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.
This is definitely not the first video to surface of an execution
They claimed responsibility for the executions
Described as severely mentally disturbed
It appears to show another hostage executed by the terrorist group
Deserve to be annihilated
I get my kicks and I want to start a rager
I want to dance like I'm on the video
I got a fever for the violent behavior
I'm sweating bullets like a modern Romeo
Bang, bang, give me fame
Shoot me up to entertain (oh)
I am a semi-automatic lonely boy
You're dead, I'm well fed
Give me death or give me head (oh)
Daddy's little psycho and mommy's little soldier
I testify like a lullaby of memories
Broadcasting live and it's on my radio
I got my photo bomb, I got my Vietnam
I love a lie just like anybody else
Bang, bang, give me fame
Shoot me up to entertain (oh)
I am a semi-automatic lonely boy
You're dead, I'm well fed
Give me death or give me head (oh)
Broadcasting from my room and playing with my toys
I want to be a celebrity martyr (oh)
The leading man in my own private drama
Hurrah (bang bang), hurrah (bang bang) the hero of the hour
Daddy's little psycho and mommy's little soldier
I wanna be like the soldiers on the screen
It's my private movie (Holy war)
Oh, baby, baby, this is Viva Vendetta
Oh, this is love or it's World War Zero
I wanna be a celebrity martyr
The leading man in my own private drama
Hurrah (bang bang), hurrah (bang bang) the hero of the hour
Daddy's little psycho and mommy's little soldier
I wanna be a celebrity martyr (oh)
The leading man in my own private drama
Hurrah (bang bang), hurrah (bang bang) the hero of the hour
Daddy's little psycho and mommy's little soldier
They claimed responsibility for the executions
Described as severely mentally disturbed
It appears to show another hostage executed by the terrorist group
Deserve to be annihilated
I get my kicks and I want to start a rager
I want to dance like I'm on the video
I got a fever for the violent behavior
I'm sweating bullets like a modern Romeo
Bang, bang, give me fame
Shoot me up to entertain (oh)
I am a semi-automatic lonely boy
You're dead, I'm well fed
Give me death or give me head (oh)
Daddy's little psycho and mommy's little soldier
I testify like a lullaby of memories
Broadcasting live and it's on my radio
I got my photo bomb, I got my Vietnam
I love a lie just like anybody else
Bang, bang, give me fame
Shoot me up to entertain (oh)
I am a semi-automatic lonely boy
You're dead, I'm well fed
Give me death or give me head (oh)
Broadcasting from my room and playing with my toys
I want to be a celebrity martyr (oh)
The leading man in my own private drama
Hurrah (bang bang), hurrah (bang bang) the hero of the hour
Daddy's little psycho and mommy's little soldier
I wanna be like the soldiers on the screen
It's my private movie (Holy war)
Oh, baby, baby, this is Viva Vendetta
Oh, this is love or it's World War Zero
I wanna be a celebrity martyr
The leading man in my own private drama
Hurrah (bang bang), hurrah (bang bang) the hero of the hour
Daddy's little psycho and mommy's little soldier
I wanna be a celebrity martyr (oh)
The leading man in my own private drama
Hurrah (bang bang), hurrah (bang bang) the hero of the hour
Daddy's little psycho and mommy's little soldier
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
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.
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
uh this is different.