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.
Here's the army
That you mowed to the ground
And the bodies you left lying around
Talking it out
The last hour
I'm through trying now
It's a big relief
I'll be staying down
Where no-one else gonna give me grief
Mess me around
Just make it over
Your opinion was the law of the land
A single thing that I couldn't always understand
I lived it out from hour to hour
The only thing that never really changed
You ran me all around
And dragged me down
At the end of the day
Don't keep me around
Just make it over
I've been thinking of the things that I missed
Situations that I passed up for this
One way love I took for ours
I'm through trying now
It's a big relief
I'll be staying down
I wasn't good at being a thief
More like a clown
Make it over
That you mowed to the ground
And the bodies you left lying around
Talking it out
The last hour
I'm through trying now
It's a big relief
I'll be staying down
Where no-one else gonna give me grief
Mess me around
Just make it over
Your opinion was the law of the land
A single thing that I couldn't always understand
I lived it out from hour to hour
The only thing that never really changed
You ran me all around
And dragged me down
At the end of the day
Don't keep me around
Just make it over
I've been thinking of the things that I missed
Situations that I passed up for this
One way love I took for ours
I'm through trying now
It's a big relief
I'll be staying down
I wasn't good at being a thief
More like a clown
Make it over
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
"i'm through trying now it's a big relief i'll be staying down where no one else gonna give me grief "
chilling lines.
Even though the song could very well be about a relationship you cannot fail to notice those very lines could easily be related to suicide. :( rip elliott