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.
On the Rio
Rode the sparrow
Drank the marrow
Spade the clerics
I spent all day Saturday toasted
Roasting in your room
Fall fine
Skin tight
Unhinged and sizzle
Call bads
To the all night
It's our branch is delicious
You have to rise up
Slow down baby in the car
Goin for a whole one
Slow, left here eyes up
Slowly baby you'll come in
You're goin for the whole run
You can't live with it
Where you wreck it and run
Do what you can
All night
It's on right
So fresh that it sizzles
Ball cap
All night
So dear it's a little
Small lap
So nice
Body's cracked as it wasn't enough
It's the sun have to rise it
Slow down baby in the car
Goin for the homerun
Slow down deep rise up
When my sooner baby you come in
So it for the soft ground
Shed skin, for kin
I'll be alive when all this is over
When all of us are sober
Shed skin, with kin
I could lead you over
I'll see you in the clover darling
I'll be here, dancin on the footsteps
Out here in the beach house, out here in the cold air
Shed skin, like a master
How have past and, comin down
Rode the sparrow
Drank the marrow
Spade the clerics
I spent all day Saturday toasted
Roasting in your room
Fall fine
Skin tight
Unhinged and sizzle
Call bads
To the all night
It's our branch is delicious
You have to rise up
Slow down baby in the car
Goin for a whole one
Slow, left here eyes up
Slowly baby you'll come in
You're goin for the whole run
You can't live with it
Where you wreck it and run
Do what you can
All night
It's on right
So fresh that it sizzles
Ball cap
All night
So dear it's a little
Small lap
So nice
Body's cracked as it wasn't enough
It's the sun have to rise it
Slow down baby in the car
Goin for the homerun
Slow down deep rise up
When my sooner baby you come in
So it for the soft ground
Shed skin, for kin
I'll be alive when all this is over
When all of us are sober
Shed skin, with kin
I could lead you over
I'll see you in the clover darling
I'll be here, dancin on the footsteps
Out here in the beach house, out here in the cold air
Shed skin, like a master
How have past and, comin down
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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.”
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I heard much of this differently. there is definitely a lot of baseball imagery in the lyrics -- someone who knows baseball would do a better job than me! i'm probably missing some easy references. here is my stab at it:
On the Rio, Rode the sparrow, Drank the marrow, Spade the clerics
I spent all day Saturday toasted, Roasting in your room
Fall fight, Skin tight, Unhinged and sizzling. Call back, To the almanac Tall branches and missions.
Slow, lofty rise up. Slow down baby it'll come, Goin' for a homerun. Slow, lofty rise up. Slow down baby you'll come in. You're goin' for a homerun. You can't live with it. Where you wreck it and run. Do what you can (?)
All night, It's on right, So fresh that it sizzles. Ball cap, Almanac, So dim it's a riddle.
Small light, Some wax (?) Ball's cracked as it wasn't enough.
Slow lofty rise up Slow down baby it will come. Goin' for the homerun. Slow lofty rise up, Well now sooner baby you will come in. Soarin' for a soft glove.
Shed skin, for kin. I'll be alive when all this is over. When all of us are sober. Shed skin, with kin. I could lead you over, I'll see you in the clover darling. I'll be dancin' on your footsteps, Out here on the beach house (?), out here on the cold outfield. Shed skin, like a master. Comin' faster, it's comin down.(?)