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.
Lemon
See through in the sunlight
She wore lemon
But never in the daylight
She's gonna make you cry
She's gonna make you whisper and moan
And when you're dry
She draws her water from the stone
And I feel
Like I'm slowly, slowly, slowly slipping under
And I feel
Like I'm holding onto nothing
She wore lemon
To color in the cold grey night
She had heaven
And she held on so tight
A man makes a picture
A moving picture
Through the light projected
He can see himself up close
A man captures color
A man likes to stare
He turns his money into light to look for her
And I feel
Like I'm drifting, drifting, drifting from the shore
And I feel
Like I'm swimming out to her
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Lemon
See through in the sunlight
A man builds a city
With banks and cathedrals
A man melts the sand so he can
See the world outside
A man makes a car
(She's your destination)
And builds roads to run them on
A man dreams of leaving
But he always stays behind
And these are the days
When our work has come asunder
And these are the days
When we look for something other
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
A man makes a picture
A moving picture
Through the light projected
He can see himself up close
A man captures color
(She's your destination)
A man likes to stare
There's no sleeping there
He turns his money into light to look for her (she's imagination)
Lemon
She is the dreamer
She's imagination
Through the light projected
He can see himself up close
See through in the sunlight
She wore lemon
But never in the daylight
She's gonna make you cry
She's gonna make you whisper and moan
And when you're dry
She draws her water from the stone
And I feel
Like I'm slowly, slowly, slowly slipping under
And I feel
Like I'm holding onto nothing
She wore lemon
To color in the cold grey night
She had heaven
And she held on so tight
A man makes a picture
A moving picture
Through the light projected
He can see himself up close
A man captures color
A man likes to stare
He turns his money into light to look for her
And I feel
Like I'm drifting, drifting, drifting from the shore
And I feel
Like I'm swimming out to her
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Lemon
See through in the sunlight
A man builds a city
With banks and cathedrals
A man melts the sand so he can
See the world outside
A man makes a car
(She's your destination)
And builds roads to run them on
A man dreams of leaving
But he always stays behind
And these are the days
When our work has come asunder
And these are the days
When we look for something other
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
Midnight is where the day begins
A man makes a picture
A moving picture
Through the light projected
He can see himself up close
A man captures color
(She's your destination)
A man likes to stare
There's no sleeping there
He turns his money into light to look for her (she's imagination)
Lemon
She is the dreamer
She's imagination
Through the light projected
He can see himself up close
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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.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
This song is about both Bono's mother and, as someone said earlier, man's wish to preserve the world in technology, which only becomes more relevant over the years. The relationship is that the only physical memory Bono has of his mother is a video recording of her in a lemon dress, hence the name.
The lyrics "A man makes a picture - a moving picture Through light projected he can see himself up close A man captures colour - a man likes to stare He turns his money into light to look for her" obviously refer to that idea of capturing the world via video.
This also kind of ties in with the video - that whole theme of capturing moments by video.
Anyway, it's a great song, and it's probably about as far away from classic U2 as it's possible to get, lyrically and audially.