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.
You were right I"m hanging round because
Slight of hand won't separate us from them
You were right I'm underground because
Slight of hand won't separate your body from the dirt you're standing on today
You're the good things yeah that's you
You're the icing on the cake on the table at my wake
You're the extra ton of cash on my sinking life raft
You're the loud sound of fun when I'm trying to sleep
You're the flowers in my house when my allergies come out
You're the good things
And help's not short when you're digging your grave
I'll help you dig it
So you're digging your grave now
You're speaking my language I'll help you dig it
Slight of hand won't separate us from them
You were right I'm underground because
Slight of hand won't separate your body from the dirt you're standing on today
You're the good things yeah that's you
You're the icing on the cake on the table at my wake
You're the extra ton of cash on my sinking life raft
You're the loud sound of fun when I'm trying to sleep
You're the flowers in my house when my allergies come out
You're the good things
And help's not short when you're digging your grave
I'll help you dig it
So you're digging your grave now
You're speaking my language I'll help you dig it
Lyrics submitted by emopunkskaface, edited by sheionizes, shondon, outofmy0mind
You're the Good Things Lyrics as written by Isaac Brock Eric Judy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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This song seems to imply the subjectivity of perspective. Most people seem to be ignoring my favorite lines at the beginning:
"Sleight of hand can't separate your body from the dirt your standing on today."
This seems to mean that we're all the same, we're all made of the same stuff, the only difference is the viewpoint we take when we're looking. This is a common theme of Brock's and it reminds me of stuff by Vonnegut. In Slaughter-House Five he says that everyone is the same (why his books never have antagonists), and in Cat's Cradle the religion he creates refers to everything as transformed mud that can walk and see. This mirrors the idea that we're inseparable from the dirt we're standing on.
Brock is using this detached perspective to look at human relationships. Everyone is the icing on the cake. Sometimes it's a good thing and sometimes it's not. We bring our own biases into any interaction and Brock recognizes that. There are multiple sides to the coin and it's easy to forget that the things we enjoy and the things that annoy us are often one and the same, and we forget how mercurial we are, how quickly we change moods.
As for the part at the end I'm not sure, but the grave digging ties in nicely with imagery of the "underground" and "the dirty we're standing on."