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.
The river is deep and the road is long,
daylight comes and I want to go home.
Awoke this morning
to find my people's tongues were tied
and in my dreams
they were given books to poison their minds.
The river is deep and the mountain high,
how long before the other side.
We are their mortar,
their building bricks and their clay.
Their gold teeth mirror
both our joys and our pain.
The river is deep and the ocean wide,
who will teach us how to read the signs.
The earth is our mother
she taught us to embrace the light,
now the lord is master
she suffers an eternal night.
You blocked up my ears,
you plucked out my eyes,
you cut out my tongue,
you fed me with lies,
oh lord.
daylight comes and I want to go home.
Awoke this morning
to find my people's tongues were tied
and in my dreams
they were given books to poison their minds.
The river is deep and the mountain high,
how long before the other side.
We are their mortar,
their building bricks and their clay.
Their gold teeth mirror
both our joys and our pain.
The river is deep and the ocean wide,
who will teach us how to read the signs.
The earth is our mother
she taught us to embrace the light,
now the lord is master
she suffers an eternal night.
You blocked up my ears,
you plucked out my eyes,
you cut out my tongue,
you fed me with lies,
oh lord.
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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.
Holiday
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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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“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.
The colonization of paganism (and its values) in conjunction with the oppression of nature. Looking at the world through a rigid set of values blinds you to other realities. In this case, the Western materialistic, post-Christian worldview means that subjugating others is perfectly legitimate so long as it is done in accordance with a 'greater power' (whether god, capital, the free market....)....This is such a tragic, beautiful song!
@camd419 Gasp! 419 is my lucky number!
One of my favorites by Dead Can Dance this song is about how we seem to neglect the culture of others we are ignorant to their way of life and their traditions and their history. Instead we we believe our way and our traditions are all that matters as we ignore them and also at times even subjugate their rights (case in point: Standing Rock). This quote by Will Rogers speaks of this "We will never have true civilization until we have learned to recognize the rights of others. " We must embrace, honor and respect the traditions, beliefs and spirit of others or else this world will continue to tear itself a part and remain divided and never united. War, terrorism and dead will continuously remain on the rise. Never will there be peace on earth unless we can come together, instead of coming apart as we seem to be doing now and have done in the past.
I love this song! I think it is pretty obvious what it is about though. It expresses a diffrent view that most people wouldnt understand. Happy Thanksgiving!