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.
It can do just what you want
Summer tan, these little symptoms you got
Water cool these bones down, you're so hot
Waves can break these feelings like they're not
So, sweetly lover won't you let me know?
Like a circle round and round we go
Now we see what we're gonna regret
How did the water get so cold?
So, we soldier on, with burning feet we run
And here our bodies lay with our own road so far away
Water cool these bones down, it's so hot
Waves can break these feelings like they're not
So, sweetly lover won't you let me know?
Like a circle round and round we go
Now we see what we're gonna regret
How did the water get so cold?
Sweetly lover won't you let me know
Now we see what we're gonna forget
Never know what we're gonna regret
Like a circle round and round we go
Now we see what we're gonna regret
How did the water get so cold?
Summer tan, these little symptoms you got
Water cool these bones down, you're so hot
Waves can break these feelings like they're not
So, sweetly lover won't you let me know?
Like a circle round and round we go
Now we see what we're gonna regret
How did the water get so cold?
So, we soldier on, with burning feet we run
And here our bodies lay with our own road so far away
Water cool these bones down, it's so hot
Waves can break these feelings like they're not
So, sweetly lover won't you let me know?
Like a circle round and round we go
Now we see what we're gonna regret
How did the water get so cold?
Sweetly lover won't you let me know
Now we see what we're gonna forget
Never know what we're gonna regret
Like a circle round and round we go
Now we see what we're gonna regret
How did the water get so cold?
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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.
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.
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.
As the relationship progresses it seems like she's hinting she is unhappy with her 'little symptoms'. 'Sweetly lover won't you let me know Like a circle, round and round we go': He wants to know what's wrong, and he feels like they're just going in circles. So he wants to know are you happy, or aren't you. How did we get here?
Great tune. :) My thoughts are that it could be about the progression of a relationship - where in the beginning it is a heated passionate thing and it's very hard to see anything outside of that. And how as you get to know each other, you slowly move out of the "Honeymoon Stage" and start to see the things that cool the relationship and take you down to a more realistic view of what you got. And perhaps it ends up working or it doesn't - depending on the communication between two people (sweet little lover won't you let me know?). Who knows - in the end, it is only the songwriter(s) you really know what it is about. Love it!
I Believe That It Is About A Crush That The Artist Had That Was Leading Him To Believe That They Had A Good Relationship Going On Until He Finds Out That She Doesnt Like Him And Does Not Want To Be With Him And Leaves To Go Settle With Another Man .
I view this song as a relationship between two people "Water cool this bikes down you're so hot" "Waves can break these feelings like there're not" The relationship is probably based on attraction that has no feelings involved " like a circle round and round we go" proves that they are in a relationship that is going no where. "How did the water get so cold?" They are realizing their attraction is not going to make the relationship last and they are starting to grow apart and lose interest