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.
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And everything you do
Yeah, they were all yellow
I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called, "Yellow"
So then I took my turn
Oh, what a thing to have done
And it was all yellow
Your skin
Oh yeah, your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
You know
You know I love you so
You know I love you so
I swam across
I jumped across for you
Oh, what a thing to do
'Cause you were all yellow
I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh, what a thing to do
And it was all yellow
Your skin
Oh yeah, your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
And you know
For you I'd bleed myself dry
For you I'd bleed myself dry
It's true
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And all the things that you do
Look how they shine for you
And everything you do
Yeah, they were all yellow
I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called, "Yellow"
So then I took my turn
Oh, what a thing to have done
And it was all yellow
Your skin
Oh yeah, your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
You know
You know I love you so
You know I love you so
I swam across
I jumped across for you
Oh, what a thing to do
'Cause you were all yellow
I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh, what a thing to do
And it was all yellow
Your skin
Oh yeah, your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
And you know
For you I'd bleed myself dry
For you I'd bleed myself dry
It's true
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And all the things that you do
Lyrics submitted by jose, edited by carefree02
Yellow Lyrics as written by Jonathan Mark Buckland Guy Rupert Berryman
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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When I listen to this song I think of my little boy. He is now seven years old. He was born with highly functioning autism - aspergers. Although he has a "disability" he is the most special, beautiful, miraculous thing that has ever happened to me. I am a single dad and for the longest time it was just us. As the lyrics of this song go, I would do anything and everything for him... for his happiness. It's been hard at times and we've had to sacrifice a lot but everything was worth it. This song will always make me think of him. I dedicate it to him. "Yellow" is essentially about the undying selfless love one person feels for another. Be it a spouse, dear friend, mother, father, daughter, or son, etc.
@christianv I agree with you in that the song is about undying selfless love. However, I see it as the undying selfless love that our Savior, Jesus Christ has for us. He helped to create the beautiful earth that we live on and enjoy each day. He came to earth to show us the way to live and to tell us how we could live in order to return to live with Him again someday and He suffered for our sins and infirmities in order that we can repent and also know that someone truly does love us and knows us more intimately than we could ever guess. He truly does know what we feel like, because he has felt all of our pains and sorrows. What a beautiful song!
@christianv that is a great tale of how you have made the song yours. That said, the song is about absolutely nothing, as ColdPlay have confirmed in several interviews. That you can make a song about nothing into something, makes the song special, and yours, especially a touching one.
@christianv - Yellow Color Psychology and Meaning<br /> <br /> Yellow is the brightest color of the visible "spectrum", and it is the most noticeable of all colors by the human eye.<br /> <br /> It means happiness and optimism; it is the color of sun shining, or bright light and creativity. It is believed to have an influence on the left side of our brain, where deep thinking and perception dwells. - I also have a son such as you who turned 21 yesterday and this song kept going through my mind while having the thoughts and emotions one has when their kid becomes an adult. I decided to look up the lyrics and found your interpretation (first thing). I think that was the reason the song was going through my head I think - and so I shared it with him.
@christianv Wow. I am in the same boat, being a single dad and the song reminds me of my son with autism and the love I have for him.
@christianv sending love from manila!! I was moved by your comment.. im also a single mom...