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 been asleep for a long, long time
Blond hair to brown and then brown to white
My ma is buried beside my dad
But I was asleep for all of that
I shut my eyes for a moment's rest
Cause I get so tired
What thing transpired while my body slept?
Beset my mind
All the schools that I went to have all been closed
And all of my teachers are dead I suppose
The songs that we sung have all gone quiet
What happens below as you sleep at night?
I shut my eyes for a moment's rest
Cause I get so tired
What things transpired while my body slept?
Beset my mind
The river's up, the reeds are caught
Halfway across what never was
The water rose and swept in slow
When the reeds awoke they were half below
I've been asleep for a long, long time
Blond hair to brown and then brown to white
My ma is buried beside my dad
But I was asleep for all of that
I've been asleep for a long, long time
Blond hair to brown and brown to white
My ma is buried beside my dad
But I was asleep for all of that
For all of that
Blond hair to brown and then brown to white
My ma is buried beside my dad
But I was asleep for all of that
I shut my eyes for a moment's rest
Cause I get so tired
What thing transpired while my body slept?
Beset my mind
All the schools that I went to have all been closed
And all of my teachers are dead I suppose
The songs that we sung have all gone quiet
What happens below as you sleep at night?
I shut my eyes for a moment's rest
Cause I get so tired
What things transpired while my body slept?
Beset my mind
The river's up, the reeds are caught
Halfway across what never was
The water rose and swept in slow
When the reeds awoke they were half below
I've been asleep for a long, long time
Blond hair to brown and then brown to white
My ma is buried beside my dad
But I was asleep for all of that
I've been asleep for a long, long time
Blond hair to brown and brown to white
My ma is buried beside my dad
But I was asleep for all of that
For all of that
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
I've Been Asleep for a Long, Long Time Lyrics as written by Timothy John Baker
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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,
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