cooper
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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/
Plastic Bag
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“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.
To me, this song is about a person who is trying to break free of their roots, hence the name of the album, but not directly responsible for the theme of this song, just related. ;-) I also think this song is about someone realizing that they have done serious damage to a person that meant a lot to them and they are dealing with the repercussions. The worst part is that their roots and their anguish come from the same place, so then they're just admitting that they fucked up and that they miss someone dearly, a long time ago.
I think this song is related to someone that wants to put his past behind,his past relationships "I still think of you,everyone knows,if you care let it go" and so he broke up with a girl and now even if he doesn't want to,he needs to let her go,also this song relates to his past life and friends. He's trying to build a new future but he obviously can't and he says: "I'm still thinking of you" so that he just simply can't carry on and keeps thinking at that girl that he once loved.
Sorry for my bad english,English isn't my native language!
At the Oct. 15 show in Chicago Ben explained that Ghost Towns is about a drifter who has left behind his family and friends. He now travels across the country by train, taking odd jobs and refusing to settle down. The song deals with coming to terms with the finite nature of life, and that all things eventually go away. On the second album of The Family Tree the song "Reminders" revisits the character from this song, and explains how he has become a bitter, jaded, cruel man after abandoning his family and losing his belief in the inherent good in men.
Haven't heard the song, but it looks like someone who's trying to get away from their past,but each time their name is discoverd, be they yank,paddy,frog or jap they get turned away, maybe more name-genic than racist at this point. I'll youtube it now.
Ben is talking about a character who has became invested in their home town/city but has to leave his past, family, friends & memories behind for whatever reason. He is now a travelling man, possibly a wanted man, and he must keep moving onward. On his ventures he keeps passing through towns which haven't gave him much fulfillment, entertainment or memories as his home town, hence why he misses it.
Not sure about the actual meaning, but to me, this is about getting older, and getting away from your childhood.
Sean Penn directed a film, a true story of a lad who went lookin for life and reasons in Alaska, maybe this might help.
into the wild.<br /> a good movie, the music in that is great, music from eddie bedder (lead singer of pearl jam), but as a soloist. <br /> worth a watch
Sean Penn directed a film, a true story of a lad who went lookin for life and reasons in Alaska, maybe this might help.
The song seems to reflect on a lot of subjects. On his (the artists) site he says its about family (the album as a whole) but its a bit about his own, as well as some fiction in there.
But as some have pointed out, it also seems to reflect on past relationships and how someone is trying to move on but still think of that special person. For me this is the feeling i got from the song and can relate the most to, but i can also see it as just being about a journey and about experiences in general and how the person reflects on those and wished they had done some things different.
He made a statement on Pandora Radio saying this song was about a man who murdered someone in his home town and ran away. This is not at all what I thought the song was about!