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.
Arnold Layne
Had a strange hobby
Collecting clothes
Moonshine washing line
They suit him fine
On the wall
Hung a tall mirror
Distorted view
See through baby blue
He done it, oh, Arnold Layne
It's not the same,
It takes two to know
Two to know
Two to know
Two to know
Why can't you see?
Arnold Layne
Arnold Layne
Arnold Layne, Arnold Layne
Now he's caught
A nasty sort of person
They gave him time
Doors bang, chain gang
He hates it
Oh, Arnold Layne
It's not the same
It takes two to know
Two to know
Two to know
Two to know
Why can't you see?
Arnold Layne
Arnold Layne
Arnold Layne
Arnold Layne, don't do it again
Had a strange hobby
Collecting clothes
Moonshine washing line
They suit him fine
On the wall
Hung a tall mirror
Distorted view
See through baby blue
He done it, oh, Arnold Layne
It's not the same,
It takes two to know
Two to know
Two to know
Two to know
Why can't you see?
Arnold Layne
Arnold Layne
Arnold Layne, Arnold Layne
Now he's caught
A nasty sort of person
They gave him time
Doors bang, chain gang
He hates it
Oh, Arnold Layne
It's not the same
It takes two to know
Two to know
Two to know
Two to know
Why can't you see?
Arnold Layne
Arnold Layne
Arnold Layne
Arnold Layne, don't do it again
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Arnold Layne Lyrics as written by Syd Barrett
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Knicker nicker Arnold Layne!!
yeah, it's about this guy who used to board in Syd and Roger's childhood neighborhood and was always stealing women's underwear off of the clotheslines...names changed to protect the innocent, of course
This song is a very odd song. Syd Barrett is a fucking genius. IT is a shame what happend to him.
barrett imagined a name first then gaven him an unusual hobbie:collecting clothes;which caused outrage at the time because of 1969 and crossdressin,its pure pink floyd imagination
I don't think the LSD was the main reason he went crazy, cus Roger and Dave did LSD too, and they are both perfectly sane. I think the pressure of fame hurt him more than LSD.
The drugs certainly didn't help though
@WYWH no it was the massive amounts of lsd quite simply. Maybe he had schizophrenia which the lsd exacerbates but Sid took way too much acid.
Here's what Rick Wright said, according to the 'Echoes' website:
"Syd came up with this song. It was his song. It was banned because of its lyrical content, which is quite extraordinary considering what goes down now. I think it's one of the best examples of Syd's work and mind. It's based on a true story, or rumour about a man who went around stealing knickers off washing lines. I sang the harmonies on it. It wasn't about love like so many songs at that time.
We have often considered doing it live, recently. It doesn't mean that much to me now, although I feel sentimental about it. It was a different incarnation of Pink Floyd"
syd was a hero lol end of story. yeah guys it's definitely about a crossdresser.
I used to go out with a woman who'd lived in Cambridge. She told me that her knickers had once been stolen by the guy who Arnold Layne was based on - which would suggest he was definitely a real person. She said it was pretty common knowledge in Cambridge that the song was about this guy.
@losttango I wonder how she knew who pinched her panties. Maybe he left a calling card.
Like no ****, when can we start talking about what the words in the song mean?
@nanaka1173 i think the distorted mirror, see through baby blue means the writer or maybe everybody can see what is he up to
its about a crossdresser?
The song is about a guy who got drunk and stole womens underwear. The song implies that he also put the underwear on and posed in front of a mirror. It also says he was locked up in jail (probably for theft and this very reason). The song also says "it's not the same, it takes 2 to know" which implies Syd Barrett also did this. People cross dressing today is still frowned upon by many people, so admitting this in 1960 would have been completely out of the question. By writing this, he wrote in story form and takes on an experienced and sympathetic point of view...<br /> Sometimes people have something to say and don't want to admit or say it at the same time so they put it in a story or riddle form. You just have to listen with your mind and make sense of the totality.
Based on a true story. Syd and Rogers mothers used to talk about a man who would steal from the washing lines in people's backyards.