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.
Alone tonight in somebody's bed
She gone and dyed her hair red
She only went and did what she did
'Cause he would drive her home then
There's lipstick on her new dress
She hadn't even paid yet
But it doesn't matter where the money went
It wasn't how she paid her rent
One, two, three Marlenas
There's got to be someone we can trust
Out here among us
Now lookin' out across the city lights
She thought they'd be a good pair
Now he could make a living sellin' cars
Maybe she could work there
She's gonna pick a star in the night
And pray to make it all right
She tried so hard not to pick a kite
She always prayed to heaven lights
One, two, three Marlenas
There's got to be someone we can trust
Out here among us
One, two, three Marlenas
It's see no, speak no, hear no evil about us
The three Marlenas
Man, I think I'm gonna buy myself a Rolls
Maybe a Chevrolet
One where I can pull that top down
Just let my radio play
Now I'm headin' out on that highway
I'm goin' right out of state
Now I ain't lookin' back until I'm gone
Right through heaven's gates
One, two, three Marlenas
There's got to be someone we can trust
Out here among us
One, two, three Marlenas
Ya see no, speak no, hear no evil among us
The three Marlenas
Three Marlenas
Three Marlenas
She gone and dyed her hair red
She only went and did what she did
'Cause he would drive her home then
There's lipstick on her new dress
She hadn't even paid yet
But it doesn't matter where the money went
It wasn't how she paid her rent
One, two, three Marlenas
There's got to be someone we can trust
Out here among us
Now lookin' out across the city lights
She thought they'd be a good pair
Now he could make a living sellin' cars
Maybe she could work there
She's gonna pick a star in the night
And pray to make it all right
She tried so hard not to pick a kite
She always prayed to heaven lights
One, two, three Marlenas
There's got to be someone we can trust
Out here among us
One, two, three Marlenas
It's see no, speak no, hear no evil about us
The three Marlenas
Man, I think I'm gonna buy myself a Rolls
Maybe a Chevrolet
One where I can pull that top down
Just let my radio play
Now I'm headin' out on that highway
I'm goin' right out of state
Now I ain't lookin' back until I'm gone
Right through heaven's gates
One, two, three Marlenas
There's got to be someone we can trust
Out here among us
One, two, three Marlenas
Ya see no, speak no, hear no evil among us
The three Marlenas
Three Marlenas
Three Marlenas
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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.
The Night We Met
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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"
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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.
After verifying that Marlena is not a Spanish word other than a name, and having thought about it abit in the meantime, I have a theory. The "Three Marlenas" are the Marlena (the girl who is the subject of the song) in each of the three verses. In verse one, she is someone who feels lost and tries to find right man to make her feel grounded. In the second verse, she is someone who is trying to make a living and find her role in the world, to make her feel that her life has purpose. In the third verse, she is fantasizing about living somewhere else and being successful, about a life different from the one she is now living. So the song describes someone who feels lost and imagines herself as possibly three different people, three different ways to feel whole in the lonely world. Does this sound plausible?
Wow, I agree!
I agree with stoolhardy. This song seems to be about a girl named Marlena, who is imagining herself as three different people. Each verse she is dreaming/thinking about herself in a different situation in life. The three Marlenas are the three different people she is imagining herself to be. Great song.
I see a lot of similarities between Bringing Down the Horse and Tangled Up In Blue. Both are on the top of my favorites list. I notice a lot of subtle inspiration that Jakob may have taken from his dad's work. I don't think they're work is a lot alike, but its easy to relate their work and find connections.
wow, so this song is real. I have a friend named Marlena and she told me about it. beautiful song. how come there isn't a beautiful song written about a person with my name? also, it cracks me up that some of you didn't know Marlena was a name. lol.
@DefLepRocker tell me your name. Let me try to write some beautiful song with.
I agree with most people, as in the idea that is about three aspect/hopes/choices a woman could make. My favorite part, that no one really commented on is "There's got to be someone we can trust, Out here among us" which makes me think it is about making a commitment to one and trying to figure out which one is right. We can all relate to this because we all long for things that don't always go together (like how its fun to be single and also amazing to have someone special). We can't have everything we want. And at some point in time you have to make a decision about what you want most. So for Marlena does she was excitement/attention, stability, or freedom/a journey? On a person note, as a student about to graduate this is a perfect anthem cause I don't know what path to take next. Maybe I'll just pick a star in the night?
I think Jacob telling the story of the discomfort of one not being true to themselves.
Three Malenas, to me, seem to refer to the ancient Japanese maxim of the "three wise monkeys". See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil often depicted in sculptural form.<br /> In America the phrase is used by those who don't want to deal or be involved with tough situations, or "look the other way". I've heard a Marlina is sort of a west coast slang for a fun or party girl. I've never heard it used here in Georgia where I live. Sounds much better lyrically than one, two, three monkeys.
"Man, I think I'm gonna buy myself a Rolls Maybe a Chevrolet One where I can pull that top down Just let my radio play Now I'm headin' out on that highway I'm goin' right out of state Now I ain't lookin' back until I'm gone Right through heaven's gates"
Reminds me of the end of James Dean's life. "Riding through Heaven's gates is when he's dead." Its just reminiscent of that.
k im gonna feel like an idiot,but wats a marlena? heh
I'ved loved this song since it first came out, but I'm still not sure what it's about. I have no idea what "Marlena" could mean besides a name, or why there would be three of them. My brother once said that this song is about a prostitute, but I'm not sure if I agree.
The song seems to be about being alone in a city, similar to 6th Avenue Heartache or One Headlight. And wanting to bust out of there, like in the third verse. It would help if I knew what the chorus meant though. I don't know what a Marlena is, although it's a Spanish name so it might be a Spanish word and I no hable espanol.