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.
I been sleepin' for 40 days and
I know I'm sleeping 'cause this dream's too amazin'
She got gold doorknobs where her eyes used to be
One turn and I learned what it really means to see
Ah, it's the magical mystery kind
Ah, must be a lie
Bye bye to the too good to be true kind of love
Oh, I could die
Oh now I can die
Oh I've been sleepin' for 60 days and
Nobody better pinch me
Bitch I swear I'll go crazy
She got jumper cable lips
She got sunset on her breath now
I inhaled just a little bit
Now I got no fear of death now
Ah, it's the magical mystery kind
Ah, must be a lie
Bye bye to the too good to be true kind of love
Oh, I could die
Oh now I can die
Ah ooh, ah ah, ah ooh ah ah, ah
Yeah, yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
Ooh, ah ah, ah ooh ah ah, ah
Yeah, yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
Ooh, ah ah, ah ooh ah ah, ah
Yeah, yeah yeah yeah
Yeah
Ah, it's the magical mystery kind
Ah, must be a lie
Bye bye to the too good to be true kind of love
Oh, I could die
Oh now I can die
I know I'm sleeping 'cause this dream's too amazin'
She got gold doorknobs where her eyes used to be
One turn and I learned what it really means to see
Ah, it's the magical mystery kind
Ah, must be a lie
Bye bye to the too good to be true kind of love
Oh, I could die
Oh now I can die
Oh I've been sleepin' for 60 days and
Nobody better pinch me
Bitch I swear I'll go crazy
She got jumper cable lips
She got sunset on her breath now
I inhaled just a little bit
Now I got no fear of death now
Ah, it's the magical mystery kind
Ah, must be a lie
Bye bye to the too good to be true kind of love
Oh, I could die
Oh now I can die
Ah ooh, ah ah, ah ooh ah ah, ah
Yeah, yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
Ooh, ah ah, ah ooh ah ah, ah
Yeah, yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
Ooh, ah ah, ah ooh ah ah, ah
Yeah, yeah yeah yeah
Yeah
Ah, it's the magical mystery kind
Ah, must be a lie
Bye bye to the too good to be true kind of love
Oh, I could die
Oh now I can die
Lyrics submitted by outwithabang
40 Day Dream Lyrics as written by Alex M T Ebert
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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"
Mountain Song
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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."
Gentle Hour
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Head > Heels
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“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
acid?! jesus. this is one of the more straightforward songs out there
It's the magical mystery kind Must be a lie Bye bye to the too good to be true kind of love
He is in love and thinks its too good to be true, like he's been dreaming this whole time. And if anyone pinches him, bitch, he'll go crazy
THANK YOU.<br /> Jeez.
I know, everyone sees "inhales" or some sort of symbolism like the doorknobs and automatically thinks it has to be about drugs. Apparently 99% of all songs are about drugs, based on the comments I've seen. I think you're interpretation's right
My friend was telling me that she thinks the song is about a guy in a coma that falls in love with the literal girl of his dreams. He has the choice to wake up and return to life or stay there with her forever and die...I'm in love with this song, by the way. c:
this is my favorite song right now! i love alex's voice, reminds me a little of marc bolan's voice.<3
Love it! There's a part in the song ("Bitch, I swear") that reminds me of the part when Bowie sings the words "Marlon Brando" in China Girl. It's that same soft, high pitched, breathy way of singing.
"bitch I swear" is totally the best line of the song, love that shit he does with his voice... Is reminiscent of Bowie.
You're so right! No wonder I'm drawn to this song.
Agreed! best part in the song! just fills my head with memories of Ima Robot :D
love the clapping. also amazing live.
so good.
so glad to have Alex back in my ears after the untimely demise of Ima Robot...
Oh man. this song is about when you meet someone who breaks all of your preconceived notions of love. you don't understand how its happened, but you know you'll never be the same afterwards. and what's even better is that you don't want to.
This song is wonderful. I love the meaning. I'm surprised that there are only two comments...
amazing amazing amazing. catchy and feel good! also, i love to listen to it when i'm happy as well as down, it goes both ways.
I'm pretty sure the lyrics are
"It ain't no lie" instead of "must be a lie"