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.
(does this) wilted flower seem strange to you?
with all this poison at the roots...
shut away from love and light
you wonder why it's screaming
old enough to abuse me
but all too cheap to amuse me
we stand in the marketplace
with cold september eyes on the hungry people
we passed the interrogation
signed our names at the bottom of the government paper
calling memories out of mind
pictures writhing deep inside
and once you've seen it's hard to hide
you wonder why you're screaming?
strong enough not to fear me
but all too loud now to hear me
we stand in the marketplace
with cold september eyes on the hungry people
we passed the interrogation
signed our names at the bottom of the government paper
this wintertime
to waste your life
you reign
you die
you wait
you cry
this time in the light
small flame in the night
you come
you bend
you burn
sick enough to infect me
but too far gone to protect me
we stand in the marketplace
with cold september eyes on the hungry people
we passed the interrogation
signed our names at the bottom of the government paper
with all this poison at the roots...
shut away from love and light
you wonder why it's screaming
old enough to abuse me
but all too cheap to amuse me
we stand in the marketplace
with cold september eyes on the hungry people
we passed the interrogation
signed our names at the bottom of the government paper
calling memories out of mind
pictures writhing deep inside
and once you've seen it's hard to hide
you wonder why you're screaming?
strong enough not to fear me
but all too loud now to hear me
we stand in the marketplace
with cold september eyes on the hungry people
we passed the interrogation
signed our names at the bottom of the government paper
this wintertime
to waste your life
you reign
you die
you wait
you cry
this time in the light
small flame in the night
you come
you bend
you burn
sick enough to infect me
but too far gone to protect me
we stand in the marketplace
with cold september eyes on the hungry people
we passed the interrogation
signed our names at the bottom of the government paper
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"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.
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
I may be killed for saying so, but this is my favorite SDRE song. It makes me feel like marching or something.
i looked up the word snibe online. apparently its a group of poor people who make all of their money working for minimum wage at fast food restaraunts just so that they can buy drugs. I think that the song is about people who live like that and about them complaining without actually doing anything productive.
it could also be about immigrants. the line "We passed the interrogation Signed our names at the bottom of the government paper " is really hard to understand. I was thinking that maybe the interrogation was people always being suspicious. definitely a complex song...
I think the main focus of the lyric is about the entire "system":
But I totally agree it is a complex and incredible song, I listen to it for years and it always awakens new impressions.
what do you mean?
rad song. makes me feel guilty for some reason...
I think it's about people who have sinned and complained about their own doings like it was not their fault and their are not to blame, it says " This winer time, you waste your life, you reign, you die, you wait, you cry, This time in the light, A small flame in the night, you come you bend, you burn, you burn, you burn"
Some info to think about:
Government Paper definition:
Any debt security, such as a Treasury Bill or a Ginnie Mae, either guaranteed by the issuer or backed by the U.S. government.
I can't find a definition for the word "snibe" outside of Urban Dictionary, so...I have no idea how to interpret the band's use of the word as the title. But I definitely don't think it's a song that's derogatory towards poor people. I've always gotten the exact opposite vibes from it.
"we stand in the marketplace with cold september eyes on the hungry people we passed the interrogation signed our names at the bottom of the government paper"
The singer has the POV of someone who's part of a group that looks down on the impoverished masses. The POV of someone who has joined "the system" and is indifferent to the struggles of the hungry and unfortunate in society.
"you reign you die you wait you cry this time in the light small flame in the night you come you bend you burn
sick enough to infect me but too far gone to protect me"
This part sounds more like it's an outside narrator describing the previous person, or perhaps one of the people on the impoverished side of the fence. The person who's looking down on the masses is themself not all-powerful: they're probably a small-time politician or government official who has sold out and stepped on other people to try to gain power, and has had a tumultuous experience doing so. They ended up being only a "small flame in the night." They're a poisonous part of the system, making people "sick," but not strong enough to actually make any significant changes to society, to "protect" anyone.
anyway I feel like it's a hugely political song, painting images of disenfranchised masses protesting the indifferent privileged people in power who don't help them.
I think this song is related to starving children in Africa (literally) and the Chorus is explaining how we just read the newspapers about it and we don't care. As long as we're safe, we're happy. The Government Paper part I believe shows that. Just my two cents.