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 I walked, and I walked upon Blackdown
And I walked West Sussex sunlight up by dead man's pool
Where ma Mudlark and Lewes
Stared me down, you drunken fool
Old teenage debts engulfed my chest
As I contemplate death
Put a challenge to its glamor
And all its loss and glory
Wet afternoon breath was taken deep into my lungs
Thinking of the man I must become
My story has just begun
And I will be returning to myself soon
I've been alone for so many
Of the great moments in my life
Alone like so many
At this moment in my life asking
Father, father anyway I can help ye?
I am only just growing much better to know thee
Thank you for all the things you've given to our family
Given your whole life to your wife and my sister and me
Now I look out north of battle where our ancestors lie in grave
West to Breed where the blacksmith put root to our family name
And I get proud of my birthright, think of the things that I must leave
When I leave behind the city and the living finally
Desire, desire, desire
Desire, desire deep down inside of me
You are not the maker nor the master of me
Help me to better support my family
And better, better of a brother be
Desire, desire deep down inside of me, oh now
You are not the wrecker nor the ruler of me
Desire, desire deep down in me
Yes, I've been alone for too many
These great moments in my life
Alone like too many but desire, desire
Desire you are not the maker of me, oh now
All as I walked up on Blackdown
And I walked West Sussex sunlight up by dead man's pool
Where ma Mudlark and Lewes
Stared me down, you drunken fool
Old teenage debts engulfed my chest
As I contemplate death
Put a challenge to its glamor
And all its loss and glory
Wet afternoon breath was taken deep into my lungs
Thinking of the man I must become
My story has just begun
And I will be returning to myself soon
I've been alone for so many
Of the great moments in my life
Alone like so many
At this moment in my life asking
Father, father anyway I can help ye?
I am only just growing much better to know thee
Thank you for all the things you've given to our family
Given your whole life to your wife and my sister and me
Now I look out north of battle where our ancestors lie in grave
West to Breed where the blacksmith put root to our family name
And I get proud of my birthright, think of the things that I must leave
When I leave behind the city and the living finally
Desire, desire, desire
Desire, desire deep down inside of me
You are not the maker nor the master of me
Help me to better support my family
And better, better of a brother be
Desire, desire deep down inside of me, oh now
You are not the wrecker nor the ruler of me
Desire, desire deep down in me
Yes, I've been alone for too many
These great moments in my life
Alone like too many but desire, desire
Desire you are not the maker of me, oh now
All as I walked up on Blackdown
Lyrics submitted by thisweather
Blackdown Lyrics as written by Patrick Wolf
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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were these the lyrics he put on his myspace a few months ago? i can't recall.
Hold on. What is the bit in parentheses? It reminds me of the ~story~ bits from The Magic Position album notes. ARE THESE LYRICS FROM THE BACHELOR NOTES? AAAHHHHHHHHH
I love the piano in this dearly. The lyrics feel hopeful.
is it me or there's some anti-hedonism theme here ? quite unlike him though ... He is such a character and so young! I think following him as he matures - and not only musically - is gonna be thrilling, but I digress ...
I don't know about anyone else, but I definately hear some Larrikin Love in there with the jiggy ending with the violin. I wonder whether there will be another "story" in the sleevenotes for the Bachelor like with TMP. And whether sleevenotes will fold out in such an accordian-way. I'm so excited.
"blackdown is a song about when my father found out he had prostate cancer" patrick said in an interview. makes the meaning kinda clear, doesn't it?
The bit in brackets doesn't appear on the actual lyrics, it's a very clear sounding something. It's about a walk Patrick took this his family when he went to visit them in Ireland, or someplace. He realised he needed to give up all the grudges him and his family had together, and try and grow up a bit.