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.
Blitz, you test me, no more
I'm calm, now absent, I'm date-rape yellow, black to the liver come on
Take my lung, take my loose tongue, take my sum, take my memory
Of nothing at all, nothing at all is what you remind me
No thread, no lips, no postscripts, no eclipse of my liberty
Oh pedigree chum, pedigree chum I'm never your father
Cause you're gonna sit on your fence when I'm gone
Cause you're gonna sit on your fence when I'm not there
More, my arc light, my knees
When she casts off her clothes I don't know what is reality
My death throes, this indefinite pose, her flesh codes (inconceivable)
Oh suffragette, suffragette I wanna be outlawed and AWOL
No alphabet can be used yet no cassette is available
Oh I dunno how, I dunno how I'm gonna reset my whole radar
(Forget) Cause you're gonna sit on the fence when I'm gone
(Forget) Cause you're gonna sit on the fence when I'm not there
[Repeat: x2]
Cause you're gonna sit on the fence when I'm gone
Cause you're gonna sit on the fence when I'm not there
(To the back, to the back row)
Of nothing at all, nothing at all is what you remind me
Oh suffragette, suffragette I wanna be outlawed and AWOL but
[Repeat: x6]
Cause you're gonna sit on the fence when I'm gone
Cause you're gonna sit on the fence when I'm not there
I'm calm, now absent, I'm date-rape yellow, black to the liver come on
Take my lung, take my loose tongue, take my sum, take my memory
Of nothing at all, nothing at all is what you remind me
No thread, no lips, no postscripts, no eclipse of my liberty
Oh pedigree chum, pedigree chum I'm never your father
Cause you're gonna sit on your fence when I'm gone
Cause you're gonna sit on your fence when I'm not there
More, my arc light, my knees
When she casts off her clothes I don't know what is reality
My death throes, this indefinite pose, her flesh codes (inconceivable)
Oh suffragette, suffragette I wanna be outlawed and AWOL
No alphabet can be used yet no cassette is available
Oh I dunno how, I dunno how I'm gonna reset my whole radar
(Forget) Cause you're gonna sit on the fence when I'm gone
(Forget) Cause you're gonna sit on the fence when I'm not there
[Repeat: x2]
Cause you're gonna sit on the fence when I'm gone
Cause you're gonna sit on the fence when I'm not there
(To the back, to the back row)
Of nothing at all, nothing at all is what you remind me
Oh suffragette, suffragette I wanna be outlawed and AWOL but
[Repeat: x6]
Cause you're gonna sit on the fence when I'm gone
Cause you're gonna sit on the fence when I'm not there
Lyrics submitted by toadtws, edited by matthew3kq, Vars
Suffragette Suffragette Lyrics as written by Jeremy Joseph Pritchard Alexander Kaines Robertshaw
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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If this is 'sit on your face' then I think this song is about a feminist girlfriend. I think the line 'who's going to sit on your face when I'm gone' is something that used to be said by feminists in the 80's. It's probably a direct quote from someone but I can't find a reference on the internet. I used to date a feminist girl in the 80's who once said this to me. The suffragette bit adds to that.
I was pretty sure you were right on both counts. I hear the lyrics as "Whos gonna sit on your face when I'm gone /not there" and associate this with a feminist statement. However it seems "your fence" is the correct lyric, according to :<br /> gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainment/articles/2013-02/13/everything-everything-arc-streaming-interview<br /> <br /> "The most misheard lyric on the last album was "Who is going to sit on your face when I'm gone?" [it's actually "the fence"]. "
These lyrics are incorrect, the chorus has never been officially released.
These aren't official lyrics? hmmm, they're certainly very incomplete. the fact that at the 3 minute mark these lyrics are heard (not transcribed here).
"and the ball's in your court in the court, your balls" (followed by the chorus)
makes me think that they are at least aware and just as amused by their own unclear lyrics.
i wish wish wish it really was 'who's gonna sit on your face when i'm gone, who's gonna sit on your face when i'm not there'. i think it's the best commonly misheard line i've ever commonly misheard. :D
I heard the exact same thing :| It disturbed me. Now when I sing along I find it hard to not sing that line, haha.
that is so true lol :D
You see the line: "Whose gonna sit on your fence when I'm gone. Whose gonna sit on your fence when I'm not there."
The first time this is sung, it's actually "Whose gonna sit on your fence when I'm gone. Whose gonna sit on your FACE when I'm not there."
They haven't posted the lyrics to the chorus on the website, but listen to any live version of the song. Pretty sure face is said at least once.
^ I meant: "Whose gonna sit on your FACE when I'm gone. Whose gonna sit on your FACE when I'm not there."
I think it's said at least twice in the song.
I agree. Given the enigmatic and often nonsensical nature of Everything Everything's lyrics, I don't see why the chorus wouldn't be "who's gonna sit on your face when I'm gone" etc etc. It definitely sounds like that to me.
I'd sit on his face any day.
Hmmm this song has baffled me for some time but my interpretation is of a modern day bloke ending a relationship with a stridently feminist woman. She's misused feminist arguments as put downs and barbs to belittle him to the point he doesn't know how to be with her - he's been scared of putting a foot wrong / being paternal / making a move sexually in case it is misinterpreted or seen as non consensual. This fear has meant their relationship failed to develop and has little depth to it. The video of the band members 'making a baby' is, I think, a wry nod to the fact it takes both sexes to make a baby (which at the end of the day is basically the prime reason we are on the planet) and that men and women should coexist equally as we are equally important. Extreme views on either side of the equality arguments are equally damaging - we should celebrate the differences between the sexes not use them as weapons.