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.
Oooh oooh ooohhh ooohhh
Oooh oooh ooohhh ooohhh
Every time you try to pick up just the pieces,
Feelin’ bad for yourself.
Watchin’ all the foreign cars for fags and breezes
From a window instead
From a window instead
Find it hard to see the good or face the music
Looking backwards again
Oversentimental staring half-way horizontal
Well I think you’re a new man
Well I think you’re a new man
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat
Morning calls its early birds, my babes and beagle,
Still resting their heads
They’re waking up to noisy doors or stomping feet,
Of a restless old man
Of a restless old man
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
Oooh oooh ooohhh ooohhh
Oooh oooh ooohhh
Oooh oooh ooohhh ooohhh
Oooh oooh ooohhh
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat
Oooh oooh ooohhh ooohhh
Every time you try to pick up just the pieces,
Feelin’ bad for yourself.
Watchin’ all the foreign cars for fags and breezes
From a window instead
From a window instead
Find it hard to see the good or face the music
Looking backwards again
Oversentimental staring half-way horizontal
Well I think you’re a new man
Well I think you’re a new man
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat
Morning calls its early birds, my babes and beagle,
Still resting their heads
They’re waking up to noisy doors or stomping feet,
Of a restless old man
Of a restless old man
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
Oooh oooh ooohhh ooohhh
Oooh oooh ooohhh
Oooh oooh ooohhh ooohhh
Oooh oooh ooohhh
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat what you said
So I repeat
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
This is about visiting his old dad who has old ideas and old man ways. His wife and kids are still sleeping. So the writer just agrees with old man about politics just to be a good son but doesn’t believe it really. Been there