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.
So proud a history, replete with sanctity,
Orbs in their harmony, they sing their code to me,
Have you ever heard yourself, the orbit you are in?
The terse, oppressive blanket that's instilled here by our spin,
It's misery and famine, it's a force we cannot see,
Misery and famine, it compels us naturally,
Misery and famine, great ellipse, we bend to thee,
Misery and famine, just accept your vagrancy,
Others who bear no name, who feel that life's a game,
My verse they will defame, we suffer all the same,
They pay no regard to their position or their speed,
But the firmament still covers them with its malevolent seed,
It's misery and famine, it's a force we cannot see,
Misery and famine, it compels us naturally,
Misery and famine, great ellipse, we bend to thee,
Misery and famine, just accept your vagrancy,
'You look for meaning in things no one comprehends,
You feel no affinity to the rabble we're in,'
Sources of inquiry have nothing to portend,
They will perplex us all until the coming end,
A feeling of despair, hungry and full of care,
We resent everywhere the fortune that we share,
'This world could be a better place' is a concept I condone,
Given our pathetic course our destiny is known,
It's misery and famine, it's a force we cannot see,
Misery and famine, it compels us naturally,
Misery and famine, great ellipse, we bend to thee,
Misery and famine, just accept your vagrancy,
[Repeat: x4]
Misery and famine
Orbs in their harmony, they sing their code to me,
Have you ever heard yourself, the orbit you are in?
The terse, oppressive blanket that's instilled here by our spin,
It's misery and famine, it's a force we cannot see,
Misery and famine, it compels us naturally,
Misery and famine, great ellipse, we bend to thee,
Misery and famine, just accept your vagrancy,
Others who bear no name, who feel that life's a game,
My verse they will defame, we suffer all the same,
They pay no regard to their position or their speed,
But the firmament still covers them with its malevolent seed,
It's misery and famine, it's a force we cannot see,
Misery and famine, it compels us naturally,
Misery and famine, great ellipse, we bend to thee,
Misery and famine, just accept your vagrancy,
'You look for meaning in things no one comprehends,
You feel no affinity to the rabble we're in,'
Sources of inquiry have nothing to portend,
They will perplex us all until the coming end,
A feeling of despair, hungry and full of care,
We resent everywhere the fortune that we share,
'This world could be a better place' is a concept I condone,
Given our pathetic course our destiny is known,
It's misery and famine, it's a force we cannot see,
Misery and famine, it compels us naturally,
Misery and famine, great ellipse, we bend to thee,
Misery and famine, just accept your vagrancy,
[Repeat: x4]
Misery and famine
Lyrics submitted by gofuckyourself, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Misery and Famine Lyrics as written by Greg Graffin
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Wow, I can't believe no one noticed that this wasn't up here for this long. AWESOME FUCKING SONG. The chorus is just amazing, and the instrumentals throughout the song are great. It is about misery and famine, rich people cannot see it, and if we stay on the path we are on, this world is gonna go straight to hell
This is the most depressing BR song ever... basically, it's saying that life for the vast majority of mankind is nothing but suffering and misery, and that's all life amounts to.
I'm surprised no one got this already. I guess they don't teach enough science history in schools these days. And here I thought the punk movement was concerned with education.
Pythagoras (you know his Theorem, I hope) taught a concept that the music of stringed instruments was governed by the motions of heavenly bodies.
1,600~ years later, Johannes Kepler wrote a book whose name I've forgotten (Harmonice Mundi according to Wikipedia). He believed that not only do planets move in a sort of musical harmony, they actually emit signature tunes. Kepler claimed that Earth's song was Mi Fa Mi, which proved that our planet is wrought with MIsery and FAmine.
There you have it. Does the song make a little more sense now? I hope so.
These ideas seem pretty ridiculous today and I highly doubt Greg Graffin believes in such nonsense. I see this song as a tribute to Kepler and Pythagoras. Both were men who enhanced humanity with their insight into the unknown.
No pun intended.
Interesting perspective but I would contend you're reading into it too much and grasping, though that could explain a line or two the greater message of this song is not so esoteric and speaks to fundamental human natures and the natural laws to which we're subject (Gregg's an evolutionary biologist even though he still teaches geology and natural sciences at UCLA).<br /> <br /> The lyrics, "great ellipse we bend to thee," "the terse oppressive blanket that's instilled here by our spin," are speaking to this most basic fundamental reality. <br /> <br /> In response to such misery and famine as an outcome of natural forces that we have "no control" over the human race is stricken with a need for an explanation, something to give it meaning. "You look for meaning in things no one comprehends" "compels us naturally." <br /> <br /> Some do rise to the occasion and remedy the terrible anguish they feel when watching others suffer (e.g., "we suffer all the same") by donating money or volunteering time; and even though they are not willing to accept the reality (e.g., "they pay no regard to their position or their speed but the firmament still covers them it its malevolent seed") they need to remedy the anguish one way or another.<br /> <br /> "A feeling of despair, hungry and full of care, we resent everywhere the fortune that we share" - this is speaking to human empathy and a evolutionary stable strategy that is most pronounced wen we recognize the true famine and misery so many people are forced to endure - we can imagine something better but "given our pathetic course our destiny is known."<br /> <br /> During the disaster in Haiti Gregg Graffin posted the lyrics to this song on the BR Web Page and added the note that this song is more relevant now than it ever was due to the outcry of the world and the response to the Haiti disaster. "It's misery and famine it's a force we cannot see, misery and famine it compels us naturally."<br /> <br /> Gregg is realist and speaks fundamental truths that most disregard due to the cognitive dissonance it creates - but Gregg knows that irregardless of discounting these realities and natural forces they're still subject to them.
I think this song is similar to Entropy in a way. That theory of Johannes Kepler basically says that misery and famine are caused by the planets (I hope I'm getting this right). And, therefore, it is not our fault. There is this invisible force that is basically causing all the problems. So this song is most likely using that to show how people always try to shirk responsibility by blaming on something that is not human, and not our fault or problem.