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.
Father, hear my prayer
I need the perfect words
Words that he will hear
And know they're straight from you
I don't know what to say
I only know it hurts
To see my only friend slowly fade away
So maybe this time I'll speak the words of life
With your fire in my eyes
But that old familiar fear is tearing at my words
What am I so afraid of?
'cause here I go again
Talking 'bout the rain
And mulling over things that won't live past today
And as I dance around the truth
Time is not his friend
This might be my last chance to tell him
That you love him
But here I go again, here I go again
Here I go again
Lord, you love him so, you gave your only son
If he will just believe, he will never die
But how then will he know what he has never heard
Lord he has never seen mirrored in my life
So maybe this time I'll speak the words of life
With your fire in my eyes
But that old familiar fear is tearing at my words
What am I so afraid of?
'cause here I go again
Talking 'bout the rain
And mulling over things that won't live past today
And as I dance around the truth
Time is not his friend
This might be my last chance to tell him
That you love him
But here I go again, here I go again
Here I go, here I go again
So maybe this time I'll speak the words of life
With your fire in my eyes
But that old familiar fear is tearing at my words
What am I so afraid of?
'cause here I go again
Talking 'bout the rain
And mulling over things that won't live past today
And as I dance around the truth
Time is not his friend
This might be my last chance to tell him
That you love him
This might be my last chance to tell him
That you love him
You love him, you love him
What am I so afraid
What am I so afraid
What am I so afraid of?
How then will he know
What he has never heard
I need the perfect words
Words that he will hear
And know they're straight from you
I don't know what to say
I only know it hurts
To see my only friend slowly fade away
So maybe this time I'll speak the words of life
With your fire in my eyes
But that old familiar fear is tearing at my words
What am I so afraid of?
'cause here I go again
Talking 'bout the rain
And mulling over things that won't live past today
And as I dance around the truth
Time is not his friend
This might be my last chance to tell him
That you love him
But here I go again, here I go again
Here I go again
Lord, you love him so, you gave your only son
If he will just believe, he will never die
But how then will he know what he has never heard
Lord he has never seen mirrored in my life
So maybe this time I'll speak the words of life
With your fire in my eyes
But that old familiar fear is tearing at my words
What am I so afraid of?
'cause here I go again
Talking 'bout the rain
And mulling over things that won't live past today
And as I dance around the truth
Time is not his friend
This might be my last chance to tell him
That you love him
But here I go again, here I go again
Here I go, here I go again
So maybe this time I'll speak the words of life
With your fire in my eyes
But that old familiar fear is tearing at my words
What am I so afraid of?
'cause here I go again
Talking 'bout the rain
And mulling over things that won't live past today
And as I dance around the truth
Time is not his friend
This might be my last chance to tell him
That you love him
This might be my last chance to tell him
That you love him
You love him, you love him
What am I so afraid
What am I so afraid
What am I so afraid of?
How then will he know
What he has never heard
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
hfaith209, you just made me cry. this song is the best. i believe it changes peoples lives. and i only wish more people would listen. i tried to make my boyfriend realize what god could do in his life, because i could see his life was heading downhill. he almost believed me, until our science teacher taught evolution. evolution should not be taught. it's a lie.