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.
Eyes open, I'm wide awake
I feel I'm in a coma state
Just lay here on my back and watch the fan turn
Conversations cross my mind, but not that of the speaking kind
TV images repeat there one line
Back and forth I toss and turn
It feels like strings are holding up my eyes
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'm putting up a losing fight
I'll never see this end tonight
The thought of just one dream it consumes me
Numbers on the clock turn back, my pills are having no effect
The beating of my heart keeps the time going
Back and forth I toss and turn
It feels like strings are holding up my eyes
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'd kill to fall asleep
They say that when you sleep your body's at rest
I wouldn't know what sleep felt like if I tried my best
If Polaroids and memories can fade away, so can I
Back and forth I toss and turn
It feels like strings are holding up my eyes
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'd kill
I feel I'm in a coma state
Just lay here on my back and watch the fan turn
Conversations cross my mind, but not that of the speaking kind
TV images repeat there one line
Back and forth I toss and turn
It feels like strings are holding up my eyes
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'm putting up a losing fight
I'll never see this end tonight
The thought of just one dream it consumes me
Numbers on the clock turn back, my pills are having no effect
The beating of my heart keeps the time going
Back and forth I toss and turn
It feels like strings are holding up my eyes
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'd kill to fall asleep
They say that when you sleep your body's at rest
I wouldn't know what sleep felt like if I tried my best
If Polaroids and memories can fade away, so can I
Back and forth I toss and turn
It feels like strings are holding up my eyes
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'd kill to fall asleep
I'd kill
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More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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”
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
i had massive insomnia for a while and it really sucks so i understnd what the songs about i don't thinkthere is really much to it but it just seems like ther is so much going through your head your day just winds up playong out in your mind and its impossible to find sleep
insomnia blows majorly..trust me i speak from experience.when i heard this song i was just like oh dear god its my life story! i just bought catalyst a few days ago(slow,i know) and this is one of my faves
definitely sounds nothing like the typed lyrics.
i hear "tv images" not "tiki images" and it sounds like "back and forth, i toss and turn, and it feels like, strings are holding up my eyes", not what you have.
haha, that person is definitely right. how the hell did someone get "tiki images"? anyway, i love this song.
i dont think new found glory would write about such a topic, but this reminds me of being addicted to cocaine. and man oh man would one kill to fall asleep on that shit.
sum1 correct this shit haha.. worst song on the cd i think ... but its a good song so it shows u how great of a cd catalyst is!
-StiX
On The Leak, MTV have this song as being called 'I'd Kill To Fall Asleep'...?
This song is awesome, I think everyones gone through somethings like this at some point. trying to sleep but just can't.
the 'back and forth, i toss and turn.it feels like.... strings are holding up my eeeeyyeesss...' sounds so good.
A totally different topic for NFG and the lyrics capture the emotion of not being able to fall asleep perfectly, the frustration (fast parts), the submission (the slow parts). .... how can you think this is the worst song on the album? Jordan prolonged scream at the end of the song sounds cool too... should do it more often :P
I have mixed feelings about this song, I find myself skipping this one a lot for some reason. I think the main thing I have against it is like this whole song could be like a verse to another song, cause it's just talking about sleep, but it doesn't explain anything about why he can't fall asleep or what he's thinking. Like Jordan, can you not sleep because of a girl, or did you just drink too many mt. dews or what, give us so insight if you're gonna write a song about it. It's just kind of a dull song, it's ok, but not even close to the best on the cd.
I have mixed feelings about this song, I find myself skipping this one a lot for some reason. I think the main thing I have against it is like this whole song could be like a verse to another song, cause it's just talking about sleep, but it doesn't explain anything about why he can't fall asleep or what he's thinking. Like Jordan, can you not sleep because of a girl, or did you just drink too many mt. dews or what, give us so insight if you're gonna write a song about it. It's just kind of a dull song, it's ok, but not even close to the best on the cd.