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.
How sad are we?
And how sad have we been?
We'll let you know
We'll let you know
Oh, but only if, you're really interested
You wonder how
We've stayed alive 'till now
We'll let you know
We'll let you know
But only if, you're really interested
We're all smiles
Then, honest, I swear, it's the turnstiles
That make us hostile
Oh
We will descend
On anyone unable to defend
Themselves
Oh
And the songs we sing
They're not supposed to mean a thing
La, la, la, la
Oh
You're lonely
Oh, you're lonely
Oh
Get off the roof!
Oh
Your arsenal!
We may seem cold, or
We may even be
The most depressing people you've ever known
At heart, what's left, we sadly know
That we are the last truly British people you'll ever know
We are the last truly British people you will ever know
You'll never never want to know
And how sad have we been?
We'll let you know
We'll let you know
Oh, but only if, you're really interested
You wonder how
We've stayed alive 'till now
We'll let you know
We'll let you know
But only if, you're really interested
We're all smiles
Then, honest, I swear, it's the turnstiles
That make us hostile
Oh
We will descend
On anyone unable to defend
Themselves
Oh
And the songs we sing
They're not supposed to mean a thing
La, la, la, la
Oh
You're lonely
Oh, you're lonely
Oh
Get off the roof!
Oh
Your arsenal!
We may seem cold, or
We may even be
The most depressing people you've ever known
At heart, what's left, we sadly know
That we are the last truly British people you'll ever know
We are the last truly British people you will ever know
You'll never never want to know
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
We'll Let You Know Lyrics as written by Whyte Morrissey
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“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.
It's a critique of the mentality of the football hooligan.
He's being very sarcastic in this song. Repeating the excuses football hooligans always give in the media. A lot of football hooligans have connections to the right wing and sing anti Irish songs. Hence the line "And the songs we sing They're not supposed to mean a thing". Just by the way he sings it Morrissey is making it clear that these songs aren't just a bit of fun. Being Irish himself, he'd be more sensitive to the type of hate conveyed in some football songs.
@Aurora2 I don't argue with your interpretation one bit. Though it may be a 'cultural' thing, your saying Morrissey is Irish is a 'long-bow'. His surname is, I grant you, of Irish descent, but his passport no doubt says 'English'.
@exobscura There is no such thing as an English passport...
Its actually both critical and sympathetic. Moz is on their side of being patriotic and defending that right but disagrees with their mentality of violence brought on my a game of football. It's another song where Morrissey has been accussed of racist sentiment mainly for the line 'The last truly British people' but at the end of the day he's being ironic. It's amazing how the English love to say 'The Americans don't understand irony' when most of us don't seem to understand it ourselves! The shout of 'Your Arsenal!' is only in the live version if the song as is the GET OFF THE ROOF bit.
@mozza_fan glad to see another 'appreciater' realise the IRONY at play within ALL his lyrical output. When people call Morrissey/The Smiths depressing, moping music I can't understand how they don't see the LASHINGS of HUMOR involved.
Moz played this live at V Festival this year... As it was one of the songs he was previously cruxified for (NME on heir 'racist' witch hunt) it did make me wonder if either he (a) wanted to fan the flames again or (b) he likes this one, and thought it was ok to sing it now... It is about football hooligans, the racist chants they sing, and the fact that for the bulk of the world (particularly Europe at the time it was writen) the only 'English' people they ever read about, or heard about were these hooligans - The last truely British people you will ever know...
Might be interesting to add that Moz is a massive football fan...
@LadyStardust74 er - how is somebody 'CRUXIFIED'
Everybody says this song is about soccer (football). I always thought this song was about British colonialism, and how it ultimately led to an influx of foreign-born immigrants back "home" in England. Consider the following line. "We will descend on anyone unable to defend themselves." I thought this was about Europeans using guns to conquer and subdue indigenous populations who did not have access to the same kind of technology. There is another line... "the songs we sing; they're not supposed to mean a thing." I thought this was about the cultural void that exists in European societies, who lack sacred songs and a strong oral tradition. There are other lines too. "The turnstiles make us hostile," means British people are angry about immigrants being processed at their boarders, and "we are the last truly British people" means white (Anglo-Saxon) people in Britain are becoming a thing of the past. Shows how much I know, huh?
Okay, can someone explain to me what or who he's referring to talk to. I feel guilty whenever I hear this song because, it makes me feel like he wants me to mind my own business. It says his songs are not supposed to mean a thing. I wonder what he means by that, because his songs I've always found meaningful. What does he mean by "We are the last truly British people you'll ever know"? Is that some sort of political statement, or personal? Well this song is a great song.
I suggest you go to compsoc.man.ac.uk/~moz/ it'll tell you everything you need/want to know
I don't think it's so much a critque, as it is sypathetic. As can be seen here:
compsoc.man.ac.uk/~moz/lyrics/yourarse/welllety.htm
Moz sympathises with the rabid patriotic attitude of the hooligans, and sees a something reminisant of his 'lost England' in them.
And the studio version is significantly longer with larger breaks between verses and a long bit with odd noises in the middle before the final verse.
I don't know that he's a "massive" football fan, but you can tell he's a bit obsessed about hooliganism which was at its height in the 80s. He's always wearing a West Ham shirt at live concerts, but he says he supports Manchester United.
BTW, "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles", the song from Oi! band Cockney Rejects, has been played countless times on his "pre-concert" tape mixes. That song is the main chant of West Ham supporters who are famous for being one of the most violent in the country.
Morrissey is so intelligent that when he baits he really uses the best hooks he has. I remember listen to this along with his other solo output around this time [ie: National Front Disco] and just knew he was having a good chuckle at every puritan's expense. So much so that when the fawning NME were continually denied 'his master's voice' they turned like a denied, bitchy girlfriend and slandered him to all who'd listen [ie: Morrissy Is Racist]. This song is just a hate filled, tongue-in-cheek jibe at the 'football crowd'. That is all.
All of Morrissey's 'disciples' DO NOT CARE what negative things are said about him for he can DO NO WRONG.