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.
Don't tell the director I said so
But are you safe Miss Gradenko?
We were at a policy meeting
They were planning new ways of cheating
I didn't want to rock your boat
But you sent this dangerous note
You've been letting your feelings show
Are you safe Miss Gradenko?
Miss Gradenko are you safe?
Are you safe Miss Gradenko?
Miss Gradenko are you safe?
Is anybody alive in here?
Is anybody alive in here?
Is anybody at all in here?
Nobody but us in here
Nobody but us
Is anybody alive in here?
Nobody but us
Your uniform don't seem to fit
You're much too alive in it
You've been letting your feelings show
Are you safe Miss Gradenko?
Miss Gradenko are you safe?
Is anybody alive in here?
Is anybody alive in here?
Is anybody at all in here?
Nobody but us in here
Nobody but us
Is anybody alive in here?
Is anybody alive in here?
Is anybody at all in here?
Nobody but us in here
Nobody but us
Nobody but us in here
Nobody but us
But are you safe Miss Gradenko?
We were at a policy meeting
They were planning new ways of cheating
I didn't want to rock your boat
But you sent this dangerous note
You've been letting your feelings show
Are you safe Miss Gradenko?
Miss Gradenko are you safe?
Are you safe Miss Gradenko?
Miss Gradenko are you safe?
Is anybody alive in here?
Is anybody alive in here?
Is anybody at all in here?
Nobody but us in here
Nobody but us
Is anybody alive in here?
Nobody but us
Your uniform don't seem to fit
You're much too alive in it
You've been letting your feelings show
Are you safe Miss Gradenko?
Miss Gradenko are you safe?
Is anybody alive in here?
Is anybody alive in here?
Is anybody at all in here?
Nobody but us in here
Nobody but us
Is anybody alive in here?
Is anybody alive in here?
Is anybody at all in here?
Nobody but us in here
Nobody but us
Nobody but us in here
Nobody but us
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Miss Gradenko Lyrics as written by Stewart Copeland
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
[Stephen Holden—Rolling Stone 1983] Stewart Copeland's "Miss Gradenko," a novelty about secretarial paranoia in the Kremlin, is memorable mainly for Summers' modal twanging between the verses.
This one reminds me of the romance between Winston and Julia in George Orwell's 1984.
This song is clearly about a woman inside some sort of organization which subjects its members to dehumanizing uniformity, and otherwise "cheats". It may be an unscrupulous corporation, but the Russian sound of "Gradenko" indicates that this is probably about a Communist governent and a woman inside who is getting too lively for the system to tolerate.
Excellent elaboration on this and other songs at:
stewartcopeland.net/lyrics/lyrics.htm
At least Copeland's contribution is thoroughly better; 'Miss Gradenko' is yet another in a series of those lightweight half-comic numbers Stu is famous for, even if this time around it's kinda disturbing, especially when you hear grim lyrics like 'Is anybody alive in here? Nobody but us in here'. Can't deny the catchiness of the chorus though, not on your life you can't. A lightweight piffle it is, but a necessary lightweight piffle - kinda like 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' on Abbey Road. [George Starostin]
@sillybunny : @sillybunny : During work on “Maxwell's Silver Hammer” Paul McCartney insisted on an extraordinarily-large number of takes. John, George and Ringo somehow resisted the impulse to bestow upon Paul the same ultimate fate as anyone who’d been a minor annoyance to Maxwell.<br /> <br /> Anyhow, that’s what I’ve heard. But who knows. All those rumors…<br /> <br /> Abbey Road is my second-favorite Beatles LP (after Revolver). Despite being unusually consistent, relative to the band’s other post-Sgt. Pepper efforts? Upon hearing the first seconds of “Octopus' Garden” I’ll always press the Skip button...urgently.<br /> <br /> I have similar feelings about another track on Side A. Damn though, but everything on side B—from “Because” onward—sounds as if they were capable of continuing, sustained genius.<br /> <br /> Which is odd, in retrospect; anyone could tell what was going to happen (with no need to rely on gossip). Aside from the occasional gem? The White Album and Let it Be are the sounds of four individuals (not a collective whole): absolutely confident they'd be praised for anything they did. No matter how clumsy or ill-advised.
George Orwell 1984
who is Miss Gradenko?
I've always thought of this as some sort of Agatha Christie-meets-the-Golden-Girls song. Although I guess she'd probably be Mrs. Gradenko. Either that or perhaps a kind of "one flew over the cuckoo's nest"-type deal. Hell, I dunno.
I always thought they sounded like Gary Lewis and the Playboys doing this song.
My favorite Copeland tune. Some of my favorite guitar work by Andy.
I thought it was about a guy having an affair with a woman that he can't have for professional reasons... it's hard to explain. :P