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 try and feel the sunshine
You bring the rain
You try and hold me down
With your complaints
You cry and moan and complain
You whine and tear
Up to my neck in sorrow
The touch you bring
You just don't step inside to, to fourteen years
So hard to keep my own head, that's what I say, you know
I've been the beggar
I've played the thief
I was the dog, they all tried to beat
But it's been
Fourteen years of silence
It's been
Fourteen years of pain
It's been
Fourteen years that are gone forever
And I'll never have again, well
Your stupid girlfriends tell you
That I'm to blame
Well, they're all used-up has-beens
Out of the game
This time I'll have the last word
You hear what I say
I tried to see it your way
It won't work today
You don't just step inside to, to fourteen years
So hard to keep my own head, that's what I say
You know, I've been the dealer hangin' on your street
I was the dog, they all tried to beat
But it's been
Fourteen years of silence
It's been
Fourteen years of pain
It's been
Fourteen years that are gone forever
And I'll never have again, well
Yeah it's been, oh no!
Bullshit and contemplation
Gossip's their trade
If they knew half the real truth
What would they say?
Well I'm past the point of concern
It's time to play
These last four years of madness
Sure put me straight
You don't get back fourteen years
In just one day
So hard to keep my own head
Just go away
You know, just like a hooker she said
Nothin' is free
Oh I tried to see it your way
I tried to see it your way
You bring the rain
You try and hold me down
With your complaints
You cry and moan and complain
You whine and tear
Up to my neck in sorrow
The touch you bring
You just don't step inside to, to fourteen years
So hard to keep my own head, that's what I say, you know
I've been the beggar
I've played the thief
I was the dog, they all tried to beat
But it's been
Fourteen years of silence
It's been
Fourteen years of pain
It's been
Fourteen years that are gone forever
And I'll never have again, well
Your stupid girlfriends tell you
That I'm to blame
Well, they're all used-up has-beens
Out of the game
This time I'll have the last word
You hear what I say
I tried to see it your way
It won't work today
You don't just step inside to, to fourteen years
So hard to keep my own head, that's what I say
You know, I've been the dealer hangin' on your street
I was the dog, they all tried to beat
But it's been
Fourteen years of silence
It's been
Fourteen years of pain
It's been
Fourteen years that are gone forever
And I'll never have again, well
Yeah it's been, oh no!
Bullshit and contemplation
Gossip's their trade
If they knew half the real truth
What would they say?
Well I'm past the point of concern
It's time to play
These last four years of madness
Sure put me straight
You don't get back fourteen years
In just one day
So hard to keep my own head
Just go away
You know, just like a hooker she said
Nothin' is free
Oh I tried to see it your way
I tried to see it your way
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Light Up The Sky
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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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
14 years of silence, 14 years of pain... Sounds like one hell of a happy mariage, huh? It's damn miserable to have a woman who believes you're hurting her by just being a husband. Especially if that woman listens to her dumb friends who dunno a thing what's going on beteeen her and her man, but always try to give her profound advise on how she is mistreated, poor plus on how she deserves more just becuz she's a woman. God damn, it happened to me once, some really stupid people fitting their nose where it doesn't belong and messing things up, so I kinda feel this one.