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.
Break through the undertow
Your hands I can't seem to find
Pollution burns my tongue
Cough words I can't speak so I stall myself again, then I fall to the surface
Fill my lungs with air
Then let it out
I give it all
This is the reason that I sing
So give it all
Cause it's these reasons that belong to me
Rock bottom's where we live
And still we dig these trenches
Bury ourselves in them
Backs breaking on the tension
For far too long these voices
Muffled by distances
It's time to come to our senses
And from the dark
We give it all
This is the reason why I sing
So give it all
It's these reasons that belong to me
Breathe, the air we give
The life we live
Our voices raising distances
So when my tongue
Break into song
You seize a competition
So please believe your eyes
Of sacrifice
Is not what we had in our minds
I'm coming home tonight, home tonight
We give it all
This is the reason why I sing
So give it all
It's these reasons that belong to me
Today I offer up myself to this I'm living for my dying wish
I give it all
Now there's a reason, there's a reason
To give it all
Your hands I can't seem to find
Pollution burns my tongue
Cough words I can't speak so I stall myself again, then I fall to the surface
Fill my lungs with air
Then let it out
I give it all
This is the reason that I sing
So give it all
Cause it's these reasons that belong to me
Rock bottom's where we live
And still we dig these trenches
Bury ourselves in them
Backs breaking on the tension
For far too long these voices
Muffled by distances
It's time to come to our senses
And from the dark
We give it all
This is the reason why I sing
So give it all
It's these reasons that belong to me
Breathe, the air we give
The life we live
Our voices raising distances
So when my tongue
Break into song
You seize a competition
So please believe your eyes
Of sacrifice
Is not what we had in our minds
I'm coming home tonight, home tonight
We give it all
This is the reason why I sing
So give it all
It's these reasons that belong to me
Today I offer up myself to this I'm living for my dying wish
I give it all
Now there's a reason, there's a reason
To give it all
Lyrics submitted by WayneSaysYes, edited by Metallika1
Give It All Lyrics as written by Christopher Chasse Brandon Barnes
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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oooooookay. The meaning of this song I feel was meant to be open to interpretation, but there are still limits to what can be taken into consideration when interpreting this. We have three things here: Environment, Government, Media. All of those relate to eachother but the lyrics posted ARE wrong and the correct ones still aren't specific. So to break it down, I feel that the song is refereing to how average day to day people, people you you see everyday, just consume resources, and ignore the real problems with the world, and produce more waste as they consume other things, which hightens the demand for resources which is a real problem so people ignore it and produce more waste yada yada yada you see where that one's going. Someone used the very apropriate word, about how the song ENCOURAGES us to not give into the horrible aspects of American Culture that constantly warps our minds. I mean the music takes a really really serious turn to help point that out when he sings "So please believe your eyes of sacrifice, its not what we had in our minds." And the music video was just a bunch of people forcing the city to recognise a bunch of issues that we (as an apathetic society) don't really pay attention to until something bad happens. Say like a lawsuit against McDonalds, or hearing about 100 tigers that were killed for illegal Chinese medicines. So the actual meaning of the song, is simply: stand for what you stand for, take action, and give it all.