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.
As grey traces of dawn tinge the eastern sky,|the three travelers, men of Willowdale,|emerge from the forest shadow.|Fording the River Dawn, they turn south, journeying|into the dark and forbidding lands of the Necromancer|Even now the intensity of his dread power can be felt,|weakening the body and saddening the heart|Ultimately they will become empty, mindless spectres...|stripped of will and soul, only|their thirst for freedom gives them hunger for vengeance...'||Silence shrouds the forest|As the birds announce the dawn|Three trav'llers ford the river|And southward journey on|The road is lined with peril|The air is charged with fear|The shadow of his nearness|Weighs like iron tears||[II. Under the Shadow]||'Shreds of black cloud loom in overcast skies.|The Necromancer keeps watch with his magic prism eyes.|He views all his lands and is already aware of the three helpless invaders|trapped in his lair...'||Brooding in the tower|Watching o'er his land|Holding ev'ry creature|Helplessly they stand|Gaze into his prisms|Knowing they are near|Lead them to the dungeons|Spectres numb with fear|They bow defeated||[III. Return Of the Prince]||'Enter the Champion|Prince By-Tor appears to battle for freedom from chains of long years|The spell has been broken...the Dark Lands are bright.|The Wraith of the Necromancer soars|away in the night.'||Stealthily attacking|By-Tor slays his foe|The men are free to run now|From labyrinths below|The Wraith of Necromancer|Shadows through the sky|Another land to darken|With evil prism eye|
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
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”
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
This is about the darkness that rules the universe and how we the time travellers and the sun which leads us are under it's power.