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.
Brown paper bag, don't stop me now, I'm on a roll
Plain brown wrapper in your pocket
Is it still the invisible man you're consorting with, woman?
Now that you got it all wrong
You got it all backwards, girl
Enter through the exit, and exit through the entrance when you can
Seen you consort with your invisible manhole
Fool child, you're never gonna make it
New York City just wants to see you naked, and they will
Though they'd never say so
Wise, old, black and dead in the snow, my southern sister
Sister, sister, was the name of the band
Flesh and blood, my death close at hand
Sister, this is not about me, and it's not about you, I swear
No hard feelings, nothing personal
Soft sculpture rides the air
For free words, words, words
Longings, longings, longings, all in vain
Just ask vanity, abandoned out in the rain by the world
Another proud American
And as proud Americans
We let it slide away
Harmless little negress
You've got to say yes to another excess
Let's go for a ride today
In possession of eyes that say
In possession of eyes that say
A southern bunkhouse
Blue skies up above
A kind of figure of feminine grace and wit passes for love these days
All that slender-wristed, white, translucent business
Passes for love these days
Much hailed genius passes for love these days
Four more years
Four more years
Four hundred more years of this shit, fuck it
I look up, I see the north star
I look up, I see the north star
When I look up at the bar through these tears
Four white pillars Yankee-style
All of America loves to lights his pipes
All of America live to light his pipe at night
To which Dixie responds, "free me"
And then washes his sashes
Again
Maybe or maybe not fast forward, she said
Maybe once the seed is sown, fast forward, she said
This bird has flown south, she said
Don't talk about the south, she said
It's not you, it's nothing personal
No hard feelings, nothing's there
Soft sculpture rides hard on the air
Now that you got it all wrong
You got it all backwards, girl
Enter through the exit, and exit through the entrance
When you can
Plain brown wrapper in your pocket
Is it still the invisible man you're consorting with, woman?
Now that you got it all wrong
You got it all backwards, girl
Enter through the exit, and exit through the entrance when you can
Seen you consort with your invisible manhole
Fool child, you're never gonna make it
New York City just wants to see you naked, and they will
Though they'd never say so
Wise, old, black and dead in the snow, my southern sister
Sister, sister, was the name of the band
Flesh and blood, my death close at hand
Sister, this is not about me, and it's not about you, I swear
No hard feelings, nothing personal
Soft sculpture rides the air
For free words, words, words
Longings, longings, longings, all in vain
Just ask vanity, abandoned out in the rain by the world
Another proud American
And as proud Americans
We let it slide away
Harmless little negress
You've got to say yes to another excess
Let's go for a ride today
In possession of eyes that say
In possession of eyes that say
A southern bunkhouse
Blue skies up above
A kind of figure of feminine grace and wit passes for love these days
All that slender-wristed, white, translucent business
Passes for love these days
Much hailed genius passes for love these days
Four more years
Four more years
Four hundred more years of this shit, fuck it
I look up, I see the north star
I look up, I see the north star
When I look up at the bar through these tears
Four white pillars Yankee-style
All of America loves to lights his pipes
All of America live to light his pipe at night
To which Dixie responds, "free me"
And then washes his sashes
Again
Maybe or maybe not fast forward, she said
Maybe once the seed is sown, fast forward, she said
This bird has flown south, she said
Don't talk about the south, she said
It's not you, it's nothing personal
No hard feelings, nothing's there
Soft sculpture rides hard on the air
Now that you got it all wrong
You got it all backwards, girl
Enter through the exit, and exit through the entrance
When you can
Lyrics submitted by Tiger_milk
Suicide Demo for Kara Walker Lyrics as written by Daniel Bejar
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
Holiday
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Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I put the lyrics to this one up recently. Obviously not perfect and need some adjustments. Mostly taken from the lyrics to this song posted on the Destroyer Wiki with some changes to represent what I hear as the lyrics.
Anyways, the song... I cherish each and every Bejar album, but this might be the finest song he's ever put to record. A-ma-zing. Those little traces of melancholy in the horn arrangements, the futility in the lyrics. If feeling suicidal had a sonic representation, this would be it.
Great writeup, and thank you for the lyrics.<br /> <br /> This is my favorite track off of the new record.
the intro is the absolutely ravishing. my mind wanders to a better place...
First ? = Mushhead genius passes for love these days
The second one is correct. Taken from the linear notes.
Changed the lyrics to what is in the liner notes of the album. So, this one should be done.
holy fuck
holy fuck is correct.
artinfo.com/news/story/36747/walker-on-the-wild-side-dan-bejar-on-his-musical-collaboration-with-artist-kara-walker/
Interview on the origins of the song. Obviously don't read it if you've got your own ideas and want to keep them.
"All of America loves to lights his pipes... All of America live to light his pipe at night..."
talking about toking?
"All that slender-wristed white translucent business Passes for love, these days... Mushhead genius Passes for love, these days..."
I think this stanza/verse is an allusion to oral sex
"Mushhead genius" could be referring to "Superhead" Corrinne Stephens who was in the news a few years ago for exchanging sex in the hiphop community for money and notoriety.
Complete nonsense
You mean, abstract. There is syntax, so there is tons of content in there, not just tone. Is there an overall content, and not just content in individual lines and small collections of lines? Yes. Is it too obscure for me to talk about? Absolutely. Is this bad? No. Could this sort of thing be bad? Yes. Am I sure that this isn't one of the bad versions? Pretty damn sure.