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.
Waves of violet go crashing and laughing
The rainbow winged singing birds fly 'round the sun
Sun bells rain down in a liquid profusion
Mermaids on porpoises draw up the dawn
What's become of the baby this cold December morning?
Songbirds frozen in their flight
Drifting to the earth, remnants of forgotten dreaming
Dawning answer comes there none.
Go to sleep you child, dream of never-ending always
Panes of crystal ice sparkle like waterfalls
Lighting the polished ice caverns of the dawn,
But where in the looking-glass fields of illusion
Wandered the child who was perfect as the dawn?
What's become of the baby this cold December morning?
What's become of the baby this cold December morning?
Racing in rhythm of the sun
All the world revolves captured in the eye of woman
Allah, where are you now?
All eyes are blinded by the sparkling waters
Scheherazade gathering stories to tell
But where is the child who played with the sunshine's?
And chased the cloud shape to the regions of mind?
Standing stream cries the south wind
Lost in the regions of
Shadow-like chains of illusion, delusions of living and dead.
The rainbow winged singing birds fly 'round the sun
Sun bells rain down in a liquid profusion
Mermaids on porpoises draw up the dawn
What's become of the baby this cold December morning?
Songbirds frozen in their flight
Drifting to the earth, remnants of forgotten dreaming
Dawning answer comes there none.
Go to sleep you child, dream of never-ending always
Panes of crystal ice sparkle like waterfalls
Lighting the polished ice caverns of the dawn,
But where in the looking-glass fields of illusion
Wandered the child who was perfect as the dawn?
What's become of the baby this cold December morning?
What's become of the baby this cold December morning?
Racing in rhythm of the sun
All the world revolves captured in the eye of woman
Allah, where are you now?
All eyes are blinded by the sparkling waters
Scheherazade gathering stories to tell
But where is the child who played with the sunshine's?
And chased the cloud shape to the regions of mind?
Standing stream cries the south wind
Lost in the regions of
Shadow-like chains of illusion, delusions of living and dead.
Lyrics submitted by itsmyownmind
What's Become of the Baby Lyrics as written by Robert C. Hunter Jerome J. Garcia
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I was reading the lyrics and listening to this song for awhile trying to understand it. The song is strange and unique. Garcia has been quoted as saying that the key to listening to the song is to get some nitrous oxide. Here is what i have come up with. All the beauties being described in the song is your mind as a child, beautiful and innocent. Nitrous Oxide can bring a feeling of floating. Maybe what Garcia meant was that the song represents the child and innocence floating away from your body. And then you are left as an adult trapped with delusions of living and dead.
It has a meaning. Or maybe, it doesn't. Does life have a meaning other than what we attach to it. Robert Hunter had a talent of having multiple meanings in his writing. Personally, the song invites me to look in myself and examine what roads brought me here.