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.
It's quite possible that I'm your third man, girl
But it's a fact that I'm the seventh son
It's quite possible that I'm your third man, girl
But it's a fact that I'm the seventh son
And right now you could care less about me
But soon enough you will care, by the time I'm done
Let's have a ball and a biscuit, sugar
And take our sweet little time about it
Let's have a ball, girl
And take our sweet little time about it
Tell everybody in the place to just get out
And we'll get clean together
And I'll find me a soap box where I can shout it
Yeah
Hey
Yeah, read it in the newspaper
Ask your girlfriends and see if they know
Read it in the newspaper
Ask your girlfriends and see if they know
That my strength is ten fold, girl
I'll let you see if you want to before you go
Let's have a ball and a biscuit, sugar
And take our sweet little time about it
Let's have a ball
And take our sweet little time about it
Tell everybody in the place to just get out
We'll get clean together
And I'll find me a soap box where I can shout it
Yeah, I can think of one or two things to say about it
Alright, listen
You get the point now?
Yeah, it's quite possible that I'm your third man
But it's a fact that I'm the seventh son
It was the other two which made me your third
But it's my mother who made me the seventh son
And right now you could care less about me
But soon enough you will care by the time I'm done
Yeah, you just wait
Yeah, stick around
You'll figure it out
But it's a fact that I'm the seventh son
It's quite possible that I'm your third man, girl
But it's a fact that I'm the seventh son
And right now you could care less about me
But soon enough you will care, by the time I'm done
Let's have a ball and a biscuit, sugar
And take our sweet little time about it
Let's have a ball, girl
And take our sweet little time about it
Tell everybody in the place to just get out
And we'll get clean together
And I'll find me a soap box where I can shout it
Yeah
Hey
Yeah, read it in the newspaper
Ask your girlfriends and see if they know
Read it in the newspaper
Ask your girlfriends and see if they know
That my strength is ten fold, girl
I'll let you see if you want to before you go
Let's have a ball and a biscuit, sugar
And take our sweet little time about it
Let's have a ball
And take our sweet little time about it
Tell everybody in the place to just get out
We'll get clean together
And I'll find me a soap box where I can shout it
Yeah, I can think of one or two things to say about it
Alright, listen
You get the point now?
Yeah, it's quite possible that I'm your third man
But it's a fact that I'm the seventh son
It was the other two which made me your third
But it's my mother who made me the seventh son
And right now you could care less about me
But soon enough you will care by the time I'm done
Yeah, you just wait
Yeah, stick around
You'll figure it out
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Light Up The Sky
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Mountain Song
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
No Surprises
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
You are all wrong! There is slang used throughout this song and it is drug referenced. A "ball" is slang for an 8-ball of cocaine. A "biscuit" is slang for a pressed cake of crack and sometimes refers to a pill of ecstacy. (Most likely X because of the slight machismo in his lyrics.) This is why he says "Tell everybody in the place to just get out We'll get clean together." Dig Deep people. Think.
I thought this exact same thing - from the first time i heard it i thought that's what i thought. I thought maybe I was wrong, but it just makes so much more sense...
Bah, i should learn to proof-read!!<br /> <br /> I thought this exact same thing - from the first time i heard it i thought that's what it meant. I thought maybe I was wrong, but it just makes so much more sense...
@spazticplaztic
I completely agree. Ball= 8 ball. <br /> Biscuit (in these days) is referring to X. Disco biscuits in the 70's (as someone mentioned earlier) were "ludes", but in the last ten to 20 years, they became ecstasy. <br /> None the less, this song is soulful, sexy as hell, and one of my very favorite Stripes songs.
@spazticplaztic or he is referring to they have been hooked to the wrong drugs Aka the wrong people their entire lives and they are the perfect drugs for each other & now that he found it he wants the world to know so he's going to stand on a soapbox and shout about it .. you know he is hers and only her Magic you know her seventh son... Just a thought though ....
Random thought that I have every time I hear this song.... while I totally agree that it's probably just about sex, I can't help but examine this one part:
"Tell everybody in the place to just get out And we'll get clean together And I'll find me soapbox where I can shout it "
I always wonder if the reference to 'getting clean' is actually about quitting drugs (or just stopping the party life). In order to do this, the speaker would have to get rid of people/places/things that they used/partied with ("tell everybody in the place to just get out"). Getting on the soapbox to shout about it would make sense, as the speaker would be proud of themselves -- and maybe acting a bit 'holier-than-thou' after getting their life cleaned up.
Just a random thought!
@divineaverage Miya a reference of their hate and me just rocking it in a trashed garage.
I'm loving this song, especially the bluesy Led Zeppelin feel.
The soloing in this song can only be described as "shit-hot."
yup- it positively oozes sex. reckon some indie babies have been made to this track? it is seven minutes long after all.
Being the seventh soon is a blues reference used a lot as being the seventh son is supposed to be special (I read it somewhere ages ago, but I can't remember why). It's just a coincidence that Jack is also the seventh son, and being a worshiper of the blues he'd definitely slip it in. Other than that, whether 'ball and biscuit' is a microphone name which the White Stripes tured dirty or not, this song is one hundred per cent sex. You don't even need the lyrics, you only need to hear that riff. It's a very very sexy riff.
I love how The White Stripes tend to keep the guitar rifts and drums beats plain and simple and allow ou to really focus on the lyrics... I really feel as if the importance of lyrics in songs has been lost by most artists in recent years.
Derrhey!!! Guys, ever hear of Quaaludes?? In the 70's they were called Disco Biscuits see... so this song is a basic sex invite... having a ball... ya know? Let's have a ball and a biscuit.. let's have a quaalude and fuck. ;)
Remember the golden rule of this website. Every song is about sex or drugs or both.
Jack says the ball & biscuit reference is to a recording microphone, though as its phrased in the song, it can't be anything more than a novel reference to sex. The "seventh son" is a reference to the fact that Jack is indeed, the seventh son. The second verse, the "read it in the newspapers" bit seems to confront Jack's sudden fame, and how he is well known.
I always thought that the term "ball" related to doing the deed (60's term) and a "biscuit" was grabbing something to eat, hence lets have sex and grab some dinner or something along those lines .. "let's have a ball girl and take our sweet time about it"