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 just heard the world
Is breaking down into bits again
Tell me, what am I to do?
You just want me to stay here
So I'm just going to stay
The home, our last resort
I built a castle with an iron door
Lock the window, pull the shades
The hazed out sun won't help anyway
If the world is crumbling down
I don't want to be alone, no
Locked up in this place
I heard the world up late night
Holding my breath tight
Trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care how you're
Caught up in the fight of your life
Fear is bringing me here
The television got me seeing unclear
Bravery my neighbor, moved away
'Cause I don't need to be courageous today
And If that world is crumbling down
I don't want to be alone, no
Locked up in this place
When I heard the world up late night
Holding my breath tight
Trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care how you're
Caught up in the fight of your life
I heard the world up late night
Holding my breath tight
Trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care how you're
Caught up in the fight of your life
Nothing's gonna save me
I'm hanging from the nearest tree
Nothing's gonna save me
I'm hanging from the nearest tree
When I heard the world up late night
Holding my breath tight
Trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care how you're
Caught up in the fight of your life
I heard the world up late night
Holding my breath tight
Trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care how we're
Caught up in the fight of your life
When I heard the world of late night
See I'm holding breath tight
I'm trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care how we're
We're caught up in the fight of our lives
I heard the world of late night
Holding my breath tight
Trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care
We're caught up in the fight of our lives
Is breaking down into bits again
Tell me, what am I to do?
You just want me to stay here
So I'm just going to stay
The home, our last resort
I built a castle with an iron door
Lock the window, pull the shades
The hazed out sun won't help anyway
If the world is crumbling down
I don't want to be alone, no
Locked up in this place
I heard the world up late night
Holding my breath tight
Trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care how you're
Caught up in the fight of your life
Fear is bringing me here
The television got me seeing unclear
Bravery my neighbor, moved away
'Cause I don't need to be courageous today
And If that world is crumbling down
I don't want to be alone, no
Locked up in this place
When I heard the world up late night
Holding my breath tight
Trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care how you're
Caught up in the fight of your life
I heard the world up late night
Holding my breath tight
Trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care how you're
Caught up in the fight of your life
Nothing's gonna save me
I'm hanging from the nearest tree
Nothing's gonna save me
I'm hanging from the nearest tree
When I heard the world up late night
Holding my breath tight
Trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care how you're
Caught up in the fight of your life
I heard the world up late night
Holding my breath tight
Trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care how we're
Caught up in the fight of your life
When I heard the world of late night
See I'm holding breath tight
I'm trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care how we're
We're caught up in the fight of our lives
I heard the world of late night
Holding my breath tight
Trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air
Nobody could care
We're caught up in the fight of our lives
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
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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,
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
This song to me seems to talk about a horrible ordeal someone may be going through in their life. And you feel as though no one can be their for you, regardless of what may happen..."Nobody could care, how you're caught up in the fight of your life." Trying to stay focused on whats important but the one thing will not leave your mind.