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 driving alone
Sad about you
Not going home
What's to do?
You better not leave me here
Better not leave me here
Ooh, I want you here
How can you leave me here?
I lie in a stream
And floating fine
Receiving things
In my beautiful mind
Sometimes, oh, sometimes
Sometimes, oh, sometimes
Lover, yes I am
Lover, you know I am, ooh
Now I'm in a bar
That's got to be where they are
Going to dance in the bar
They're going to fight on the floor
Faster than I can see
Now I gonna score
Make for the door
Who is this whore?
Soon be beggin' drags
And I'm thinking "Christ
Nullify my life"
Nullify my life, ooh
You're going to die
Yes, you're gonna die
You're gonna die
You're gonna decease
Sad about you
Not going home
What's to do?
You better not leave me here
Better not leave me here
Ooh, I want you here
How can you leave me here?
I lie in a stream
And floating fine
Receiving things
In my beautiful mind
Sometimes, oh, sometimes
Sometimes, oh, sometimes
Lover, yes I am
Lover, you know I am, ooh
Now I'm in a bar
That's got to be where they are
Going to dance in the bar
They're going to fight on the floor
Faster than I can see
Now I gonna score
Make for the door
Who is this whore?
Soon be beggin' drags
And I'm thinking "Christ
Nullify my life"
Nullify my life, ooh
You're going to die
Yes, you're gonna die
You're gonna die
You're gonna decease
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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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Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
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Mountain Song
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"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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Wow, what a great track. Everyone knows Big Star were very influential on alternative rock to come later on, but this one in particular sounds like so much like alt-rock of the '80s and '90s that it's scary.
As for meaning, this is a somewhat cryptic song, but not too hard to figure out. Alex is having problems with his girl, and is going to go out to a bar, score some drugs, get in a fight, and maybe hook up with a whore to make him feel better.
A particularly oblique lyrical reference is "Christ, nullify my life." In The Velvet Underground's "Heroin," Lou sang "I have made a very big decision/I'm gonna try to nullify my life." I can take it to mean here in "Daisy Glaze" that Alex is using "nullify my life" as short-hand for getting high on smack.
It's a beautiful track musically, with some amazing changes in tempo and mood. And there's just no better put-down than "you're gonna die...you're gonna decease!"
I love nearly all Big Star songs with all my heart, but this just may be my favorite.
Completely agree. You're take on the "nullify my life" line is a good one. Alex Chilton was clearly into the VU, since he covered "Femme Fatale" on Big Star's third album. <br /> <br /> I don't think the "whore" he mentions is someone he wants to hook up with. It's his aforementioned girlfriend, and he calls her a whore as an insult. In the next line, he says she'll "soon be beggin drags," meaning without him she's nothing and soon won't even have enough money to buy her own cigarettes.
this may possibly be the best big star song.
I agree with you there. It's a monumental song. Very moving indeed
Ditto, it's my favorite. I like the different tempos, the dreamy opening and crunchy ending. It fits any mood. Quality.