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.
By the harbour I harbour the strangest memories,
Over land I could ever be,
Stranded in nostalgia,
So tonight I'll try harder,
But it's hard to fix this floodlight on me,
In a cast that's taken to places,
I'm unsure of where I want to be,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
I'll climb El Capitan,
And jump off to cheers from the crowd,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
And I hope you take your camera,
To photograph my tears as they hit the ground,
No one even listens,
The same way that no one ever laughs,
I'm taking the car out of the snow,
I'm wondering where the summer went to,
Circled by your secrets,
I'm hoping they don't include me,
At least I'm in good company,
Because there's no one else around,
Except me,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
I'll climb El Capitan,
Just to watch the world slow down,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
And I hope you take your camera,
Silence makes the loudest tap,
It seems far too easy to say the same things,
I'll choose my own way to use my life up,
Finally found a new way,
Say the same things,
In imaginary ways,
I'll use my life up,
You were looking at pictures in the distance,
Hoping to see the future in your pictures,
Of the distance hoping to see,
The future looking at pictures in the distance,
Hoping to see the future through your pictures,
Of the distance,
Hoping to see,
The future in your pictures of the distance
Over land I could ever be,
Stranded in nostalgia,
So tonight I'll try harder,
But it's hard to fix this floodlight on me,
In a cast that's taken to places,
I'm unsure of where I want to be,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
I'll climb El Capitan,
And jump off to cheers from the crowd,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
And I hope you take your camera,
To photograph my tears as they hit the ground,
No one even listens,
The same way that no one ever laughs,
I'm taking the car out of the snow,
I'm wondering where the summer went to,
Circled by your secrets,
I'm hoping they don't include me,
At least I'm in good company,
Because there's no one else around,
Except me,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
I'll climb El Capitan,
Just to watch the world slow down,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
And I hope you take your camera,
Silence makes the loudest tap,
It seems far too easy to say the same things,
I'll choose my own way to use my life up,
Finally found a new way,
Say the same things,
In imaginary ways,
I'll use my life up,
You were looking at pictures in the distance,
Hoping to see the future in your pictures,
Of the distance hoping to see,
The future looking at pictures in the distance,
Hoping to see the future through your pictures,
Of the distance,
Hoping to see,
The future in your pictures of the distance
Lyrics submitted by freedom-fighter
El Capitan Lyrics as written by Colin Newton Allan Stewart
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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thank you freedom-fighter, i always loved this song but i never knew what el capitan was! i mean i kind of figured this song was about suicide, but i never bothered to think about what it actually was... stupid really. but now it means a lot more... it's weird, this song is so catchy and singalongable yet it's about such a depressing subject.