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, glad girls only want to get you high
And they're alright
There will be no coronation
There will be no flowers flowing
In the light that passes though me
Hey, glad girls only want to get you high
And they're alright
There will be no graduation
There will be no trumpets blowing
In the light that passes through me
With the sinking of the sun
I've come to greet you
Clean your hands and go to sleep
Confess the dreams
Of good and bad men all around
Some are lost
And some have found
The light that passes though me
And they're alright
There will be no coronation
There will be no flowers flowing
In the light that passes though me
Hey, glad girls only want to get you high
And they're alright
There will be no graduation
There will be no trumpets blowing
In the light that passes through me
With the sinking of the sun
I've come to greet you
Clean your hands and go to sleep
Confess the dreams
Of good and bad men all around
Some are lost
And some have found
The light that passes though me
Lyrics submitted by caramelized
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
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'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."
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'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."
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Like most Guided By Voices songs, I have no idea what this one is about, but I feel safe in proclaiming it to be one of the greatest songs .(period)
couldn't agree more
my bad on the last comment I meant to say men go after WOmen with hot bodies
WOah, i see what you mean now.
WOah, i see what you mean now.
It was the first GbV song I ever heard. I saw the video clip on Rage. It's so bizarre and wonderful.
The phrase "Glad Girl" was the nickname for the character Pollyanna from the mid 1910s. Pollyanna was a little girl who seemed to be incapable of being negative, i.e. she was always "glad." She lived in a dour old town with a dour old aunt, and her cheerfulness eventually made everyone in town happy.
The character was hugely popular, to the point Pollyanna and "Glad Girl" were household names at the time, which is why you occasionally hear people called Pollyanna-ish when they're (over) optimistic. There was a "Glad Game," "Glad Clubs," etc.
At one point in the story, she's injured and bedridden, and starts becoming very pessimistic. But the townspeople come and visit her to tell her how happy she had made them, and eventually she cheers back up. The verse at the end:
"With the sinking of the sun I've come to greet you Clean your hands and go to sleep Confess the dreams Of good and bad men all around Some are lost And some have found The light that passes though me"
...fits the Pollyanna story pretty well, i.e. she's bedridden and told the stories of "good and bad men all around." I'm sure this comes across as reading WAY too much into the lyrics, but if they aren't actually referencing Pollyanna, that would be a pretty big coincidence.
Bob Pollard's extremely well read, so I'm 99% sure he'd know about all that. That said, like a lot of great lyrics, there are several interpretations, and the hot chick interpretation obviously fits. I'm also 99% sure Pollard's aware of those connotations as well (heh.)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollyanna
WOah, i see what you mean now.
This song seems to be about how a lot of men go after men because of their hot bodies.