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.
Help the aged
One time they were just like you
Drinking, smoking cigs and sniffing glue
Help the aged
Don't just put them in a home
Can't have much fun when they're all on their own
Give a hand, if you can
Try and help them to unwind
Give them hope and give them comfort
'Cause they're running out of time
In the meantime we try
Try to forget that nothing lasts forever
No big deal, so give us all a feel
Funny how it all falls away
When did you first realize?
It's time you took an older lover, baby
Teach you stuff, although he's looking rough
Funny how it all falls away
Help the aged
'Cause one day you'll be older too
You might need someone who can pull you through
And if you look very hard
Behind those lines upon their face
You may see where you are headed
And it's such a lonely place, oh
In the meantime we try
Try to forget that nothing lasts forever
No big deal so give us all a feel
Funny how it all falls away
When did you first realize?
It's time you took an older lover baby
Teach you stuff although he's looking rough
Funny how it all falls away
You can dye your hair but it's the one thing you can't change
Can't run away from yourself, yourself, yours-s-s-s-self
In the meantime we try
Try to forget that nothing lasts forever
No big deal, so give us all a feel
Funny how it all falls away
When did you first realize?
It's time you took an older lover, baby
Teach you stuff, although he's looking rough
Funny how it all falls away
Oh, it's funny how it all falls away
Funny how it all falls away
Oh, it's funny how it all, how it all falls away
So help the aged
One time they were just like you
Drinking, smoking cigs and sniffing glue
Help the aged
Don't just put them in a home
Can't have much fun when they're all on their own
Give a hand, if you can
Try and help them to unwind
Give them hope and give them comfort
'Cause they're running out of time
In the meantime we try
Try to forget that nothing lasts forever
No big deal, so give us all a feel
Funny how it all falls away
When did you first realize?
It's time you took an older lover, baby
Teach you stuff, although he's looking rough
Funny how it all falls away
Help the aged
'Cause one day you'll be older too
You might need someone who can pull you through
And if you look very hard
Behind those lines upon their face
You may see where you are headed
And it's such a lonely place, oh
In the meantime we try
Try to forget that nothing lasts forever
No big deal so give us all a feel
Funny how it all falls away
When did you first realize?
It's time you took an older lover baby
Teach you stuff although he's looking rough
Funny how it all falls away
You can dye your hair but it's the one thing you can't change
Can't run away from yourself, yourself, yours-s-s-s-self
In the meantime we try
Try to forget that nothing lasts forever
No big deal, so give us all a feel
Funny how it all falls away
When did you first realize?
It's time you took an older lover, baby
Teach you stuff, although he's looking rough
Funny how it all falls away
Oh, it's funny how it all falls away
Funny how it all falls away
Oh, it's funny how it all, how it all falls away
So help the aged
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“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.
Like so many of Pulp's songs, this conveys how everything we hold dear will wither and die, and we are destined for a "lonely place". All the romances, joys and sorrows we have are temporary, and will be worn away with time. We "try to forget that nothing lasts forever", because we don't want to see that nothing is eternal. I think that, like "Glory Days", it is a call to people to enjoy life while they are young, because it's all the time we really have.
perhaps he got sad to realize that when he was young he didn´t care bout his parents-grandfathers.........or he visited an elder people assylum and felt the lonelyness of it, and he saw himself being there
beautiful song indeed, and it´s a message to all youth, telling them "you idiots, appreciate old people, they were just like you, and you will all be like them, so.....fucking respect them and help the, spend time with them"
and it´s an everyday thing in europe.......old people abandonned in an appartment by their sons.....left alone and dying slowly.....so cruel....that when they die, sometimes, neighbours only realized the really died when their bodies start to decompose and the smell coming from their appartments is damn strong.
It's one of the centerpieces of "This Is Hardcore", seemingly a concept album about reaching thirty and beyond and suddenly realizing you're not young anymore, that what you did maybe didn't lead you to what you expected, and its consecuences... if not one, the closest thing to a middle-age crisis. In "Help The Aged", Jarvis pretty much materializes his fears and uncertainties typical of this crisis ("the sound of someone losing the plot", as stated on "The Fear") through a feeling of sympathy for "the aged", old people. He urges (seemingly, to the youth) for them to be cared, to be given comfort... " 'cause one time they were just like you"... Of course, he realizes he's becoming one of those "aged" ones, that's what generates his sorrowful sympathy towards them. "Funny how it all falls away", he sighs in an ironic resignation, contemplating his own aging. He's just discovered, much against his own will, that "nothing lasts forever", not even youth. He himself has seen in the eyes of the aged his own future, "where he's headed", and he warns the youngsters the bad omen: "and it's such a lonely place". As for the verse naming "an older lover", he's simply recommending to some girl to pick up an older lover, since he can offer "experience", despite "looking rough". Probably it's a pick-up speech he tries to use on a girl to woo her. Since he's not considered young anymore and knows it, he looks at the aged and tries to emphasize whatever virtues he sees on them.
nobody respects old folks anymore. it's about growing old, dying and karma.
this has got to be the best song. i guess it has a message, but i just like how it goes so much
It's about Jarvis's own conflict of getting old and be left alone.
It's about an older man trying to convince a younger woman that she should be with him. I work in a bar and I see it all the time. They try to brag that they are better and more accomplished because they are older rather than actually trying to seduce them properly. It's a pathetic plea that usually backfires.
It's about an older man trying to convince a younger woman that she should be with him. I work in a bar and I see it all the time. They try to brag that they are better and more accomplished because they are older rather than actually trying to seduce them properly. It's a pathetic plea that usually backfires.
today i heard this song after a long time period and in blew me away again like it did back then. one of the greatest lines ever is: 'One time they were just like you Drinking, smoking cigs and sniffing glue'. you can't have any humour if you do not like this one! simply great kind of dealing with a problem that wil occur to the most of us.
Actually in a interview, he said he wrote it as a semi-midlife crisis. He wrote it at thirty-three/thirty-four, and its basically to feel sorry for himself that he was getting older.