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.
Again and again they blend into one,
My father the morning pushes through moonlight love.
So what's sleep? Sleep.
I'm tired, so tired, but it seems that there's someone here with me.
We are the wakeful, wry, watchful.
We're awaiting.
Deathless ones.
We are the wakeful, wry, watchful.
We're awaiting.
Deathless ones.
A story at three with the shrillest of cries.
My mind fights with the sparkles in the corner of my eyes.
So what's sleep? Sleep
I'm tired, so tired, so tired but it seems that there's someone here with me.
We are the wakeful, wry, watchful.
We're awaiting.
Deathless ones. (x4)
I hear the morning choir sing to me their elegy.
So beautiful.
They sing to me their elegy. Requiem.
My father the morning pushes through moonlight love.
So what's sleep? Sleep.
I'm tired, so tired, but it seems that there's someone here with me.
We are the wakeful, wry, watchful.
We're awaiting.
Deathless ones.
We are the wakeful, wry, watchful.
We're awaiting.
Deathless ones.
A story at three with the shrillest of cries.
My mind fights with the sparkles in the corner of my eyes.
So what's sleep? Sleep
I'm tired, so tired, so tired but it seems that there's someone here with me.
We are the wakeful, wry, watchful.
We're awaiting.
Deathless ones. (x4)
I hear the morning choir sing to me their elegy.
So beautiful.
They sing to me their elegy. Requiem.
Lyrics submitted by oofus, edited by Mellow_Harsher
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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.
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Great version of a great song,
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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.
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i think this song is about in the midst of all of life's struggles, there's someone or something there in which you can take comfort in.
"Again and again they blend into one, my father the morning pushes through moonlight love. " the "morning" could be the people who aren't pleased with the way he dresses or with what he's involved in(maybe his father?) and it's pushing away the "moonlight love" that he gets from other people like him who understand him.
"So what's sleep? Sleep. I'm tired, so tired, but it seems that there's someone here with me. " he's been so dragged down by the people who don't approve of him, but it doesn't matter because he's with people who truly understand him.
"We are the wakeful, wry, watchful. We're awaiting. Deathless ones. " he's describing himself and his trusted friends. they aren't fooled into becoming part of the crowd. They know that others may beat them down, but a change is coming and they can overcome those who have done injustices to them. They will never be brought down. They are the "deathless ones."
"A story at three with the shrillest of cries." At the peak of their suffering, they rebel.
"My mind fights with the sparkles in the corner of my eyes." he feels so lost of confused by these people who won't accept him without knowing who he truly is
"I hear the morning choir sing to me their elegy. So beautiful. They sing to me their elegy. Requiem." but at the hardest times, there is something or someone(the morning choir) that brings him hope and relief. With his hope renewed, he can continue his fight and go on.
i don't know if davey wrote these lyrics with the intention of this being their meaning or if you interpret them the same or not, but that is part of the beauty of afi. people can take so much meaning from these songs in so many different ways. afi are a band like no other.