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.
I got something to say, I killed your baby today and it
Doesn't matter much to me, as long as it's dead
I got something to say, I raped your mother today and it
Doesn't matter much to me, as long as she's spread
Ooh lovely dead, just waiting for your breath
Cold sweet death, one last caress
Ooh lovely dead, just waiting for your breath
Cold sweet death, one last caress
I got something to say, I killed your baby today and it
Doesn't matter much to me, as long as it's dead.
Ooh lovely dead, just waiting for your breath
Cold sweet death, one last caress
Last caress today, yo-o-o-oh, yooo-oh
Here in this place lies the key to your death
Touch it, see it
Here in this place is the means to your end
Touch it, feel it, green hell
You did your best as someone could
I bet you never knew you would
And did you run away from me
I bet you thought you really could
We're gonna burn in hell - Green hell
Like every hell but kind of green - Green hell, green hell
Try let me get back up there - Green hell, green hell
Feel it burning in your cereal - Green hell, green hell
Throw your fuckin' friends inside - Green hell, green hell
Gotta fuckin' pay and you must stay - Green hell
Cannot refill the torch of death - Green hell, green hell
Hell is reigning in your blood - Green hell, green hell
Gotta burn it all, green hell
You did your best as someone could
I bet you never knew you would
And did you run away from me
I bet you thought you really could
Here in this place lies the key to your death
Touch it, see it
Here in this place is your world that ended
Touch it, feel it, green hell
You did your best as someone could
I bet you never knew you would
And did you run away from me
I bet you thought you really could
You've come to this as someone told
I bet you never knew you would
Gonna bring green hell, green hell
Doesn't matter much to me, as long as it's dead
I got something to say, I raped your mother today and it
Doesn't matter much to me, as long as she's spread
Ooh lovely dead, just waiting for your breath
Cold sweet death, one last caress
Ooh lovely dead, just waiting for your breath
Cold sweet death, one last caress
I got something to say, I killed your baby today and it
Doesn't matter much to me, as long as it's dead.
Ooh lovely dead, just waiting for your breath
Cold sweet death, one last caress
Last caress today, yo-o-o-oh, yooo-oh
Here in this place lies the key to your death
Touch it, see it
Here in this place is the means to your end
Touch it, feel it, green hell
You did your best as someone could
I bet you never knew you would
And did you run away from me
I bet you thought you really could
We're gonna burn in hell - Green hell
Like every hell but kind of green - Green hell, green hell
Try let me get back up there - Green hell, green hell
Feel it burning in your cereal - Green hell, green hell
Throw your fuckin' friends inside - Green hell, green hell
Gotta fuckin' pay and you must stay - Green hell
Cannot refill the torch of death - Green hell, green hell
Hell is reigning in your blood - Green hell, green hell
Gotta burn it all, green hell
You did your best as someone could
I bet you never knew you would
And did you run away from me
I bet you thought you really could
Here in this place lies the key to your death
Touch it, see it
Here in this place is your world that ended
Touch it, feel it, green hell
You did your best as someone could
I bet you never knew you would
And did you run away from me
I bet you thought you really could
You've come to this as someone told
I bet you never knew you would
Gonna bring green hell, green hell
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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.
An okay job. But it dosen't come close to the original verisons.
Fangs "On Earth as it is in Hell"