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.
Streetlights look like ribs on my block
I can forget
Where I am now
Smiling as I pass some parked cars
I can forget
Where I am and
Run through my town
Scream till I faint
Stumble around
Scare kids away
Worn out I'll be
Asleep on the street
Watch my whole town
Attempt to wake me
Side walks lend their backs to my feet
I can forget
Where I am now
Houses shut the lights as I pass
I can forget
Where I am and
Run through my town
Scream till I faint
Stumble around
Scare kids away
Worn out I'll be
Asleep on the street
Watch my whole town
Attempt to wake me
This is the end
Of rotting away
In the back seat
This is the end
Of keeping it in
I can forget
Where I am now
Smiling as I pass some parked cars
I can forget
Where I am and
Run through my town
Scream till I faint
Stumble around
Scare kids away
Worn out I'll be
Asleep on the street
Watch my whole town
Attempt to wake me
Side walks lend their backs to my feet
I can forget
Where I am now
Houses shut the lights as I pass
I can forget
Where I am and
Run through my town
Scream till I faint
Stumble around
Scare kids away
Worn out I'll be
Asleep on the street
Watch my whole town
Attempt to wake me
This is the end
Of rotting away
In the back seat
This is the end
Of keeping it in
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More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
this song is awsome, why hasnt anyone commented on it?
I agree, this song rocks.....it makes you feel like you know what you want with life and like you are in charge of your town and everything else
Whenever i drive through Teaneck i have to listen to this song. It is thier home town after all.
this is my favorite armor for sleep song..
its awesome. and so are they.
yea great song i love the part where he goes "stumble around scare kids away" i can just imagine some guy stumbling around and kids running away! lmao!!!
i think its a really sad song... as if he has kept everything in and for some reason he doesnt care anymore and is walking through his town for the last time, maybe becasue he knows he is going to die?!?! "attempt to wake me" ?!?!
This is my take on the song:
He's running away. He just dropped everything, and started running. He didnt look where he was going, he's just running in any direction he sees. Hence the lines "I can forget where I am now", he doesn't need to know where he's at, he's just running through his town towards anything until he passes out.
I think this song is about an outcast or black sheep type character ("Scare kids away", "Houses shut their lights as I pass") who has finally had enough of this place ("This is the end of rotting away", "This is the end of keeping it in") and is either leaving or has made a decision to stop caring that people don't like him.
He also seems to enjoy toying with the townsfolk; running around scaring kids and falling asleep in the middle of the street (kind of reminds me of Sylvie from Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping). Perhaps this is also a sign that he doesnt really care what people think of him.
I think this is just a song about letting go and not caring about what anyone has to say about you. He's running through town, screaming (scaring kids and people in their houses in the process), smiling at the parked cars..clearly he doesn't care about what people have to say about him. He's probably either snapped or done something liberating. I think the end is simple...he's not dead...he just fell asleep on the street and people from his town are "attempting" to wake his old self up....meaning he's moved on and become a new person who doesn't care. Well, that's my interpretation.
umm...k.. just to let you all know, it's not "pouring out of me" it's "worn out I'll be" I'm just letting you all know just in case you didn't ^_^