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.
Darkness in the morning
Shadows on the land
Certain individuals
Aren't sticking with the plan
And I'm searching for a heart
Searching everyone
They say love conquers all
You can't start it like a car
You can't stop it with a gun
Leaving in the evening
Traveling at night
Staying inconspicuous
I'm staying out of sight
And I'm searching for a heart
Searching everyone
They say love conquers all
You can't start it like a car
You can't stop it with a gun
They tell me love requires a little standing in line
And I've been waiting for you, lover, for a long, long time
I've been pacing the floor
I've been watching the door
Meanwhile I'll keep searching for a heart
Searching high and low for you
Trying to track you down
Certain individuals
Have finally come around
And I'm searching for a heart
Searching everyone
They say love conquers all
You can't start it like a car
You can't stop it with a gun
They tell me love requires a little standing in line
And I've been waiting for you, lover, for a long, long time
I've been pacing the floor I've been watching the door
Meanwhile I'll keep searching for a heart
Searching everyone
They say love conquers all
You can't start it like a car
Shadows on the land
Certain individuals
Aren't sticking with the plan
And I'm searching for a heart
Searching everyone
They say love conquers all
You can't start it like a car
You can't stop it with a gun
Leaving in the evening
Traveling at night
Staying inconspicuous
I'm staying out of sight
And I'm searching for a heart
Searching everyone
They say love conquers all
You can't start it like a car
You can't stop it with a gun
They tell me love requires a little standing in line
And I've been waiting for you, lover, for a long, long time
I've been pacing the floor
I've been watching the door
Meanwhile I'll keep searching for a heart
Searching high and low for you
Trying to track you down
Certain individuals
Have finally come around
And I'm searching for a heart
Searching everyone
They say love conquers all
You can't start it like a car
You can't stop it with a gun
They tell me love requires a little standing in line
And I've been waiting for you, lover, for a long, long time
I've been pacing the floor I've been watching the door
Meanwhile I'll keep searching for a heart
Searching everyone
They say love conquers all
You can't start it like a car
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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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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
You people obviously haven't heard the WZ version on the acoustic Learning to Flinch album. Warren owns this tune.
"They say love conquers all You can't start it like a car You can't stop it with a gun"
What a great line.
@TheThornBirds I think Warren had Virgil in his mind when he wrote the line "They say love conquers all". And he obviously turned it into something different.
This is one of my favorite Warren Zevon songs. My uncles plays it a lot, and I just love to hear it.
Don Henley did this son on Enojy Every Sandwich the tribute album and i freakin' loved it.
This song seems slightly uncharacteristic for WZ, only in the fact that it is a sincere search for love. However, it includes the famous WZ attitude, he wonders if there is actually someone out there who will love him. he takes it further by comparing love to a supernatural force that can not be stopped with traditional methods once it starts, either like a spiritual force like angels, or like a zombie movie. it fits eerily well with more well known songs like "Werewolves of London" and "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner."
I love this song. And I completely agree with Tmo2199, the Don Henley version kicks serious butt!
"And I've been waiting for you lover for a long long time" That doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the song, so maybe he is imagining the day that he finds the one person he will always be with?
This song is a clear contradiction, in Warren's style.
He's been waiting for his soulmate for his whole life. His sole marriage and subsequent divorce makes it unclear whether he actually found this, though he admits in an interview (on "Preludes") that fiction and nonfiction are blurred in most of his songs.
While waiting for a soulmate, though, Warren is "searching everyone" for a heart...or enjoying himself like Jim Morrison.
It is simply a great song.......
I find it hard to characterise Warren so nothing is uncharacteristic
The word 'Love' is a tricky for Warren. He didn't seem to think it's easy to handle, and definitely knew the brutality of humanity itself. In 'Don't Let Us Get Sick', he sang 'I'm lucky to be here with someone I like' instead of 'love'. In that sense, it might be said that he agreed with what Kart Vonnegut said. "Love may fail, but courtesy will prevail." That's why Warren was searching for a heart, not love.