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.
Hey!
And she was lying in the grass
And she could hear the highway breathing
And she could see a nearby factory
She's making sure she is not dreaming
See the lights of a neighbor's house
Now she's starting to rise
Take a minute to concentrate
And she opens up her eyes
The world was moving she was right there with it and she was
The world was moving she was floating above it and she was
And she was
And she was drifting through the backyard
And she was taking off her dress
And she was moving very slowly
Rising up above the earth
Moving into the universe and she's
Drifting this way and that
Not touching the ground at all and she's
Up above the yard
The world was moving, she was right there with it and she was
(Hey, hey)
The world was moving, she was floating above it and she was
(Hey, hey, hey)
She was proud about it, no doubt about it
She isn't sure about what she's done
No time to think about what to tell him
No time to think about what she's done and she was
(Hey hey, hey hey, hey)
And she was looking at herself
And things were looking like a movie
She had a pleasant elevation
She's moving out in all directions oh, oh oh
Hey, hey, hey
Hey-hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey-hey hey!
Hey, hey, hey
Hey-hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey-hey hey!
The world was moving, she was right there with it and she was
(Hey, woo hoo)
The world was moving, she was floating above it and she was
(Hey, hey)
Joining the world of missing persons and she was
Missing enough to feel all right and she was
And she was
And she was
And she was
And she was
And she was
Hey!
And she was!
And she was
And she was!
And she was lying in the grass
And she could hear the highway breathing
And she could see a nearby factory
She's making sure she is not dreaming
See the lights of a neighbor's house
Now she's starting to rise
Take a minute to concentrate
And she opens up her eyes
The world was moving she was right there with it and she was
The world was moving she was floating above it and she was
And she was
And she was drifting through the backyard
And she was taking off her dress
And she was moving very slowly
Rising up above the earth
Moving into the universe and she's
Drifting this way and that
Not touching the ground at all and she's
Up above the yard
The world was moving, she was right there with it and she was
(Hey, hey)
The world was moving, she was floating above it and she was
(Hey, hey, hey)
She was proud about it, no doubt about it
She isn't sure about what she's done
No time to think about what to tell him
No time to think about what she's done and she was
(Hey hey, hey hey, hey)
And she was looking at herself
And things were looking like a movie
She had a pleasant elevation
She's moving out in all directions oh, oh oh
Hey, hey, hey
Hey-hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey-hey hey!
Hey, hey, hey
Hey-hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey-hey hey!
The world was moving, she was right there with it and she was
(Hey, woo hoo)
The world was moving, she was floating above it and she was
(Hey, hey)
Joining the world of missing persons and she was
Missing enough to feel all right and she was
And she was
And she was
And she was
And she was
And she was
Hey!
And she was!
And she was
And she was!
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
And She Was Lyrics as written by David Byrne Chris Frantz
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Well, is this hard enough for you? :) It's from David Byrne's website (davidbyrne.com/music/cds/grown_backwards/grown_press/RaveMag.php)
From the article, which is essentially a concert review: "Byrne tells us the story behind "And She Was" (a recollection of a girl from his high school who apparently used to go hang out near the local chocolate milk factory and drop acid)."
I also read (years ago) an article where he described the girl as a "tripped out hippie chick."
Here's a transcription of what he said before performing this song on Austin City Limits:
"This is a song about a girl I knew in high school, that I went to high school in suburban Baltimore [with]... this girl I knew there who used to do LSD, and lie in a field by the Yoohoo Chocolate Drink Factory. Which she claimed was a great place for that kind of thing [laughs]... I uh, I had my doubts, but..."
When I first heard it, before I knew about the acid meaning, I thought it was a love song actually. I got this image of a man watching his wife/girlfriend throughout the day. It seems like it's holding her up as some ethereal and mysterious beauty. Very surreal and awesome song.
It's about a girl doing acid behind a Yoo-Hoo factory. Come on, how cool of a premise for a song is that?!
yeah definitley about yoohoo factory/acid. if you're still skeptical then check out david byrne live at union chapel where he explains it to the audience before playing it. the whole concert is very amazing, featuring his solo stuff as well as talking heads material. when he plays the talking heads stuff they all have a kind of more acoustic, world music spin to them, which works very nicely and adds a little variety to the old favorites.
I would not advocate for or against drug use in general.
That is a very personal decision.
I am certain, though, that if everyone took LSD at least once the world would be a better place.
@Hi_In_The_Mid_80s Well said! I'm just 60, tripped once (in a big way) and can personally vouch for that.
I would not advocate for or against drug use in general.
That is a very personal decision.
I am certain, though, that if everyone took LSD at least once the world would be a better place.
@Hi_In_The_Mid_80s Well said! I'm just 60, tripped once (in a big way) and<br /> can personally vouch for that.
I saw a David Byrne live set on TV the other day, he said that the yoohoo factory/LSD girl thing is what it's all about
I don't think it's about anyone who's dead
I guess if you don't have acid, another type of climax would be suitable...
David Byrne wrote this song about a girl he knew in high school who dropped acid in a field by a Yoohoo factory.