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.
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Somethin' filled up
My heart with nothin'
Someone told me not to cry
Now that I'm older
My heart's colder
And I can see that it's a lie
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Children, wake up
Hold your mistake up
Before they turn the summer into dust
If the children don't grow up
Our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up
We're just a million little god's causin' rain storms
Turnin' every good thing to rust
I guess we'll just have to adjust
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
With my lightnin' bolts a-glowin
I can see where I am goin' to be
When the reaper he reaches and touches my hand
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh)
With my lightnin' bolts a-glowin'
I can see where I am goin'
With my lightnin' bolts a-glowin'
I can see where I am go, goin'
You better look out below
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Somethin' filled up
My heart with nothin'
Someone told me not to cry
Now that I'm older
My heart's colder
And I can see that it's a lie
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Children, wake up
Hold your mistake up
Before they turn the summer into dust
If the children don't grow up
Our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up
We're just a million little god's causin' rain storms
Turnin' every good thing to rust
I guess we'll just have to adjust
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
With my lightnin' bolts a-glowin
I can see where I am goin' to be
When the reaper he reaches and touches my hand
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh)
With my lightnin' bolts a-glowin'
I can see where I am goin'
With my lightnin' bolts a-glowin'
I can see where I am go, goin'
You better look out below
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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.”
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My interpretation:
Something filled up My heart with nothing (the death of a loved one)
Someone told me not to cry (at the funeral someone said, "don't cry they're in heaven now")
But now that I'm older My heart's colder And I can see that it's a lie (heaven is a lie)
Children, wake up Hold your mistake up (renounce the existence of heaven and religious beliefs that were ingrained in you from childhood)
Before they turn the summer into dust (belief and worship of heaven cheapens life on earth, rots away at life in wasted time and produces fear and guilt)
If the children don't grow up Our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up (when death occurs around us, religion confuses with "reasons" for a loved one's death. it tears at our heart because there is so much pain, how can there be a "reason" or a plan for this? there isn't.)
We're just a million little gods (god is created in man's image. instead of one God, it is really all of us individually personifying "God" and pretending to know what he wants us to do and how to act. it is only people, no God.)
causing rainstorms Turning every good thing to rust (God does not bring destruction and retribution, people do. these things occur in the natural world as well, but it is not malicious, it is just nature. we blame and give credit to God for so many things, rather than investigate the true cause and take action to improve life and prevent destruction.)
I guess we'll just have to adjust (?)
With my lightning bolts a-glowin' I can see where I am going to be When the reaper, he reaches and touches my hand (acceptance that people are "God", that we have power while we are alive, and that we will all someday die. it is not punishment, or God's gift, it is simply natural. With this realization and the release from fear of death, comes the strength to rely on yourself to make an impact on the earth while you are alive.)
With my lightning bolts a-glowin' I can see where I am going With my lightning bolts a-glowin' I can see where I am going (I am through grieving, I know better who I am now, I am at peace with the death of my loved ones and at peace with my own eventual death, I know where I am and what I want to do.)
You better look out below!
(watch out world, get ready for me to make an impact.)
Wow, I really can't say it any better than this. <br /> <br /> Although, for the "I guess we'll just have to adjust" line, I think he is saying that sometimes stuff just happens, and there's nothing we can do it. Like, "you can't control the wind, but you can adjust your sails." <br /> <br /> I also think it's there to show the narrator's shift into maturity, and hope. It's right before the transitional part of the song, after which the narrator (and music) is happy and hopeful. I think we're led to believe that this change in outlook comes from the realization that usually we're the ones who have to adjust. It's a freeing realization, which is shown by the fact that in the middle of the word "adjust", it launches into the wordless chorus.<br /> <br /> Favorite song ever!
I think this is REALLY really close.<br /> <br /> I think the "lightin' bolts a-glowin'" is sort of Zeus reference, akin to "with my religious fervor on high, I feel like I know where I am going".<br /> Everyone has a lightning bolt though, misguidedly thinking they are being guided.<br /> <br /> Look out below because, "I'm right, I know, and you are all beneath me" becomes the attitude of millions of self appointed Gods.