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'm a lazy boy / There's no doubt about it
Might take a miracle / To get me started
Don't get me started / Don't get me started again
Son you better get up
You better get up while you can
I make a dash in the lazt boy hundred
I start out slow but i lean back and pull you under it
The say the competition lags behind precision wasting
Don;t need a rear view
I know it's my smoke they are tasting
Damn another tragic jam
I know I;m s'posed to use my brake
So on the gas I slam
You better get up
You better got up while you can
Employed to crash in the lazy boy hundred
Don't need no lick we aim to suck just for the fun of it
They say you can't be kind so don't you bother wasting
Your precious energy is victory for they're tasting
I said Damn another crack pot scam
I thought that things were going great
NOw that I;m on the lamb
Damn another bunt grand slam
I think it's time to celebrate
Now that we rule the land
You better get up
You better get up while you can
Im a lazy boy / There's no doubt about it
Might take a miracle / To get me started
Might take a lazy girl / To get me started
Don't get me started again
Don't get me started
Son you better get up
You better get up while you can
Might take a miracle / To get me started
Don't get me started / Don't get me started again
Son you better get up
You better get up while you can
I make a dash in the lazt boy hundred
I start out slow but i lean back and pull you under it
The say the competition lags behind precision wasting
Don;t need a rear view
I know it's my smoke they are tasting
Damn another tragic jam
I know I;m s'posed to use my brake
So on the gas I slam
You better get up
You better got up while you can
Employed to crash in the lazy boy hundred
Don't need no lick we aim to suck just for the fun of it
They say you can't be kind so don't you bother wasting
Your precious energy is victory for they're tasting
I said Damn another crack pot scam
I thought that things were going great
NOw that I;m on the lamb
Damn another bunt grand slam
I think it's time to celebrate
Now that we rule the land
You better get up
You better get up while you can
Im a lazy boy / There's no doubt about it
Might take a miracle / To get me started
Might take a lazy girl / To get me started
Don't get me started again
Don't get me started
Son you better get up
You better get up while you can
Lyrics submitted by Chelsnee
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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.
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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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@[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.
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“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
First, my favorite song. Maybe ever, There's something, extremely soothing about Jimmie's chicken shack. But this song takes the cake. In my mind it's about, a guy who was "started" (interested) in a girl but they're over now. Hence, Don't get me started / Don't get me started again. He doesn't want to deal with the pain in the dating game. The son you better get up part is most likely about not his dad talking to him, but maybe deeper down, even religous wise, it says "Miracle" (by the way just realizing this now) maybe its god. giving him a second chance at love. Because it says, "son you better get up," son meaning since god is the father, the son being man. And he's told he has another chance, but it'll take a miricle to get him started, so he doesnt take that second chance. He kills himself, I know it's my smoke they are tasting Damn another tragic jam I know I;m s'posed to use my brake So on the gas I slam Meaning he committed suicide. The miracle was only a miracle, and wouldn't ever happen to him. He killed himself because he had a broken heart, and grew lazy because it, but in a sense maybe lazy as in, dead. Maybe even his songs are linked together, because in the song dead sleep, he says "i think ill sleep when I'm dead" meaning in the first lazy boy he was dead and its going back (THIS IS WAAYYYYY OUT THERE AND IM HALF ASLEEP)
@AssassinReaper I have to admit, I agree with a LOT of what you said, though I'm not quite sure I want to believe this song actually gets as dark as possible suicide. I mean, it makes sense, and I know I've heard (and LOVED) songs that tell an even darker story, but I do like your theories about this song, at least!