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.
And so we meet and there are sparks,
Its gold it's new and free from sharks,
Your house is big it seems so clean,
Your cleaning lady comes and we're discreet.
Are you lightning?
'Cause I'm waiting.
What's the timing?
I'm not playing.
And so I act like I'm 21,
Wide eyed and drifting unto sun,
Pay back is here my legs are numb,
I'm back, it's square one feeling dumb.
The sweet things,
When do they come?
Have I gone deaf?
What's the song?
Are you lightning?
'Cause I'm waiting,
This is frightening,
I'm not playing.
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh...
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh...
I see you in my sheets, I see you in my sleep,
I see you through the mirror
You sing we're not to steal.
The only thing I'm scared of is the secret that you keep,
I know where you are, I dunno where you are.
Don't make the other wonder the others might sting,
Tell me what you're thinking,
Do not let me twist.
Just look at the size of you.
I see you in my sheets, I see you in my sleep,
I see you with something that's funny I hear you I almost weep,
I see you from my steps, you're walking up my street,
But just look at the size of you.
I see you in my sheets, I see you in my sleep,
I see you from my steps you're walking up my street.
And just look at the size of you,
The sun shine on and on...
The sun shine on and on...
Its gold it's new and free from sharks,
Your house is big it seems so clean,
Your cleaning lady comes and we're discreet.
Are you lightning?
'Cause I'm waiting.
What's the timing?
I'm not playing.
And so I act like I'm 21,
Wide eyed and drifting unto sun,
Pay back is here my legs are numb,
I'm back, it's square one feeling dumb.
The sweet things,
When do they come?
Have I gone deaf?
What's the song?
Are you lightning?
'Cause I'm waiting,
This is frightening,
I'm not playing.
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh...
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh...
I see you in my sheets, I see you in my sleep,
I see you through the mirror
You sing we're not to steal.
The only thing I'm scared of is the secret that you keep,
I know where you are, I dunno where you are.
Don't make the other wonder the others might sting,
Tell me what you're thinking,
Do not let me twist.
Just look at the size of you.
I see you in my sheets, I see you in my sleep,
I see you with something that's funny I hear you I almost weep,
I see you from my steps, you're walking up my street,
But just look at the size of you.
I see you in my sheets, I see you in my sleep,
I see you from my steps you're walking up my street.
And just look at the size of you,
The sun shine on and on...
The sun shine on and on...
Lyrics submitted by thesweetcatastrophe
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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song meaning? how we all feel when we are infactuated with someone.
Music Video, picture it...... shy boy delivers groceries to this rich family, this family is everything he is not. Sees her for the first time and their eyes meet. She lets him in the house and gives the groceries to the maid as the boy respects her distance. Her smile lights up whatever inside him he can't figure out. Now he can't stop thinking about her and what could be. Decides to impress her, but fails innocently..."back to square one".
Alas,too shy to try again; however, the moment that he enjoyed to see such inner and outer beauty that it touched him as if it was part of him. Later he finds out, that she already has a boyfriend...everything he is not. Although the reality sets in, that pure moment that was shared in that split second is all his...forever. Thus "sunshine on and on". Fini
My kind of video.
how has no one commented on this? This song is amazing... definitely a love song with a sort of country diner melody. But it's really amazing with out being cheesy. Seems as though the speaker's just in awe of how awesome the object of his affection is and is just marvelling at her doing the littlest things, beyond that I can't say. Anyone get a better take on it?
It seems to me that this song is about finding love again later in life and feeling the excitement of being in love again. He says he is acting like he is 21 again, just completely awed by this new love. Back at square one, feeling dumb. He fumbles to know what to say, what to do, so as not to ruin this feeling. He sees this girl everywhere, completely consumed with her, not obsessed, but feeling alive and feeling scared. He refers to this girl as lightning, as if to say, your brightness scares me like a child, but its an exciting fear.
"Just look at this size of you".
I'm not usually a big fan of songs about infactuation and love, but you can really hear how Matt feels when he sings this line. It reminds me of how it feels to feel that way about someone.
I think this song is the beautiful inner dialogue of a man in love with the most beautiful woman he can imagine. I think he sees her as some sort of ethereal goddess who has come into his life...her feet not quite touching the ground as she glides into him. It has elements of the ordinary "and so, we meet and there are sparks.." that everyone can identify with but he goes further into the experience of new love. I think this is exactly how my boyfriend experiences me. I love this song.
I mostly agree with the infatuation part of the interpretation, but I expand a bit. I always took it to be either about cheating or some sort of "forbidden love". The first clue was the reference to being discreet in the first verse. In the second verse when he talks about being back at square one, I took that to me that the temporary satisfaction of the relationship ultimately left him with nothing. Third clue was the third verse where he sings the only thing he fears is the secret that she keeps. Naturally, one could assume he means the secret of their affair. Finally, while there are other nuances I could point to, I think the title itself is indicative. Lightning itself is beautiful but too dangerous to be close to. It tempts us with its mystery but, well, touching lightning will be your demise. So simply he asks "are you lightning?".
In french "coup de foudre" literally means a strike of lightning or a thunder bolt. The expression, though, means to fall in love (at first sight, usually). Just thought this was interesting considering that Caws speaks French...
In french "coup de foudre" literally means a strike of lightning or a thunder bolt. The expression, though, means to fall in love (at first sight, usually). Just thought this was interesting considering that Caws speaks French...