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.
True about my taste; true about my wealth.
The thing about St. Petersburg:
I was never there myself, so come on.
Anastasia might have cried all night, I couldn't say myself,
So come on, yeah, come on.
I appreciate your courtesy,
Your well-learned politesse,
But you got yourself into your own mess.
You know the demon's in the design:
A good idea at the time.
Seemed like a good idea at the time.
Yeah, seemed like a good idea at the time.
Now how it all went down, only Pilate knows.
All I ever asked of him is when the bars would close, so come on.
Yeah, come on.
Oh, I appreciate your courtesy,
Your well-learned politesse,
But you got yourself into your own mess.
You know the demon's in the design:
A good idea at the time.
Seemed like a good idea at the time.
Yeah, seemed like a good idea at the time.
Now what you gonna do about it?
Now, it's true about my wealth, and true about my taste,
But you don't need no help from me,
You'll lay yourself to waste.
So come on.
Seemed like a good idea at the time.
The thing about St. Petersburg:
I was never there myself, so come on.
Anastasia might have cried all night, I couldn't say myself,
So come on, yeah, come on.
I appreciate your courtesy,
Your well-learned politesse,
But you got yourself into your own mess.
You know the demon's in the design:
A good idea at the time.
Seemed like a good idea at the time.
Yeah, seemed like a good idea at the time.
Now how it all went down, only Pilate knows.
All I ever asked of him is when the bars would close, so come on.
Yeah, come on.
Oh, I appreciate your courtesy,
Your well-learned politesse,
But you got yourself into your own mess.
You know the demon's in the design:
A good idea at the time.
Seemed like a good idea at the time.
Yeah, seemed like a good idea at the time.
Now what you gonna do about it?
Now, it's true about my wealth, and true about my taste,
But you don't need no help from me,
You'll lay yourself to waste.
So come on.
Seemed like a good idea at the time.
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Light Up The Sky
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Lord Huron
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
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.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
Like someone mentioned, think Sympathy for the Devil by Rolling Stones. It's pretty much a straightup tribute to that song.
"I was around Jesus Christ had his moment of doubt and pain Made damn sure that Pilate washed his hands and sealed his fate"
"Stuck around St. Petersburg when I saw it was a time for a change Killed the Tzar and his ministers; Anastaria screamed in vain"
"Let me please introduce myself I'm a man of wealth and taste"
"So if you meet me Have some courtesy Have some sympathy, and some taste Use all your well-learned politesse Or I'll lay your soul to waste, um yeah"
These are all quotes from Sympathy for the Devil which are mirrored in "A Good Idea at the Time."
If you want to be philosophical about it, it's about doing something stupid and then blaming someone (or a concept) for it, when actually you're the only person to blame.
Hmm...this song confuses me deeply. It's a shame no one else has commented on this to give me a little more insight.
yeah. i have no idea what this song means. but i'm not sure it's really supposed to mean anything. just a catchy little tune? no clue.
think rolling stones - symapthy for the devil, hes talking from the devils point of view to a person looking to him for help out of a problem
To me it always came off as a "don't look to me for help; you're asking nicely but its something you brought on yourself" I like his tone in it. "Anastasia might've cried all night; I couldn't say myself." He's talking about a girl, likely mocking her emotions and admitting he had nothing to do with it. Same with "Now how it all went down, only Pilate knows. All I ever asked of him is when the bars would close" Just because the narrator's associated with a person doesn't mean he has to know all about their lives. It's kind of like someone blaming him for something, and he's swearing innocence through disinvolvement.
If anyone knows more about WHY they chose Pilate and Anastasia, though, do comment.
Ditto what Solario said.
Also, 'Anastasia' isn't just some girl. Anastasia was the daughter of the Russian czar, who went missing after the rest of her family were killed in the Bolshevik revolution.
Here's a quote from Damian Kulash, who wrote the song, taken from an OK Go forum:
"the whole song is a response to sypathy for the devil. the stones' devil is responsible for all evil. our devil is just another bystander as people fuck everything up themselves."