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 tired of self respect
I can't afford a car
I want to be a prefab superstar
I want to be a tool
Don't need no soul
want to make big money
Playing rock and roll
I'll make my music boring
I'll play my music slow
I ain't no artist, I'm a business man
No ideas of my own
I won't offend
Or rock the boat
Just sex and drugs
And rock and roll
Drool, drool, drool, drool, drool, drool
My Payola!
Drool, drool, drool, drool, drool, drool
My Payola!
You'll pay ten bucks to see me
On a fifteen foot high stage
Fatass bouncers kick the shit
Out of kids who try to dance
If my friends say
I've lost my guts
I'll laugh and say
That's rock and roll
But there's just one problem
[Chorus]
Is my cock big enough
Is my brain small enough
For you to make me a star
Give me a toot, I'll sell you my soul
Pull my strings and I'll go far
And when I'm rich
And meet Bob Hope
We'll shoot some golf
And shoot some dope
Is my cock big enough?
Is my brain small enough?
[Chorus]
I can't afford a car
I want to be a prefab superstar
I want to be a tool
Don't need no soul
want to make big money
Playing rock and roll
I'll make my music boring
I'll play my music slow
I ain't no artist, I'm a business man
No ideas of my own
I won't offend
Or rock the boat
Just sex and drugs
And rock and roll
Drool, drool, drool, drool, drool, drool
My Payola!
Drool, drool, drool, drool, drool, drool
My Payola!
You'll pay ten bucks to see me
On a fifteen foot high stage
Fatass bouncers kick the shit
Out of kids who try to dance
If my friends say
I've lost my guts
I'll laugh and say
That's rock and roll
But there's just one problem
[Chorus]
Is my cock big enough
Is my brain small enough
For you to make me a star
Give me a toot, I'll sell you my soul
Pull my strings and I'll go far
And when I'm rich
And meet Bob Hope
We'll shoot some golf
And shoot some dope
Is my cock big enough?
Is my brain small enough?
[Chorus]
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
They composed and played this song specifically for the Bay Area Music Awards in (I believe) 1981. They were set to recieve the award for Best New-Wave Band of 1981 along side The Knack, who the DKs despised as corporate media-whores.
So they came out on stage in white dress shirts with big letter S's spraypainted on them, and their black ties over their shoulders. When they decided to spring the surprise, they dropped the ties, forming a dollar sign on their chests, and started playing Pull My Strings. This whole fiasco went down on live TV and radio.
Besides violating FCC regulations for all the vulgarities they used, it was a huge and intentional loogie in the eye of everyone at the awards. I.e, "We know who you are, and we know who we are, so you can shove your f***ing award."
This song is about how New-Wave is music started by big record companies and the band members a mindless drones DK Rules!
Hehehe Drool.. I luv that part. and the end is so great.
Haha. I <3 this song.
The end.
this song is hot b/c it was done by surprise at a new wave award show. They were supposed to play holiday in cambodia but they stopped and did pull my strings without warning it was supposed to be a spoof and insult (obviously) on mainstream music like new wave.
guys its not true new wave jello is making fun of, its the crap pop bands who act like their new wave.
@Star Sick Well, close, it was actually California Uber Alles they were supposed to play. Jeez, they even played the the first 16 seconds of it... The dig was directed at the award in general but lyrically focused on The Knack.
is there a studio version of this song?
Nope this is the only time they ever played it.
The weird thing, is how easily the song can apply to the emo stuff on mainstream radio today.
Yeah, or Metallica...
^ ahh interesting
the start is California Uberalles' btw