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.
JAUNDICED YELLOW LIGHT IS FLASHING
HANGING ABOVE CHURCH AND MAIN
ON THE WIND HER PERFUME LINGERS
LIKEWISE HER CHRISTIAN NAME
FIELDS OF NIGHT HANG CLOSE ABOVE HER
THE FAMILY LIE IN A DREAMLESS SLEEP
FROST GROWS ON THE WINDOWPANES
AND THE WIND SPINS CIRCLES IN THE EMPTY STREET
SHINING WHITE STEEPLES
RISE FROM THE GROUND
RING ALL THE BELLS YOU MAY
AND BRACE FOR THE KISS OF MERCY BROWN
BY THE PAPER MILL SHE WANDERS
SINGING MELODIES TO THE CLOUDS
A FOX CALLS BUT NONE DOES ANSWER
CROSS THE GREEN OF HALLOWED GROUND
QUIETLY BEYOND THE THRESHOLD
A PALE HAND ON THE BANNISTER
LOOKS UPON THE SLEEPERS THERE
AND WEEPS AT THE MEMORY OF THE WAY THINGS WERE
SHINING WHITE STEEPLES
ALARM THE TOWN
RING ALL THE BELLS YOU CAN
AND BRACE FOR THE KISS OF MERCY BROWN
TWO LOVERS IN THE MOONLIGHT
PLAYING AT HARE AND HOUNDS
LEAVES FALL UPON THE HILLSIDE
RUDDY AS THE LIPS OF YOUNG MISS BROWN
SHINING WHITE STEEPLES
ALARM THE TOWN
RING ALL THE BELLS YOU CAN
THEN BRACE FOR THE KISS OF MERCY BROWN
SHINING WHITE STEEPLES
DAWN IN THE DARK
BE STILL YOUR BEATING
YOUR BEATING HEART
BE STILL YOUR BEATING HEART
HANGING ABOVE CHURCH AND MAIN
ON THE WIND HER PERFUME LINGERS
LIKEWISE HER CHRISTIAN NAME
FIELDS OF NIGHT HANG CLOSE ABOVE HER
THE FAMILY LIE IN A DREAMLESS SLEEP
FROST GROWS ON THE WINDOWPANES
AND THE WIND SPINS CIRCLES IN THE EMPTY STREET
SHINING WHITE STEEPLES
RISE FROM THE GROUND
RING ALL THE BELLS YOU MAY
AND BRACE FOR THE KISS OF MERCY BROWN
BY THE PAPER MILL SHE WANDERS
SINGING MELODIES TO THE CLOUDS
A FOX CALLS BUT NONE DOES ANSWER
CROSS THE GREEN OF HALLOWED GROUND
QUIETLY BEYOND THE THRESHOLD
A PALE HAND ON THE BANNISTER
LOOKS UPON THE SLEEPERS THERE
AND WEEPS AT THE MEMORY OF THE WAY THINGS WERE
SHINING WHITE STEEPLES
ALARM THE TOWN
RING ALL THE BELLS YOU CAN
AND BRACE FOR THE KISS OF MERCY BROWN
TWO LOVERS IN THE MOONLIGHT
PLAYING AT HARE AND HOUNDS
LEAVES FALL UPON THE HILLSIDE
RUDDY AS THE LIPS OF YOUNG MISS BROWN
SHINING WHITE STEEPLES
ALARM THE TOWN
RING ALL THE BELLS YOU CAN
THEN BRACE FOR THE KISS OF MERCY BROWN
SHINING WHITE STEEPLES
DAWN IN THE DARK
BE STILL YOUR BEATING
YOUR BEATING HEART
BE STILL YOUR BEATING HEART
Lyrics submitted by VikingTacos
Mercy Brown Lyrics as written by Jean-paul Gaster Dan Maines
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Song is about Mercy Brown. Rhode Island vampire.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_Brown_vampire_incident