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.
Wake me from my sleep
A cautionary tale
A walk in infancy
A way to derail
I wanted only you
The walls are falling down
And somebody says
Ah give a little love,
Give a little love
But take your time
Somebody sighs
Yes, give a little love,
Give a little love
But take your time
[Chorus:]
A private life
C'mon no
I said livin'
Gets to be
Just like a rate race
Rat race
C'mon
I'm a -read between the lines
Fierce struggle
A natural one
A tough job
Gets to be
Just like a rate race
Rate race
C'mon I'm a locked up in myself
Check before rising
Check before we work
Childproof the scene
No screams can be heard
The roof is caving in
The space between our hearts
The walls are falling down
And somebody says
Ah give a little love,
Give a little love
Take your time
Somebody sighs
Yes, give a little love,
Give a little love
But take your time
[Chorus]
It's a rat, it's a rat, it's a rat race
It's a rat, it's a rat race
It's a rat, it's a rat, it's a rat race
It's a rat, it's a rat race
Aah life
Living in a rat race
C'mon
Hmm, life
Are you living in a rat race?
C'mon
Here inside yourself
[Chorus: Repeat 2X]
I'm locked up in myself
I'm locked up in myself
A cautionary tale
A walk in infancy
A way to derail
I wanted only you
The walls are falling down
And somebody says
Ah give a little love,
Give a little love
But take your time
Somebody sighs
Yes, give a little love,
Give a little love
But take your time
[Chorus:]
A private life
C'mon no
I said livin'
Gets to be
Just like a rate race
Rat race
C'mon
I'm a -read between the lines
Fierce struggle
A natural one
A tough job
Gets to be
Just like a rate race
Rate race
C'mon I'm a locked up in myself
Check before rising
Check before we work
Childproof the scene
No screams can be heard
The roof is caving in
The space between our hearts
The walls are falling down
And somebody says
Ah give a little love,
Give a little love
Take your time
Somebody sighs
Yes, give a little love,
Give a little love
But take your time
[Chorus]
It's a rat, it's a rat, it's a rat race
It's a rat, it's a rat race
It's a rat, it's a rat, it's a rat race
It's a rat, it's a rat race
Aah life
Living in a rat race
C'mon
Hmm, life
Are you living in a rat race?
C'mon
Here inside yourself
[Chorus: Repeat 2X]
I'm locked up in myself
I'm locked up in myself
Lyrics submitted by ListenToCKY
Rat Race Lyrics as written by Steve Stevens Billy Idol
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
I think this song is fairly straight forward, life is a rat race. Conversely it has cryptic elements, a great example is the line from the chorus "I'm a read between the lines." Lets break it down and see if anyone else reads between the lines. The first verse illustrates a fading dream. "Wake me from my sleep, a cautionary tale. A walk in infantcy, a way to derail." Dreams are a great escape from life, especially if lucid dreaming is to be considered (this is personal interpretation, I don't think the lyrics themselves imply lucidity. Perhaps just an intense uncontrolled fantasy of the subconscious...) This verse draws to mind waking up from a pleasant dream that maybe conflicts with what the narrator should be focusing on or devoting his waking attention to. For me specifically, it seems like a dream of lust (it's Billy Idol for crying out loud, I cant help but think lusty thoughts) It's like the narrator is waking up in the morning and reflecting on a dream that is itself a cautionary tale of, well, lust. It can be seen as childish fantasy, but its a break away from mundane day to day routines. It's a freeing dream that focuses on the object of he narrators lust which is just out of reach now that the dream is over and fading as the day begins. The dream "walls are falling down" as it were as the dream slips further away from clarity. The second verse feels like its IN the dream. Or, daringly, its a manisfestation of the first verse' fantasy in real life. I cant quite tell. "Check before rising" feels like its before waking up...so I lean more towards still dreaming. "I Childproof the scene, no screams can be heard" It's the narrators world here, no rat race, no pressing deadlines or social ettiquette to abide by, its childproof and safe to explore this lusty escape. The last three lines is the instability of the dream. It's not real life. The dream is caving in as dawn approaches and dreams begin to dismantle as they do, blocking the imaginary playland available to the narrator that bridges the space which exists in reality between he and his dream muse. The bridge is interesting..."Somebody says/sighs, give a little love, but take your time" Perhapse saying to cherish and savor the dream-affair, take your time to explore this love, dont rush it and make it it's own rat race. Or, have you ever had a dream where you know someone is saying something, but its like a disembodied voice? This voice may be begging the dream to give a little more, please give me that love im longing so much for! But let me savor it, please dont let me wake! The straightforward chorus brings the contrasting real-world struggle view into place, sprinkling those "between the lines" lyrics throughout for good contrasting measure. Mixed among the lyrics which describe how much of a pain life is are a few seemingly out of place lines. "A private life" - A personal escape into dreamland. "Im a-read between the lines" - Ogres have layers! LOL Its more than a clue to the whole song being a dichotomy, its also an expression of there being more to the narrator than this day to day struggle. "I'm a locked up in myself" - The narrator is giving into this fantasy world and shutting the rat race out.
God I love this song! I think it's one of Billy's better ones, not as in overall, but just in general. Kinda sounds like my brain. But in the way I and a friend look at it, it's about society and people's reactions to things, as well as their personal feelings. And the whole "I'm locked up in myself" I think is just amazing. These lyrics are deep. I'm in love with this song.
When I saw him perform this song live, it was in 2005 and he wore a shirt that had the American Flag on it, but it was in black and white and kind of somber-looking, and instead of 50 white stars it had skulls. He wore that shirt only for this one song. I think the song might be an outcry over the situation in the Middle East. Maybe he's against war, or maybe just this war.