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.
In this world all of our sins are simple
We choose death over innocent life
And in this world it's not our money that's evil
It's the one's who choose it over life
And in my heart I cannot believe in this murder
And I will not be fed by the lies
Or the life that's created just to be murdered
It's murder
No matter how hard they try and
No matter how loud they cry
They can't
Buy their way into heaven
No matter how hard they try and
No matter how high they climb up the ladder
They won't reach up into heaven
And they can't see
The innocent lives
The pointless suffering
And in my heart I want to undo all this murder
And give back their innocent life
Open cages and stop their luxurious murder
It's murder
No matter how hard they try and
No matter how loud they cry
They can't
Buy their way into heaven
No matter how hard they try and
No matter how high they climb up the ladder
They won't reach up into heaven
Murder
Innocent Life
Innocent
What have we done?
No mercy (No matter how hard they try)
For beautiful money (and no matter how loud they cry)
Money for blood (they can't buy their way into heaven)
It's murder
No matter how hard they try and
No matter how high they climb up the ladder
They won't reach up into heaven
No matter how hard they try and
No matter how loud try cry
They can't
Buy their way into heaven
We choose death over innocent life
And in this world it's not our money that's evil
It's the one's who choose it over life
And in my heart I cannot believe in this murder
And I will not be fed by the lies
Or the life that's created just to be murdered
It's murder
No matter how hard they try and
No matter how loud they cry
They can't
Buy their way into heaven
No matter how hard they try and
No matter how high they climb up the ladder
They won't reach up into heaven
And they can't see
The innocent lives
The pointless suffering
And in my heart I want to undo all this murder
And give back their innocent life
Open cages and stop their luxurious murder
It's murder
No matter how hard they try and
No matter how loud they cry
They can't
Buy their way into heaven
No matter how hard they try and
No matter how high they climb up the ladder
They won't reach up into heaven
Murder
Innocent Life
Innocent
What have we done?
No mercy (No matter how hard they try)
For beautiful money (and no matter how loud they cry)
Money for blood (they can't buy their way into heaven)
It's murder
No matter how hard they try and
No matter how high they climb up the ladder
They won't reach up into heaven
No matter how hard they try and
No matter how loud try cry
They can't
Buy their way into heaven
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I still think it's referring to Jacob's ladder.