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.
Woke from dreaming
But it took convincing
I was shaking screaming
I was still alive
And you were picking strangers by the side of roadways
Little little let the danger unfold
You can do what you do
If you think you'll take it
You can do what you do
If you are that way inclined
Suffer with silk
As the pressure's tighter
You have skin pale as milk
With the pressure on
My heart is getting heavy and my hands are weak now
Hatred lifting and I'll start to weep now
You can do what you do
If you think you'll take it
You can do what you do
If you are that way inclined
Just for a moment
Can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment
Can we make this moment mine
I've tried to let go but I've never had much to say
Take a day take them all now
Just for a moment
Can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment
Can we look inside this mind
We try to control but we never quite know what's there
We will kill if we need to...
Just for a moment
Can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment
Can we make this moment mine
I've tried to let go but I've never had much to say...
But it took convincing
I was shaking screaming
I was still alive
And you were picking strangers by the side of roadways
Little little let the danger unfold
You can do what you do
If you think you'll take it
You can do what you do
If you are that way inclined
Suffer with silk
As the pressure's tighter
You have skin pale as milk
With the pressure on
My heart is getting heavy and my hands are weak now
Hatred lifting and I'll start to weep now
You can do what you do
If you think you'll take it
You can do what you do
If you are that way inclined
Just for a moment
Can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment
Can we make this moment mine
I've tried to let go but I've never had much to say
Take a day take them all now
Just for a moment
Can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment
Can we look inside this mind
We try to control but we never quite know what's there
We will kill if we need to...
Just for a moment
Can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment
Can we make this moment mine
I've tried to let go but I've never had much to say...
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So many different ways to see this song... The line:
"We will kill if we need to..."
Always gives me chills... Down song mostly yet the end is sort of upbeat and bewm that line kicks in... Wonderful!!!
Sounds to me like a situation involving a psycho killer. Singer has been kidnapped and probably raped and tortured while killer is still out hunting more people. second verse, the singer strangles their attacker to death. Rest is a message about how we don't know our own capabilities.
i can definitely see where you are coming from with the side story. But i see the story being told as a metaphor for inner struggle. Like someone who is fighting aganist themselves and the 'pressure' starts to get to them after a while. ultimately the person decides to resolve or 'kill' what is causing the pain in their life. Sorta like getting the courage to stand up to yourself.
"Woke from dreaming But it took convincing I was shaking screaming I was still alive"
Failed suicide attempt is what I take this as. Taking convincing to wake up is one thing, but saying you're still alive sounds a lot like the person was planning on sleeping forever. The screaming and shaking part could easily refer to the pain and struggle of having woken up from an overdose, or on a hospital bed in agony.
"And you were picking strangers by the side of roadways Little little let the danger unfold
You can do what you do If you think you'll take it You can do what you do If you are that way inclined"
Either a reference to prostitution or drug dealing (but more likely prostitution due to the verse after implying that it is hard - "take it")
"Suffer with silk As the pressure's tighter You have skin pale as milk With the pressure on"
Suicide by hanging? Not entirely sure about "silk" as rope isn't silky at all. Skin going paler due to pressure sounds more like this. Not entirely sure about this verse to be honest.
I'll skip the rest of the song (bar a last comment) I have because either I can't frame it with suicide/prostitution or because it seems to fairly easily fit into that interpretation.
"I've tried to let go but I've never had much to say Take a day take them all now"
Taking a day could mean taking AWAY a day, in which case taking them all away would mean, again, killing oneself.
Just my interpretation.