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.
Bailey's her name and there's a price she takes.
Blurring lines while she ruthlessly raised the stakes.
And there's a mess that she made.
We kiss on the mouth with hearts that were bound and gagged.
The noose was broke the witness was the Cascades.
Do you remember me?
'Cause there's a piece of my mind in a field of dandelions.
Do you remember me?
'Cause there's a tale I tell.
It's made of rain and hell.
We will seldom speak,
and we will rarely talk.
Bailey your secret's known.
She weeps in the brush alone.
Loss wed to despair, in love when her womb was bare.
We kiss on the mouth with hearts that were bound and gagged.
The news was broke the witness was the Cascades.
A kiss, a touch, our bodies became arsonists to will and brains.
To him the cold-hearted thing was she came demanding rings.
The day was mute and hot.
We will rarely talk.
I'm just where you left me alone by them lilacs.
Blurring lines while she ruthlessly raised the stakes.
And there's a mess that she made.
We kiss on the mouth with hearts that were bound and gagged.
The noose was broke the witness was the Cascades.
Do you remember me?
'Cause there's a piece of my mind in a field of dandelions.
Do you remember me?
'Cause there's a tale I tell.
It's made of rain and hell.
We will seldom speak,
and we will rarely talk.
Bailey your secret's known.
She weeps in the brush alone.
Loss wed to despair, in love when her womb was bare.
We kiss on the mouth with hearts that were bound and gagged.
The news was broke the witness was the Cascades.
A kiss, a touch, our bodies became arsonists to will and brains.
To him the cold-hearted thing was she came demanding rings.
The day was mute and hot.
We will rarely talk.
I'm just where you left me alone by them lilacs.
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The line "A kiss, a touch, our bodies became arsonists to will and brains" indicates a moment of passion. Bailey found out she was pregnant and "the news was broke" and the Cascades are maybe the place where she told him. "To him the cold hearted thing was she came demanding rings" She wanted him to marry her but I think she lost the baby, had a miscarriage ("Loss wed to despair") but before they had this pressure hanging over their heads they were "in love when her womb was bare" but now they can't move past it ("We kiss on the mouth with hearts that were bound and gagged") because they know about what has happened ("Bailey your secret's known") and because of what has happened ("We will seldom speak, and we will rarely talk") it drove them apart.
It is a very poignant song, very beautiful. I've been looking everywhere for the lyrics but have come up empty-handed. Thank you for posting them!
I may be wrong but I think the cascades are the flow of blood and other bodily products when a miscarriage occurs. It makes sense to me in the context of the general meaning I get from the song and the line "the witness was the Cascades". Also, I saw somewhere that the lyrics say "the NEWS was broke" which too makes more sense to me, especially combined with everything else. Plus, that's what I hear when I listen to the song.