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.
Submerged in endless (trailing off)
I watch them fade by (sigh)
Lifeless and blank-faced (paining on)
I see
The face I use to be
They want to feel this (straining on)
They want to sense this (now)
Drunk with existence (waking me)
I'll show you something (someone) you can feel
They search and strain and drink and stagger
They play on, but I'll never, ever look back
Zombies staring, looking my way
Crying out for something
They can't fill their stomachs with enough to satisfy
The hunger growing
Needing something real
Zombies staring, looking my way
crying out for something they can't feel
Play, on stray on, in these wicked days on
Play on and understand that in your drunken stupor you are dying
Zombies staring, looking my way
Reaching out for something, anything
Anything to keep them numbing
Keep them plunging far from knowing
I watch them fade by (sigh)
Lifeless and blank-faced (paining on)
I see
The face I use to be
They want to feel this (straining on)
They want to sense this (now)
Drunk with existence (waking me)
I'll show you something (someone) you can feel
They search and strain and drink and stagger
They play on, but I'll never, ever look back
Zombies staring, looking my way
Crying out for something
They can't fill their stomachs with enough to satisfy
The hunger growing
Needing something real
Zombies staring, looking my way
crying out for something they can't feel
Play, on stray on, in these wicked days on
Play on and understand that in your drunken stupor you are dying
Zombies staring, looking my way
Reaching out for something, anything
Anything to keep them numbing
Keep them plunging far from knowing
Lyrics submitted by joshbert13
One-Armed Man (Play On) Lyrics as written by Daniel Alan Pifer Aaron M Lieberman
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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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.
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I think it is a song about everyone. Zombies are looking to satisfy a hunger and keep them numb to the pain. Becuase we live in a fallen world, we have a void that we crave to be filled. The singer is making reference that he has succeeded (found Christ) and that everyone else sees that he has. However, they don't want to feel anything, so they reject what he has. It's not so much that they don't understand how to get it, as much as they don't want it. Schawb makes it very clear that they are purposely looking elsewhere. His response is to flood their existence with the Truth he has found.
This one, to me, is semi-obvious. The zombies described are unbelievers who are stumbling through life constantly searching for temporary contentment. Without knowing it, they are crying out for something they cannot presently feel: the love of God. i.e., they are all "needing something real". The One-Armed Man is not one of them, but was once (he'll never ever look back). He has cut off his right arm since it hindered him.
i think the zombies are supposed to be non-believers and that they see that he has what they want (salvation), but they dont know how to get it.
what do yall think?
I agree with you. it could also mean the zombies are self-proclaimed chrisatians that are full of pharisee-type laws. And he shows them God(aka 'something real'), and not laws.
Zombies staring, looking my way crying out for something they can’t feel Play on, stray on, in these wicked days on Play on and understand that in your drunken stupor you are dying
is the best part of the song... I love the video, and I love the song needing something real needing something real needing something needing something needing something r-r ea l-l PROJECT ROCKS!
It also sounds as if the Zombies drink to try to find hapyness??
Drinking, drugs, one-night stands: anything that they use to try to feel alive but really only kills them. The analogy is that zombies go around trying to eat flesh and yet as much as they eat they are never satisfied.
You guys have pretty much got it. TO clarify it all: Zombies (non-christians, lost in this Broken Paradise), are looking for something to save them. I think that they know about God, they simply don't want to believe that this is what they're looking for. The way out has been right in front of them all along, they just don't want to see it. Okay that has all been said before. Sorry for wasting ur time. At least ur eye muscles are getting a workout tho. Piece out.
good band
I know this isn't the right place to post this, but does anyone know where to watch the video?
youtube.com/watch
it's not about non-christians. It's about drinking and how it eclipses everything in your life, eventually turning you into the walking dead.