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.
Gold light breaks behind the houses
I don't see what's strange about this
Tiny bubbles hang above me
It's a sign that someone loves me
I can hardly stand upright
Hit my head upon the light
I have faith but don't believe it
It's not there enough to leave it
Everything I love is on the table
Everything I love is out to sea
I have only two emotions
Careful fear and dead devotion
I can't get the balance right
With all my marbles in the fight
I see all the ones I went for
All the things I had it in for
I won't cry until I hear
'Cause I was not supposed to be here
Everything I love is on the table
Everything I love is out to sea
I'm not alone
I'll never be
And to the bone
I'm evergreen
I'm tired, I'm freezing, I'm dumb
When it gets so late I forget everyone
I need somewhere to stay
Don't think anybody I know is awake
Calm down, it's alright
Keep my arms the rest of the night
When they ask, what do I see?
I say a bright white beautiful heaven hanging over me
Ah
Ah-ah-ah
I'm not alone
I'll never be
And to the bone
I'm evergreen
And if you want (too seriously)
To see me cry (don't swallow the cap)
Play "Let It Be" (pat yourself on the back)
Or "Nevermind" (too seriously)
There's a time to leave, there's a time to think about
What I wanna say to the girls at the door
I need somewhere to be
But I can't get around the river in front of me
Calm down, it's alright
Lead my arms the rest of the night
When they ask, what do I see?
I say a bright white beautiful heaven hanging over me
Ah
Ah-ah-ah
I'm not alone (too seriously)
I'll never be (don't swallow the cap)
and to the bone (pat yourself on the back)
I''m evergreen (too seriously)
And if you want (too seriously)
To see me cry (don't swallow the cap)
Play "Let It Be" (pat yourself on the back)
Or "Nevermind" (too seriously)
I don't see what's strange about this
Tiny bubbles hang above me
It's a sign that someone loves me
I can hardly stand upright
Hit my head upon the light
I have faith but don't believe it
It's not there enough to leave it
Everything I love is on the table
Everything I love is out to sea
I have only two emotions
Careful fear and dead devotion
I can't get the balance right
With all my marbles in the fight
I see all the ones I went for
All the things I had it in for
I won't cry until I hear
'Cause I was not supposed to be here
Everything I love is on the table
Everything I love is out to sea
I'm not alone
I'll never be
And to the bone
I'm evergreen
I'm tired, I'm freezing, I'm dumb
When it gets so late I forget everyone
I need somewhere to stay
Don't think anybody I know is awake
Calm down, it's alright
Keep my arms the rest of the night
When they ask, what do I see?
I say a bright white beautiful heaven hanging over me
Ah
Ah-ah-ah
I'm not alone
I'll never be
And to the bone
I'm evergreen
And if you want (too seriously)
To see me cry (don't swallow the cap)
Play "Let It Be" (pat yourself on the back)
Or "Nevermind" (too seriously)
There's a time to leave, there's a time to think about
What I wanna say to the girls at the door
I need somewhere to be
But I can't get around the river in front of me
Calm down, it's alright
Lead my arms the rest of the night
When they ask, what do I see?
I say a bright white beautiful heaven hanging over me
Ah
Ah-ah-ah
I'm not alone (too seriously)
I'll never be (don't swallow the cap)
and to the bone (pat yourself on the back)
I''m evergreen (too seriously)
And if you want (too seriously)
To see me cry (don't swallow the cap)
Play "Let It Be" (pat yourself on the back)
Or "Nevermind" (too seriously)
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by colmar, GodWarrior, wadstroem, Nitro1515, marcsnitz, bellayo, dbag, flamebroiledchicken, voldermania, Daaanieeel, Supersheep, peytoncarter, PinkRabbits, Everox
Don't Swallow the Cap Lyrics as written by Bryce Dessner Aaron Dessner
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Light Up The Sky
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The Night We Met
Lord Huron
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
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/
While I don't know the meaning of the whole song, I love the thread of hopefulness that weaves throughout the song "I'm evergreen," "Tiny bubbles hang above me. It's a sign that someone loves me," etc. There is an interesting (and notable, I think) element of recording and production in this song. In the verse that starts, " I'm tired. I'm freezing. I'm dumb. When it gets so late I forget everyone." You can hear a fuzzy background vocal following Matt's voice for the whole verse. At the end of the verse, the words "bright white" are whispered clearly (without the fuzzy vocal). They are the only words in the verse whispered in this way. Perhaps an insight into the meaning of the song.