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.
(Da da da....)
When you were a child, you were a tomboy
Gimme soul satisfaction
Way back in shady lane
Do you remember darlin'?
And it's the woman in you, and it's the woman in you
Gimme soul satisfaction
And it takes the child in you to know
The woman an' you are one
We're goin' out in the country to get down to the real soul,
I mean the real soul, people,
We're goin' out in the country, get down to the real soul
We're gettin' out to the west coast
Shining our light into the days of bloomin' wonder
Goin' as much with the river as not, as not, yeah, yeah
An' I'm goin' as much with the river as not
Yeah, yeah, right, yeah
Blake and the Eternals oh standin' with the Sisters of Mercy
Looking for the Veedon Fleece, yeah
William Blake and the Eternals oh standin' with the Sisters of Mercy
Looking for the Veedon Fleece, yeah
You don't pull no punches, but you don't push the river
You don't pull no punches, and you don't push the river
You don't pull no punches, and you don't push the river, no, no
Goin' as much with the river as not
We're goin' out in the West, down to the cathedrals
We're goin' out in the West (alright), down to the beaches
And the Sisters of Mercy, behind the sun
Oh behind the sun
And William Blake and the Sisters of Mercy looking for the Veedon Fleece,
Yeah
You don't pull no punches, goin' west, goin' as much with the river as not
With the river as not, with the river as not, goin' as much,
Goin' as much with the river as not, no, ah
You don't pull no punches, and you don't push the river, no
You don't pull no punches, but you don't push the river, no
You don't pull no punches, but you don't push the river, no
You don't pull no punches, but you don't push the river
And we was contemplating Baba, William Blake and the Eternals
Goin' down to the Sisters of Mercy
Looking for the Veedon Fleece
Looking for the Veedon Fleece
Looking for the Veedon Fleece
Looking for the Veedon Fleece
You don't pull no punches, but ya, you don't push the river
You don't pull no punches, but ya, you don't push the river, no
You don't pull no punches, but ya, you don't push the river
You don't push the river, you don't push the river
When you were a child, you were a tomboy
Gimme soul satisfaction
Way back in shady lane
Do you remember darlin'?
And it's the woman in you, and it's the woman in you
Gimme soul satisfaction
And it takes the child in you to know
The woman an' you are one
We're goin' out in the country to get down to the real soul,
I mean the real soul, people,
We're goin' out in the country, get down to the real soul
We're gettin' out to the west coast
Shining our light into the days of bloomin' wonder
Goin' as much with the river as not, as not, yeah, yeah
An' I'm goin' as much with the river as not
Yeah, yeah, right, yeah
Blake and the Eternals oh standin' with the Sisters of Mercy
Looking for the Veedon Fleece, yeah
William Blake and the Eternals oh standin' with the Sisters of Mercy
Looking for the Veedon Fleece, yeah
You don't pull no punches, but you don't push the river
You don't pull no punches, and you don't push the river
You don't pull no punches, and you don't push the river, no, no
Goin' as much with the river as not
We're goin' out in the West, down to the cathedrals
We're goin' out in the West (alright), down to the beaches
And the Sisters of Mercy, behind the sun
Oh behind the sun
And William Blake and the Sisters of Mercy looking for the Veedon Fleece,
Yeah
You don't pull no punches, goin' west, goin' as much with the river as not
With the river as not, with the river as not, goin' as much,
Goin' as much with the river as not, no, ah
You don't pull no punches, and you don't push the river, no
You don't pull no punches, but you don't push the river, no
You don't pull no punches, but you don't push the river, no
You don't pull no punches, but you don't push the river
And we was contemplating Baba, William Blake and the Eternals
Goin' down to the Sisters of Mercy
Looking for the Veedon Fleece
Looking for the Veedon Fleece
Looking for the Veedon Fleece
Looking for the Veedon Fleece
You don't pull no punches, but ya, you don't push the river
You don't pull no punches, but ya, you don't push the river, no
You don't pull no punches, but ya, you don't push the river
You don't push the river, you don't push the river
Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira
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Well this song is awesome with heartfelt soul reflecting vocals, but can somebody tell me what this song is all about? I know Blake is one of Van's favorite writers, but who are really the Eternals and the Sisters of Mercy? and what is the Veedom Fleece?, can anyone help me out with this fantastic song?
I agree with the commenter of 31 October 2010 that the song is fantastic but it can only be appreciated through listening to it rather than reading the lyrics alone. "Veedon Fleece" is such a chilled out album and this song one of its many highlights. Van apparently said that, "aside from 'flashes of Ireland'—the song had 'other flashes on other kinds of people. I was also reading a couple of books at the time...[there's] a bit of Gestalt theory in it, too." In the lyrics are Morrison's first referral to William Blake, and the Eternals from Blake's The Book of Urizen. The Sisters of Mercy, also mentioned in the song, is a religious organisation of women founded in Dublin, Ireland. The song seems to begin as a love song celebrating a young girl's childhood and then goes into a journey along the west coast of Ireland and then suddenly goes into a mythological search for an object he calls the "Veedon Fleece".