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.
Let the world collapse and die
It's sinking deeper in your eyes
And I will sing a sweet surprise for no one
Let the world collapse and swallow
All the love she'll hold tomorrow
And I will shield and I will follow no one
And I'm all screwed up
But I feel all right
Sinking deeper all the time
Inside a hole deep in my mind
But I love you, I love you
More than life
Let the world collapse and fold
It gave me no, nothing at all
And I will shield and I will fall for no one
Let it sink and let it shudder
All the words that I will mutter
In hopes your love will soon discover no one
And I'm all screwed up
But I feel all right
Sinking deeper all the time
Inside a hole deep in my mind
But I love you, I love you
Oh, I love you, yes, I love you
Oh, I love you
More than life
More than life
More than life
More than life
It's sinking deeper in your eyes
And I will sing a sweet surprise for no one
Let the world collapse and swallow
All the love she'll hold tomorrow
And I will shield and I will follow no one
And I'm all screwed up
But I feel all right
Sinking deeper all the time
Inside a hole deep in my mind
But I love you, I love you
More than life
Let the world collapse and fold
It gave me no, nothing at all
And I will shield and I will fall for no one
Let it sink and let it shudder
All the words that I will mutter
In hopes your love will soon discover no one
And I'm all screwed up
But I feel all right
Sinking deeper all the time
Inside a hole deep in my mind
But I love you, I love you
Oh, I love you, yes, I love you
Oh, I love you
More than life
More than life
More than life
More than life
Lyrics submitted by mrtrout
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Gentle Hour
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Punchline
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motnaibaf, geez buddy calm your emotions
this is a beautiful song... haha i can relate to this song. its like... you used to be so inlove but they stoped loving you and went out WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND.... haha and you just want everyone he touches to die...
It's I will sing a "sweet" surprise
this is one of the only neutral milk hotel song that has lyrics you can understand lol
And I'm all screwed up But I feel all right Sinking deeper all the time Inside a hole deep in my mind But I love you, I love you… More than life.
those lines are so beautiful, it reminds me of well..me and all the stuff going on in my life right now.
i love this song it is beautiful i can't believe i just typed that haha i'm a lOser!
the great thing about neutral milk hotel is that even in such a straightforward song Jeff still manages such an original and poignant line as "Love you more than life." It seems so obvious when you hear it, but when have you ever heard anybody else say that? It's original yet universal, and that's why it's amazing.
and that's what I think....
I used to take this as the cliche sort of line, the title I mean, just another expression of the seemingly boundless capacity of one's love. However, I think the true meaning of this song is actually more complex than that for which most people give it credit. Think of the implications of loving a person more than loving life. To not love life creates a vacuum like existence, with no cares or thoughts or wants or needs. It is like a numb existence that is hardly an existence at all. This kind of life is depicted throughout all of the narrator's lyrics about indifference as to the state of the world and mental "sinking". Because he lives this life, he will never be with whomever he loves, and will never be able to do anything but profess the fact that he loves her more than life. It's like a coma, sort of, where one is indifferent to the coma itself but cannot voice such indifference, although it is truth.
maybe it's just my audio file, but does anyone else hear that extremely high-pitched "mosquito" noise throughout the song? It's most prominent at the beginning and makes it literally hurt to listen to. Which is a goshdurn shame.
yeah i get that too. i think it's just because it's recorded on a tape or something.