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 wrote a goodbye note
In lipstick on your arm
When you passed out
I couldn't bring myself to call
Except to call it quits
Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
And not the other way around
Racing through the city
Windows down
In the back of
Yellow-checkered cars
This city says
Come hell or high water
When I'm feeling hot and wet
I can't commit to a thing
Be it heart or hospital
Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
And not the other way around
Racing through the city
Windows down
In the back of
Yellow-checkered cars
The tombstones are waiting
They were half engraved
They knew it was over
Just didn't know the date
And I cast a spell over the West
To make you think of me
The same way I think of you
This is a love song in my own way
Happily ever after below the waist
Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
Racing through the city
Windows down
In the back of
Yellow-checkered cars
Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
And not the other way around
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
In lipstick on your arm
When you passed out
I couldn't bring myself to call
Except to call it quits
Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
And not the other way around
Racing through the city
Windows down
In the back of
Yellow-checkered cars
This city says
Come hell or high water
When I'm feeling hot and wet
I can't commit to a thing
Be it heart or hospital
Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
And not the other way around
Racing through the city
Windows down
In the back of
Yellow-checkered cars
The tombstones are waiting
They were half engraved
They knew it was over
Just didn't know the date
And I cast a spell over the West
To make you think of me
The same way I think of you
This is a love song in my own way
Happily ever after below the waist
Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
Racing through the city
Windows down
In the back of
Yellow-checkered cars
Best friends
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
And not the other way around
Ex-friends till the end
Better off as lovers
Lyrics submitted by rust3dxh3art
Bang the Doldrums Lyrics as written by Joseph Mark Trohman Andrew John Hurley
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Bang the Doldrums is one of my fave's on IoH, and I didn't seem to find it as cryptic as most other people. But anyway, here's what I think:
"I wrote a goodbye note in lipstick on your arm when you passed out, I couldn’t bring myself to call, except to call it quits,"
This is pretty straightforward. I think they (the couple, I mean - probably Pete and Jenae) get drunk and sleep together and he wants her way more than she does him. He has a thing with commitment and intimacy, I mean, even the way he broke up with her is temporary. It can't be saved like a letter or text could.
He couldn't bring himself to call her, so he never did. 'Calling it quits' doesn't necessarily mean he called her, the lipstick note could qualify as such.
"Best friends, ex-friends to the end, Better off as lovers and not the other way around,"
There's a serious play on words here, definately added to confuse. Here's my interpretation: they were best friends, now 'ex-friends to the end'. By 'better off as lovers, not the other way around' I think he means they're not 'lovers better off'.
"Racing through the city, windows down, In the back of yellow-checkered cars."
I think this simply implies a sense of urgency and desire - racing through the city (Chicago, perhaps?) together, infatuated.
"You're all wrong, Are we all wrong? You're all wrong, Are we all wrong?"
Here I think he's simply questioning the situation. The relationship is so messed up - is it worth it?
"This city says; Come Hell or high water, when I’m feeling hot and wet, I can’t commit to a thing, be it heart or hospital,"
The City. Again, this could be L.A., Chicago, or New York (all of which Pete Wentz, the main lyricist, spends a lot of time). Come hell or high water is usually used to imply loyalty or staying power. Perhaps she promised to be there hell or high water, and now that both are there, what is she gonna do?
The next line is simple: he can't commit to a relationship - he just uses the hospital metaphor to emphasis how large his phobia is.
"The tombstones are waiting, They were half engraved, They knew it was over, Just didn’t know the date."
This is probably one of the most straight-forward FOB lyrics ever. The relationship was doomed from the beginning - it was a matter of when, not if.
"And I cast a spell over the West to make you think of me, The same way I think of you,"
Maybe he's talking about Hollywood, maybe he's talking about the chick - who knows? He just wants to be accepted and thought of and loved.
"This is a love song in my own way, Happily ever after, below the waist."
Possibly one of my favorite lines on the album. This is a love song is his own way, as close as he can come to love - obsession, infatuation, and lust. Happily ever after below the waist just serves the drive the point home. Sexual satisfaction is as close to happily ever after as they'll ever come.
Amazing song - great lyrics, but all FOB songs are mindblowing. I think I've got it down pat - who knows? Everbody reads them and thinks something different.
lol this is totally about mikey god
and by this (because I just realize I was terribly cryptic) this song is totally about the Summer of Like, and thus about Mikey fucking Way.
this is called 'never date your best friend since you were five because that is exactly how it will feel: best friends, ex friends 'til the end.' you will break up or almost break up and get into fights multiple times and get back together, realize that it wasn't meant to be, and then people will question your friendship for the rest of eternity...after it ends, at which point you're just friends.
getting into a relationship with your best friend just ends up causing drama.
this song is bassed off an old blog like someone already pointed out- said blog was about mikeyway. so technically this song would be about mikeyway, too.
mikeyway was a special someone during warped '05, and (pete) had a crush on him at the time- it was nearly adoration. but at the same time (he) knew it wouldn't work out no matter what. here it's explained how they were bestfriends, and then had a night together, causing them to be "ex-friends" and become "lovers", which to pete's eyes was better than being just friends. ("i wish you were my bass, not just my friend")
THIS SONG IS ABOUT MIKEY WAY NUFF SAID
SWEETLITTLEDUDES
two words:
mikey way
This song is about Mikey way. Proof: crucios.tumblr.com/post/42380127787/love-cant-save-you-a-petemikey-otp-post-im-so
This is about Mikey. Three words summer of like.
well i suppose this is kind of self explanitory song what the hell is the yellow ticket?
actually, i think its "In the back of yellow-checkered cars" (which would be a taxi)