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.
When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful
A miracle, oh, it was beautiful, magical
And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily
Oh, joyfully, oh, playfully watching me
But then they sent me away to teach me how to be sensible
Logical, oh, responsible, practical
Then they showed me a world where I could be so dependable
Oh, clinical, oh, intellectual, cynical
There are times when all the world's asleep
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned?
I know it sounds absurd
Please tell me who I am
I said, now, watch what you say, they'll be calling you a radical
A liberal, oh, fanatical, criminal
Oh, won't you sign up your name? We'd like to feel you're acceptable
Respectable, oh, presentable, a vegetable
Oh, take, take, take it, yeah
But at night, when all the world's asleep
The questions run so deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please (oh, won't you tell me)
Please tell me what we've learned?
(Can you hear me?) I know it sounds absurd
(Oh, won't you tell me) please tell me who I am
Who I am, who I am, who I am
Ooh
Hey
'Cause I was feeling so logical
Yeah
D-D-D-D-D-D-D-Digital
Yeah, one, two, three, five
Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah
Ooh, it's getting unbelievable
Yeah
Getting, getting, yeah, yeah
Uh, uh, uh, uh
A miracle, oh, it was beautiful, magical
And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily
Oh, joyfully, oh, playfully watching me
But then they sent me away to teach me how to be sensible
Logical, oh, responsible, practical
Then they showed me a world where I could be so dependable
Oh, clinical, oh, intellectual, cynical
There are times when all the world's asleep
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned?
I know it sounds absurd
Please tell me who I am
I said, now, watch what you say, they'll be calling you a radical
A liberal, oh, fanatical, criminal
Oh, won't you sign up your name? We'd like to feel you're acceptable
Respectable, oh, presentable, a vegetable
Oh, take, take, take it, yeah
But at night, when all the world's asleep
The questions run so deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please (oh, won't you tell me)
Please tell me what we've learned?
(Can you hear me?) I know it sounds absurd
(Oh, won't you tell me) please tell me who I am
Who I am, who I am, who I am
Ooh
Hey
'Cause I was feeling so logical
Yeah
D-D-D-D-D-D-D-Digital
Yeah, one, two, three, five
Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah
Ooh, it's getting unbelievable
Yeah
Getting, getting, yeah, yeah
Uh, uh, uh, uh
Lyrics submitted by Hunter, edited by kwisp, despondent
The Logical Song Lyrics as written by Roger Hodgson Richard Davies
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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This song, quite simply put, is about the society causing us to lose our personalities by making us conform to their standards, turning us into "vegetables". The lyrics are very simple, truthful, and beautiful.
Cutting comments, that's it. Nothing more. Nothing less. And all out of concern. Calm down, would ya. Everyone's single and free. Relax and enjoy.
For me, it is about the way society prefers to create non thinking robots than facing the age old philosophical and spiritual questions that have been asked since time began.
I think the the first verse speaks of the first 3 stages of a man's life;
The first line of the chorus is suggestive that he either lies awake at night and ponders some of life's deeper questions like "who am I?" and/or that at times the world ie society at large can be totally asleep to these issues.
The second verse is warning about how society treats people that don't conform. History has shown that society tends to defend its own dogma and status quo quite ruthlessly. Radical thinkers of the day have been ostracized, ridiculed and compromised as well as burned at the stake, hung and crucified for daring to suggest paths and alternative ways of thinking to the masses.
So, it is much safer and easier to "sign up" and bceome part of society. And as the last line says, to become a vegetable.
Thankfully, the chorus then kicks in again suggesting that the author/singer isn't going to conform and feels the need to question things and seek answers.
@jaenicoll <br /> <br /> exactly. It's like having an education and being progressive is bad. They, the theys, equate it to radicalism, or simply call it liberal like it's a bad name
Just continuing the theme, I think it's about the conflict within a person who sees the universe as vastly more beautiful and magical than anything society could hope to define.
Because what he believes in as an individual conflicts so dramatically with the expectations that society bombards him with over his life , he starts to question the very foundation of his logic.
When he is alone at the end of the day, his introspection compels him to resolve the conflict and find the truth, and yet he knows he will never be able to. In utter frustration, he hopes/prays that someone will intervene, and make his role in the universe make sense to him.
This song to me is about a boy with a great imagination who is forced to "grow up" and let go of the things his society doesn't see as practical and in a way it's about losing touch with who you were once
He is not allowed to be who he really is as a person because of the expectations put on him by society. He is a man who has lost touch with who he once was and what is really important. My take anyway
I agree with maxdog, but I don't think it is necessarily a private school. I think he could be talking about any child growing up in any school.
Very good song, very catchy.
its a very strait forward song. its really about the gradual loss of innocence and joy we experiance as children, as we grow into adulthood our minds become conditioned and less receptive consciously and spiritually the logical song illustrates this most eloquently
nothing more to say! as you said, it's very straight forward. It's about the loss of innocence that brings disenchantement and about conformity in adult society. In the chorus, he denounces the absurdity of conformity. <br /> <br /> Best lyrics ever on this theme!
I think this song is about how as a society we have all sort of settled in, gotten comfortable and stopped progressing. People have gotten into the habit of being content with simple, boring, unchanging lives. Then they get stuck being cynical but respectable. People also have stopped asking deep questions for fear of sounding absurd. I think the growing trend in American politics of embracing fundamental Christian values is a good example of what this song may mean. People find it easier to stop asking questions and being unwilling to learn more because they think they are as content as they will ever be. Some people find a happy place and then refuse to change, and any hint of change makes them go hay wire…sorry if this rant makes no sense.
its obviously about the human nature and growing up. when we are young, we are so idealistic and fasinated by everything and have such creatve, beautiful and pure thoughts. but as we grow, society forces it out of us. just my thought.
For years, I swore this was sung by a girl.
@Envy337 Maybe it was! In the official music video on Vevo, in some of the camera angles of Roger singing, you can see the woman in his face and expressions. I've always wondered if Roger ever gave serious thought to possibly being transgender.