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.
You made your major overtures
When you were a sure and orotund mutt
And I was still a dewy petal
rather than a moribund slut
My love wrecked you, you packed to
twirl your skirt at the palace
it hurt more than it ought to hurt, I went to work
to cultivate a callous
And now I'm hard, too hard to know
I don't cry when I'm sad anymore, no, no.
Tears calcify in my tummy
Fears coincide with the tow
How can I ask anyone to love me
When all I do is beg to be left alone
Oh, and I tried to love
And I can love the same man, in the same bed,
in the same city
But not in the same room, it's a pity
But oh, it never bothered me before
Not until this guy, what a guy, oh god,
What a good guy and I
can't even enjoy him 'cause I'm
Hard too hard to know
I don't cry when I'm sad anymore
Tears calcify in my tummy
Fears coincide with the tow
How can I ask anyone to love me
When all I do is beg to be left alone
My ills are reticulate
My woes are granular
The ants weight more than the elephants
Nothing, nothing is manageable
So, couldn't we skip the valedictories,
I can see a door there:
shut it and forget my number
'cause I'm Hard, too hard to know
I don't cry I'm sad anymore
Tears calcify in my tummy
Fears coincide with the tow
How can I ask anyone to love me
when all I do is beg to be left alone.
Lyrics submitted by helooksdaft
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Light Up The Sky
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@[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.
No Surprises
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
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“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Plastic Bag
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“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Official lyrics (from the deluxe edition):
You made your major overtures When you were a sure and orotund mutt And I was still a dewy petal rather than a moribund slut My love wrecked you, you packed to twirl your skirt at the palace it hurt more than it ought to hurt, I went to work to cultivate a callous
And now I'm hard, too hard to know I don't cry when I'm sad anymore, no, no. Tears calcify in my tummy Fears coincide with the tow How can I ask anyone to love me When all I do is beg to be left alone
Oh, and I tried to love And I can love the same man, in the same bed, in the same city But not in the same room, it's a pity But oh, it never bothered me before Not until this guy, what a guy, oh god, What a good guy and I can't even enjoy him 'cause I'm
Hard too hard to know I don't cry when I'm sad anymore Tears calcify in my tummy Fears coincide with the tow How can I ask anyone to love me When all I do is beg to be left alone
My ills are reticulate My woes are granular The ants weight more than the elephants Nothing, nothing is manageable So, couldn't we skip the valedictories, I can see a door there: shut it and forget my number 'cause I'm Hard, too hard to know I don't cry I'm sad anymore Tears calcify in my tummy Fears coincide with the tow How can I ask anyone to love me when all I do is beg to be left alone.
This song is so beautiful and true. It brings tears to my eyes. I've always felt like this (like i push people away because i want to be alone, but on the other side, i crave love) and it feels fucking crazy! Only Fiona Apple could've written something so wonderful.
I think it's "orotund" mutt. I have no idea what "chauven'd" means - anyone want to explain that? I keep thinking it sounds like "a sure and orotund mutt...
It is orotund mutt, and I think by Chauven''d she means chauvinistic (just a shortened, past tense version of the word).
Why do I see 'orotund' everywhere I look?<br /> <br /> Rotund, however, is a word. (meaning 'portly')<br /> <br /> "When you were a rotund mutt"
@digirati, 'orotund' is also a word (meaning "(of the voice or speech) characterized by strength, fullness, richness, and clearness"). the dictionary is a handy thing.
Orotund also means pompous. I like that meaning in the context of this song. Leave it to Fiona to make learning vocabulary so much fun.
Also, I think it's: 'You pack to twirl your skirt at the palace', as in he's leaving to go to a place of curtsies and niceties rather than stay with such a self destructive person.
Also, I think it's: 'You pack to twirl your skirt at the palace', as in he's leaving to go to a place of curtsies and niceties rather than stay with such a self destructive person.
When I heard this line "it hurt more than it ought to hurt, I went to work to cultivate a callous", I thought it was so much more nuanced than this one: That which does not kill you makes you stronger. (Neitzsche). It desensitizes, which is not necessarily making one stronger. Beautiful thought from Fiona.
And what about "tears coincide with the tow"?
@echo14 fears coincide with the tow... maybe fear of being alone?
*fears
I love this song... :) I had to look up a few of the words, though. Hahah.
Great rhyming and alliteration - and an expression of paranoia which a lot of people can understand.
But I can't help noticing those opening lines - she surely must know that "dewy petal" also means "anus". I guess we now know what kind of "slut" she is!