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.
Once a great place. Now a prison.
All I can say. All I can do.
People Mover: Bad Decision.
From suburban. Now a prison.
All I can say. All I can do.
From the trembling walls. It's a great idea!
Everything you want. It's a great idea!
Once a great place. Now a prison.
All I can say. All I can do.
Henry Ford. Henry Ford.
Public Trans. Public Trans.
Pontiac. Pontiac.
Feed the poor. Feed the poor.
City Hall. City Hall.
Windsor Park. Windsor Park.
Saginaw. Saginaw.
After dark. After dark.
Tigers game. Tigers game.
Eighty-four. Eighty-four.
Industry. Industry.
Unemployed. Unemployed.
Gun control. Gun control.
Wolverine. Wolverine.
Iroquois. Iroquois.
Industry. Industry.
Public Trans. Public Trans.
Auto Cars. Auto Cars.
Jefferson. Jefferson.
Michigan. Michigan.
From the trembling walls. It's a great idea!
Everything you want. It's a great idea!
From the Renaissance. It's a great idea!
Everything you want. It's a great idea!
Throw them all away. It's a great idea!
From the Renaissance. It's a great idea!
Everything you want.
(Hesitate to burn the buildings)
All I can say. All I can do.
People Mover: Bad Decision.
From suburban. Now a prison.
All I can say. All I can do.
From the trembling walls. It's a great idea!
Everything you want. It's a great idea!
Once a great place. Now a prison.
All I can say. All I can do.
Henry Ford. Henry Ford.
Public Trans. Public Trans.
Pontiac. Pontiac.
Feed the poor. Feed the poor.
City Hall. City Hall.
Windsor Park. Windsor Park.
Saginaw. Saginaw.
After dark. After dark.
Tigers game. Tigers game.
Eighty-four. Eighty-four.
Industry. Industry.
Unemployed. Unemployed.
Gun control. Gun control.
Wolverine. Wolverine.
Iroquois. Iroquois.
Industry. Industry.
Public Trans. Public Trans.
Auto Cars. Auto Cars.
Jefferson. Jefferson.
Michigan. Michigan.
From the trembling walls. It's a great idea!
Everything you want. It's a great idea!
From the Renaissance. It's a great idea!
Everything you want. It's a great idea!
Throw them all away. It's a great idea!
From the Renaissance. It's a great idea!
Everything you want.
(Hesitate to burn the buildings)
Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head! (Restore! Rebuild! Reconsider!) song meanings
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the repetition and melodic focus in this song is lovely, really, it adds depth to lyrics that might be considered bland in another context.
sufjan sure knows what he's doing, eh?
I love the line "once a great place, now a prison." To think such a catchy song could be written about urban decay. As a student of urban studies, this song rocks.
I really love this song. I attended university in Detroit and lived there last year. I hated living there, I found it isolating and deadening. I believe the line about trembling walls is about the demolition of the JL Hudson building in 1998. It was heartbreaking for many to see that building go.
It seems like this song is mostly just an account of the decline of Detroit. I'm confused by the chorus os "From the trembling walls. It's A Great Idea!" as well as "Everything you want..." and "Throw them all away" and "From the Renaissance." Any ideas anyone?
detroitrenaissance.com/index.html
"Tigers game / Eighty-four" makes me grin like crazy every time, though that too can be seen as a symbol of Detroit's decline- from World Series champions to the Tigers of today.
AND HOW!
Hey, they Tigers are in first place now! Heh.
Well as someone who grew up but a mere river's width from downtown Detroit I'll offer my take on this song: modern Detroit is kinda a tragic place in that it doesn't have much life in it and all attempts to revive it have failed because they were misguided.
For example, "From the Renaissance, it's a great idea!" Is an example of sarcasm. The Renaissance Center in DT Detroit is a huge multiplex that was built with the idea that it would draw people to downtown Detroit and breathe some life back into it (hence "Renessaince"), but it failed because the people who go to the Renaissance centre drive in from suburbia, fulfill their days work and head home without even walking a block into the actual city.
I think the whole song is sacrcastic...not "great ideas!", bad ideas. Bad ideas that lead Detroit even further astray.
Do it up Detroit. DO IT UP! I love sufjan.
sufjan talks about this song, or at least detroit, in his interview on pbs (after acl). i think he said something about how it affects him; how he feels a connection with the town.