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.
it's not the fall that kills you
but the sudden stop at the end
i've used up all my sick days
so i'm calling in dead
pay the damn bill.
but the sudden stop at the end
i've used up all my sick days
so i'm calling in dead
pay the damn bill.
Lyrics submitted by PLANES
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You have the sickness, whatever it might be, which is considered the fall, where the damages increase, of course you used all the sick days on the downtime , Now you're flat on your face but the bill has to be paid? how? it was pretty straightforward to me.
The struggle of working with any sort of illness, physical, mental (neurological) or both, the instability of the health condition, you hold out for so long but eventually it takes you over.
The "pay the bill" part I was confused about. Maybe he could be asking a significant other /family member to pay the bill because this was unavoidable. Or maybe he was asking the rich capitalists or the government to give some kind of recompense. Or vacation/ severance pays or whatever there may be.