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.
When the night shows
The signals grow on radios
All the strange things
They come and go, as early warnings
Stranded starfish have no place to hide
Still waiting for the swollen Easter tide
There's no point in direction we cannot
Even choose a side.
I took the old track
The hollow shoulder, across the waters
On the tall cliffs
They were getting older, sons and daughters
The jaded underworld was riding high
Waves of steel hurled metal at the sky
And as the nail sunk in the cloud, the rain
Was warm and soaked the crowd.
Lord, here comes the flood
We'll say goodbye to flesh and blood
If again the seas are silent
In any still alive
It'll be those who gave their island to survive
Drink up, dreamers, you're running dry.
When the flood calls
You have no home, you have no walls
In the thunder crash
You're a thousand minds, within a flash
Don't be afraid to cry at what you see
The actors gone, there's only you and me
And if we break before the dawn, they'll
Use up what we used to be.
Lord, here comes the flood
We'll say goodbye to flesh and blood
If again the seas are silent
In any still alive
It'll be those who gave their island to survive
Drink up, dreamers, you're running dry.
The signals grow on radios
All the strange things
They come and go, as early warnings
Stranded starfish have no place to hide
Still waiting for the swollen Easter tide
There's no point in direction we cannot
Even choose a side.
I took the old track
The hollow shoulder, across the waters
On the tall cliffs
They were getting older, sons and daughters
The jaded underworld was riding high
Waves of steel hurled metal at the sky
And as the nail sunk in the cloud, the rain
Was warm and soaked the crowd.
Lord, here comes the flood
We'll say goodbye to flesh and blood
If again the seas are silent
In any still alive
It'll be those who gave their island to survive
Drink up, dreamers, you're running dry.
When the flood calls
You have no home, you have no walls
In the thunder crash
You're a thousand minds, within a flash
Don't be afraid to cry at what you see
The actors gone, there's only you and me
And if we break before the dawn, they'll
Use up what we used to be.
Lord, here comes the flood
We'll say goodbye to flesh and blood
If again the seas are silent
In any still alive
It'll be those who gave their island to survive
Drink up, dreamers, you're running dry.
Lyrics submitted by txsnowbunny, edited by PrivateBlue
Here Comes The Flood Lyrics as written by Peter Gabriel
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Ah, so many great memories. Peter Gabriel is one of my all/time favourites, and when he finally played in Mexico (back in 1992 with the US tour), he returned for several encores. In the end, it was just him and the piano, and he played this amazing version of Here Comes The Flood. All the lights were on, but nobody had left. It's one of those few magical moments you still get to experience with modern artists nowadays. The coolest part is, Peter Gabriel went back to Mexico supporting the release of UP. But he OPENED up with HCTF. There he was, looking much older, different band (no Manu Katche? damn!) and visibly reconnecting with the audience he left mesmerized almost a decade before. And yet it was like time hadn't really passed, like he was just continuing the concert he played all those years ago. The crowd was almost inaudibly miming the words, and you could hear Peter's breathing pauses throughout... Pure magic. I'll tell you, this song brings tears to my eyes for a lot of reasons, but this might be the strongest of them... particularly in the line "Don't be afraid to cry at what you see/the actors gone, there's only you and me"... I'll cherish that moment forever.
AHH! That's my favourite line too!!!