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.
Outside there's a box car waiting
Outside the family stew
Out by the fire breathing
Outside we wait 'til face turns blue
I know the nervous walking
I know the dirty beard hangs
Out by the box car waiting
Take me away to nowhere plains
There is a wait so long (so long, so long)
You'll never wait so long
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Big shake on the box car moving
Big shake to the land that's falling down
Is a wind makes a palm stop blowing
A big, big stone fall and break my crown
There is a wait so long (so long, so long)
You'll never wait so long
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
There is a wait so long (so long, so long)
You'll never wait so long
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Outside the family stew
Out by the fire breathing
Outside we wait 'til face turns blue
I know the nervous walking
I know the dirty beard hangs
Out by the box car waiting
Take me away to nowhere plains
There is a wait so long (so long, so long)
You'll never wait so long
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Big shake on the box car moving
Big shake to the land that's falling down
Is a wind makes a palm stop blowing
A big, big stone fall and break my crown
There is a wait so long (so long, so long)
You'll never wait so long
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
There is a wait so long (so long, so long)
You'll never wait so long
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
I found the Hobo interpretation interesting -- however here's another clue as to why this could be a reference to WWII. The name of the album, Doolittle. Doolittle was a WWII General (Gen. James H. Doolittle, d. 1993). He won the medal of honor for his secret bombing raids on Tokyo.
So, if there's a "theme," of this album, it could be the events of the early 20th century. In Debaser, "Un Chien Andalusia" making reference to a surrealistic film of the 1920s. Not sure if there are other refs, in other songs, but maybe "I Bleed" is a reference to Nosferatu, the silent-film of the early 1920s? Dunno.
The album title actually comes from track #8, "Mr. Grieves", which references the literary character Dr. Doolittle.<br /> <br /> The song is really about hobos and earthquakes in California.<br /> <br /> Here's a quote from 2010:<br /> <br /> "BLACK FRANCIS: I wrote that when I was about 14 or 15. It’s on an earlier demo. Not sure what it’s about. I think it has to do with the hobo lifestyle. It’s all very abstract, the hobo lifestyle and the Great California Earthquake or something. Something crazy and weird like that."<br /> (Source: phawker.com/2010/09/07/rawk-tawk-dissecting-doolittle-with-black-francis/)<br /> <br /> There's also the one someone already posted from the 1989 NME interview.
Also, there's no particular theme in the album, seeing as how the lyrics reference surrealist films ("Debaser"), autobiographical events ("Crackity Jones"), biblical stories ("Dead" and "Gouge Away") and sex ("Tame", "La La Love You"), to name a few.