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.
Long conversations
Add up to tat
Maybe dive in
Maybe hang back
Summon up the violence of a child
Chop down my foundations
Bring down the house around me
Like Samson on my head
And there's something on the store, didn't watch the dropper
Phone calls to Toronto I forgot to sterilize
All I
All I
All I want
All I want to do
All I
All I
All I want
All I want is you
There's no protection from the love
I thought, you think you need it
Jade girl throws the needles
To the bottom of the sea
I don't mend at all
I don't mend at all
From across the kitchen table
Staggering and slow
Summon up the violence of a child
Chop down my foundations
Bring down the house around me
Like Samson on my head
And there's something on the store, didn't watch the dropper
Phone calls to Toronto I forgot to sterilize
All I
All I
All I want
All I want to do
All I
All I
All I want
All I want is you
All I
All I
All I want
All I want to do
All I
All I
All I want
All I want is you
Add up to tat
Maybe dive in
Maybe hang back
Summon up the violence of a child
Chop down my foundations
Bring down the house around me
Like Samson on my head
And there's something on the store, didn't watch the dropper
Phone calls to Toronto I forgot to sterilize
All I
All I
All I want
All I want to do
All I
All I
All I want
All I want is you
There's no protection from the love
I thought, you think you need it
Jade girl throws the needles
To the bottom of the sea
I don't mend at all
I don't mend at all
From across the kitchen table
Staggering and slow
Summon up the violence of a child
Chop down my foundations
Bring down the house around me
Like Samson on my head
And there's something on the store, didn't watch the dropper
Phone calls to Toronto I forgot to sterilize
All I
All I
All I want
All I want to do
All I
All I
All I want
All I want is you
All I
All I
All I want
All I want to do
All I
All I
All I want
All I want is you
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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Thursday
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
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
This is my favorite song off of the album, hands down. Although, I do love "World Sick" and "Forced To Love" as well. This song just kicks so much ass. Thanks for the lyrics.
Definitely my new all time favorite.
Angel voices, I tell ya. Those women are angels.
Great voice and all around amazing song. One of my favorites for sure if not my favorite.
Beautiful song.
To me this describes perfectly all of the fickle people out there that have made mistakes and have needed forgiveness.
Lisa Lobsinger is nails.
@SuicidalWalrus Lobsinger's vocals on One Marathon (RSR) are amazing.
so good, it kind of hurts to listen to. almost. new favorite, if not all time favorite.
Def central to the Forgiveness theme of the whole album. My new fav BSS song.
to me it describes the kind of break up where both of you were never really in sync, as in one of you wanted to break up, the other one didn't, and you switched back and forth. ultimately you break up and then when you reflect on it, it's like you put sooo much into it just to arrive at that ultimatum where it was now or never.
this along with forced to love and sentimental x's make me think this a kind of break up album for BSS.
@Tiban I think the opposite. Sentimental X's tells me they will always be "off and on."
For me this song is about a person who had some sort of crisis in life but there is some courage left or found ("the heal of the hurt, etc.")
("It's like the common law Was wall to wall And almost faded I've seen the gone to small The lost of law The almost made it")
the person nearly lost it's courage
("It seems like mine to shine You'll always find the lonely ray")
progress of getting hope back
("It's like the wall to fall The fall of all The laws are graded I've seen the lies that call The pictures tall The lines are made in It's like the fight to crawl My darling all you've lived your age")
it's about life as a whole, different steps , promises and what it takes to move on
so basically this song is about hope