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.
Oh no not now
Please not now
I just settled into the glass half empty
Made myself at home
And so why now
Please not now
I just stopped believing in happy endings
Harbors of my own
But you had to come along didn't you
Tear down the doors, throw open windows
Oh if you knew just what a fool you have made me
So what do I do with this?
This stray Italian greyhound
These inconvenient fireworks
This ice-cream-covered screaming hyperactive thought
God I just want to lay down
These colors make my eyes hurt
This feeling calls for everything that I am
Not
I'm not that kind
I'm so good at shooting down any notion
This tired world could change
It's all been bought
Or at least that was my line
No use in spending all that emotion
When there's someone else to blame
But you had to come along didn't you
Rev up the crowd, rewrite the rule book
Where do I go when every 'n' turns into 'maybe'
So what do I do with this?
This sudden burst of sunlight
And me with my umbrella
Cross-indexing every weatherman's report
I was ready for the down slide
But not for spring to well up
This feeling calls for everything I can't afford
To know
Is possible now
What do I do
With a love that won;t sit still
Won't do what it's told
What do I do
With a love that won't sit still
Please not now
I just settled into the glass half empty
Made myself at home
And so why now
Please not now
I just stopped believing in happy endings
Harbors of my own
But you had to come along didn't you
Tear down the doors, throw open windows
Oh if you knew just what a fool you have made me
So what do I do with this?
This stray Italian greyhound
These inconvenient fireworks
This ice-cream-covered screaming hyperactive thought
God I just want to lay down
These colors make my eyes hurt
This feeling calls for everything that I am
Not
I'm not that kind
I'm so good at shooting down any notion
This tired world could change
It's all been bought
Or at least that was my line
No use in spending all that emotion
When there's someone else to blame
But you had to come along didn't you
Rev up the crowd, rewrite the rule book
Where do I go when every 'n' turns into 'maybe'
So what do I do with this?
This sudden burst of sunlight
And me with my umbrella
Cross-indexing every weatherman's report
I was ready for the down slide
But not for spring to well up
This feeling calls for everything I can't afford
To know
Is possible now
What do I do
With a love that won;t sit still
Won't do what it's told
What do I do
With a love that won't sit still
Lyrics submitted by sheela_l, edited by TrickyTea, Typhoneus, alpacameron
Stray Italian Greyhound Lyrics as written by Vienna Teng
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
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.
Fast Car
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Just A Little Lovin'
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
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How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Without knowing it was inspired by attending one of Obama's rallies, I thought this song was about someone cynical that completely lost faith in humanity when the unthinkable happens: she falls in love! And she doesn't know what to do with this positive feeling--she doesn't understand it. I thought that was pretty funny :)
But knowing that it was inspired by the "hope" and "change" that Obama's been talking about, I can imagine Vienna at the rally, full of screaming fans, vibrant colors, fireworks, and promises of hope. After eight difficult years in America, I think Vienna couldn't bring herself to understand the optimism, for two reasons: 1) It's been so long, and 2) If change doesn't happen, she'll be disappointed and hurt, thus her trying to convince herself otherwise. ("This feeling calls for everything that I am... not.")
She was probably thinking, "Yeah, way to get my hopes up, Obama!" Haha.
This is the theme song to a future heart-warming dog movie...about an Italian Greyhound named Barack. Vienna said it was about hope in hard times and mentioned Obama. Imagine a dog charming a broke college graduate and showing her the bright side of life. Dogs can do that.
Perhaps it may be a foster child too.
The other comments have covered the meaning, so I've gotta say the "harbors of my own" is a nice little reference to Harbor :)
Obama, really? Dammit, Vienna, don't you go getting all political on me.
Just kidding. Her politics and mine are well enough aligned, and I appreciate this song even more now that I know it's not "just" an Imogen Heap-style ode to being messed up by an unanticipated romance.
You first three commenters have said it well enough, and I agree with pirateb that this is the "Harbor" of the new album. I can't stop listening.
The thing I didn't get was the... is a Stray Italian Greyhound symbolic of something? I wiki-ed Italian Greyhounds and they are apparently known for the charm... grace... they're in paintings. But aside from that.
I am just wondering because the greyhound was apparently noteworthy enough to be the title. Just wondering if anyone else has any insight on this.
Well, Vienna said she saw Obama speaking before he announced his candidature for president, and she felt charmed and really attracted to his ideals of change and such. Being that back then Barack wasn't the president, or even running for it, the "Stray Italian Greyhound" may refer to the idea of someone or something so charming and apparently deserving of greatness being in a not so good, or somewhat unexpected place for such a person. Just my take though.
Stray Italian greyhounds have ridiculous amounts of silly, happy energy. Quite at odds with her expectations of dismal gloom. <br /> Listen to the strings and tell me you can't see a tiny little rapid dog running down a busy street full of tired people and making them all laugh with surprise and delight...and maybe just a little rueful exasperation (C'mon, you mean, I have to be all happy and energetic now? I just settled into being cynical, seriously!)
Vienna, if you are reading this then you are procrastinating. Get back to your homework! :-D