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.
I am the planet, the monster, anti-martyr
The balance of human, constant firestarter
Pry apart the soul, find the footprints
All of a sudden, touch the button
Crash course in yesterday's after mathematics class
Until the last chapter's mastered
Smile, for the style war's won
Where the wild things are that hide from the sun
I am the toothache buried in your head
The proof you pretended to carry to the end
Barely alive, but nowhere near dead
I'm still standing here instead
More than a fistful of issues
More than a misfit's pistol grip click
My heart ticks
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
I am the nightmare, right where the soldier
Overstands warfare, caught in the crosshair
The moment when focus becomes more
Than what's noticed by the starving locusts
The burning of the pride, turning of the tide
Searching through the fight
Snuck in with the shadow that broke the castle
Escaped the cell, let hell out of the capsule
I am the hunted that stalks my aggressor
I am neurosis, I am the measurements used
When it's time to choose which tools are proper
For the opportunity to break it loose
When it breaks, it'll all come together now
Armageddon, just a change in the weather now
I am the one, I've come to let the pressure out
More human than human, so you can feel better now
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
The balance of human, constant firestarter
Pry apart the soul, find the footprints
All of a sudden, touch the button
Crash course in yesterday's after mathematics class
Until the last chapter's mastered
Smile, for the style war's won
Where the wild things are that hide from the sun
I am the toothache buried in your head
The proof you pretended to carry to the end
Barely alive, but nowhere near dead
I'm still standing here instead
More than a fistful of issues
More than a misfit's pistol grip click
My heart ticks
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
I am the nightmare, right where the soldier
Overstands warfare, caught in the crosshair
The moment when focus becomes more
Than what's noticed by the starving locusts
The burning of the pride, turning of the tide
Searching through the fight
Snuck in with the shadow that broke the castle
Escaped the cell, let hell out of the capsule
I am the hunted that stalks my aggressor
I am neurosis, I am the measurements used
When it's time to choose which tools are proper
For the opportunity to break it loose
When it breaks, it'll all come together now
Armageddon, just a change in the weather now
I am the one, I've come to let the pressure out
More human than human, so you can feel better now
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
More human than human, more sicker than sick
Yeah, more human than human
More human than human, more human than human
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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,
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I don't know what it's about, but if I ever make a movie about a cannibalistic, drugged-out, sex-crazed, necrophilliac serial killer, this song will roll during the title sequence.