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.
There's so much that I don't understand
So I lie awake and analyze the night
I've popped every pop, picked at every scab
The levels aren't hot enough, it sounds so cramped and tight
Faster than a bullet from the chamber
From hotel beds, "I love you" said ten strangers
No matter what it meant, it seems like such a lie
So I am spending all my time finding signals, writing rhymes
Not one voice goes unaffected
Crumbling under all the weight of critics, judges, mentors
Falling off the cart, some sunlit showless hopeless town
And in the winter the van is quiet and we're crowded
The pen is broken, I'm bleeding on a napkin
All of these songs are inconsequential so it's over
It's all over
You hoped my greyhound would roll over
Down into the drink, and the cops would block the streets for miles
Crumbling under all the weight of critics, judges, mentors
Falling off the cart, some sunlit showless hopeless town
The spell I'm under blankets, earplugs swell up, breath gets quicker so
I dog-ear pages to remember where we left off
I hope we grow up soon, before my mind goes out of tune
I hope we grow up soon, before my lights go out
And in the winter the van is quiet
So I lie awake and analyze the night
I've popped every pop, picked at every scab
The levels aren't hot enough, it sounds so cramped and tight
Faster than a bullet from the chamber
From hotel beds, "I love you" said ten strangers
No matter what it meant, it seems like such a lie
So I am spending all my time finding signals, writing rhymes
Not one voice goes unaffected
Crumbling under all the weight of critics, judges, mentors
Falling off the cart, some sunlit showless hopeless town
And in the winter the van is quiet and we're crowded
The pen is broken, I'm bleeding on a napkin
All of these songs are inconsequential so it's over
It's all over
You hoped my greyhound would roll over
Down into the drink, and the cops would block the streets for miles
Crumbling under all the weight of critics, judges, mentors
Falling off the cart, some sunlit showless hopeless town
The spell I'm under blankets, earplugs swell up, breath gets quicker so
I dog-ear pages to remember where we left off
I hope we grow up soon, before my mind goes out of tune
I hope we grow up soon, before my lights go out
And in the winter the van is quiet
Lyrics submitted by Mopnugget
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.. isn't this song called In The Red?