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.
Something's happened, now you're far away
You had to leave, no time to explain
I called Brother said, "Mother's gone
The red bird came and took her off.
I asked, "Will she be in heaven above
All over my shoulder like a carrier dove?"
He said, "One, two, three, four-
There ain't no devil, there ain't no Lord.
Five, six, seven, eight-
Only love, only hate."
I went to preacher to seek the truth
The wisest man that I knew -
The preacher had fallen, his collar torn
He slept with the bottle, his face unshorn
He looked at me with bloodshot eyes
A beaten man can tell no lies-
He said, "Prophets, pimps, angels, whores
There ain't no devil, there ain't no Lord.
Money grows to fill the preacher's bank
He saves your soul for himself to take."
I travelled the world to understand
The words he spoke were no man's
I came to an island of beauty and pain
Shimmering souls, untamed
And now children, talking bright
Sing to me in the night-
They sing, "One, two, three, four,
There ain't no devil, there ain't no lord.
Five, six, seven, eight,
Invisible ones guard the gate.
Invisible ones guard the gate."
You had to leave, no time to explain
I called Brother said, "Mother's gone
The red bird came and took her off.
I asked, "Will she be in heaven above
All over my shoulder like a carrier dove?"
He said, "One, two, three, four-
There ain't no devil, there ain't no Lord.
Five, six, seven, eight-
Only love, only hate."
I went to preacher to seek the truth
The wisest man that I knew -
The preacher had fallen, his collar torn
He slept with the bottle, his face unshorn
He looked at me with bloodshot eyes
A beaten man can tell no lies-
He said, "Prophets, pimps, angels, whores
There ain't no devil, there ain't no Lord.
Money grows to fill the preacher's bank
He saves your soul for himself to take."
I travelled the world to understand
The words he spoke were no man's
I came to an island of beauty and pain
Shimmering souls, untamed
And now children, talking bright
Sing to me in the night-
They sing, "One, two, three, four,
There ain't no devil, there ain't no lord.
Five, six, seven, eight,
Invisible ones guard the gate.
Invisible ones guard the gate."
Lyrics submitted by myslumberingheart
Invisible Ones Guard the Gate Lyrics as written by Orenda Fink
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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