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.
She was 29
Mother of one
Blond son
He liked butterflies
She was married
So was he
To a lawyer
She wanted free
She got remarried
Another three
Brown blue eyed babies
Had demon she
He had a gap
His mind was cracked
He was all looks
And coq-fight, fire
Steel blue, heart of sapphire
The rhythm of his thoughts
Were counter-clock
White wizard, black, chicken and fox
Heart locked in a box with horseshoes
And crystals and butterfly wings
Destiny may have broken your home
But you danced to awfully crude beat
You stepped on her shoes
And murdered the clues
Of the light filled forks in the road
You turned all her pages
In rapid succession
You flew to the end
And you skipped the last scenes
You mistook magic for love
And love for obsession
He liked butterflies
Broken mirror, cheap tutu
Kissing in the photo-booth
Freeze and smile now, don't move
Broken mirror, cheap tutu
Kissing in the photo-booth
Freeze and smile now, don't move
She's watching whales
2000 miles away
And can't remember much
Ooh, they're so cool
Broken mirror, cheap tutu
Kissing in the photo-booth
Freeze and smile now, don't move
Ooh they're so cool...
Ooh they're so cool...
Ooh they're so cool...
Mother of one
Blond son
He liked butterflies
She was married
So was he
To a lawyer
She wanted free
She got remarried
Another three
Brown blue eyed babies
Had demon she
He had a gap
His mind was cracked
He was all looks
And coq-fight, fire
Steel blue, heart of sapphire
The rhythm of his thoughts
Were counter-clock
White wizard, black, chicken and fox
Heart locked in a box with horseshoes
And crystals and butterfly wings
Destiny may have broken your home
But you danced to awfully crude beat
You stepped on her shoes
And murdered the clues
Of the light filled forks in the road
You turned all her pages
In rapid succession
You flew to the end
And you skipped the last scenes
You mistook magic for love
And love for obsession
He liked butterflies
Broken mirror, cheap tutu
Kissing in the photo-booth
Freeze and smile now, don't move
Broken mirror, cheap tutu
Kissing in the photo-booth
Freeze and smile now, don't move
She's watching whales
2000 miles away
And can't remember much
Ooh, they're so cool
Broken mirror, cheap tutu
Kissing in the photo-booth
Freeze and smile now, don't move
Ooh they're so cool...
Ooh they're so cool...
Ooh they're so cool...
Lyrics submitted by WWWrath
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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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