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.
Do you worry that you're not liked?
How long 'til you break
You're happy 'cause you smile
But how much can you fake?
An ordinary boy, an ordinary name
But ordinary's just not good enough today
And ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo
And ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo
Alone, alone, alone, alone, alone, alone, alone, I'm thinking
Why-ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah, Superman's dead
Ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah, is it in my head?
Ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah, we'll just laugh instead
You worry about the weather and
Whether or not you should hate
Are you worried about your faith?
Kneel down and obey
You're happy you're in love
You need someone to hate
An ordinary girl, an ordinary waist
But ordinary's just not good enough today
Alone, alone, alone, alone, alone, alone, alone, I'm thinking
Why-ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah, Superman's dead
Ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah, is it in my head?
Ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah, we'll just laugh instead
You worry about the weather and whether or not you should hate
And ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo
And ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo
And ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo
And ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo
Why-ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah
Why-ee-I-ee-I-I
Why-ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah
Why-ee-I-ee-I-I
Doesn't anybody ever know?
Doesn't anybody ever know?
Doesn't anybody ever know?
That the world's a subway, subway, I
Doesn't anybody ever know?
Doesn't anybody ever know?
Doesn't anybody ever know?
That the world's a subway, subway, I
That the world's a subway, subway, I
Doesn't any, any, any, any, any
Doesn't any, any, any, any, any
Doesn't any, any, any, any, any
That the world's a subway, subway, I
That the world's a subway, subway
How long 'til you break
You're happy 'cause you smile
But how much can you fake?
An ordinary boy, an ordinary name
But ordinary's just not good enough today
And ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo
And ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo
Alone, alone, alone, alone, alone, alone, alone, I'm thinking
Why-ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah, Superman's dead
Ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah, is it in my head?
Ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah, we'll just laugh instead
You worry about the weather and
Whether or not you should hate
Are you worried about your faith?
Kneel down and obey
You're happy you're in love
You need someone to hate
An ordinary girl, an ordinary waist
But ordinary's just not good enough today
Alone, alone, alone, alone, alone, alone, alone, I'm thinking
Why-ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah, Superman's dead
Ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah, is it in my head?
Ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah, we'll just laugh instead
You worry about the weather and whether or not you should hate
And ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo
And ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo
And ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo
And ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo, ow, a-woo
Why-ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah
Why-ee-I-ee-I-I
Why-ee-I-ee-I-ee, yeah
Why-ee-I-ee-I-I
Doesn't anybody ever know?
Doesn't anybody ever know?
Doesn't anybody ever know?
That the world's a subway, subway, I
Doesn't anybody ever know?
Doesn't anybody ever know?
Doesn't anybody ever know?
That the world's a subway, subway, I
That the world's a subway, subway, I
Doesn't any, any, any, any, any
Doesn't any, any, any, any, any
Doesn't any, any, any, any, any
That the world's a subway, subway, I
That the world's a subway, subway
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"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.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Blue
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“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
This song is about how the internet, particularly sites like Youtube, mitigates achievement. The first verse is line-for-line describing how people seek acceptance and recognition through appearance, but an ordinary appearance just isn't good enough today. Internet (media) has promoted insecurity, and so we now turn to faking it. "Superman" is every one of us, used to having an effect on people but now "dead" since there is always someone on the internet doing it better or more effectively. Our 'superpowers,' be it playing Dragonforce pretty well on expert or selling a pretty affordable local product, have been undercut by the internet. If we have local superpowers, are they still real or just superficial ("in my head")? Either way we laugh it off and concern ourselves with mundane details like the weather; after all, you can't compete on the internet unless you're the world's best of the best.
The second verse addresses the internet directly, instead of the user. "Faith" in the internet, in "love" with the internet, so who can we "hate"/blame for its drawbacks? Maybe its us, we laugh and discuss the weather but "ordinary's just not good enough today."
I agree with the previous interpretations for the outro: the subway is the fast moving, one-way path of technological development, anonymity and collective obscurity. I thought this was very profound for 1996.
There is no right/wrong song interpretation, folks.
How can a song from 1996, when 95% of people were on dial up, be about the internet and sites like Youtube which did not exist yet?<br /> <br /> A personal connection with a song can not be disputed, but an interpretation can be wrong.
How can a song from 1996, when 95% of people were on dial up, be about the internet and sites like Youtube which did not exist yet?<br /> <br /> A personal connection with a song can not be disputed, but an interpretation can be wrong.
How can a song from 1996, when 95% of people were on dial up, be about the internet and sites like Youtube which did not exist yet?<br /> <br /> A personal connection with a song can not be disputed, but an interpretation can be wrong.