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.
Pound my knuckles hard against the floor
My head against the wall
But I did this to myself
Assume it's just not worth getting back up,
But I'll blame it on bad luck
I'll shake responsibility
I spent some time in a bad place at 18,
Wishing I could see something through clear eyes
Do you ever wake up to realize your life is meaningless?
Does it give you strength or lead you to your grave at a young age?
Pound my knuckles hard against the floor
My head against the wall
But I did this to myself
Assume it's just not worth getting back up,
But I'll blame it on bad luck
I'll shake responsibility
It seems that when I ran away from my past all my dignity,
My faith,
My pride got left back
And now I think it's time that I realize self pity's meaningless
Though I'm 10 feet deep,
I'll claw my way back out from in my grave
Pound my knuckles hard against the floor
My head against the wall
But I did this to myself
Assume it's just not worth getting back up,
But I'll blame it on bad luck
I'll shake responsibility
(And say a hard life did this to me)
But now I realize I'd give anything I have to walk a day in my old shoes
Wondering what my first smoke would be like,
My first fuck,
My next fuck up
Or the next band that would change my life and it changed my life
Pound my knuckles hard against the floor
My head against the wall
But I did this to myself
Assume it's just not worth getting back up,
But I'll blame it on bad luck
I'll shake responsibility
(And say a hard life did this to me)
My head against the wall
But I did this to myself
Assume it's just not worth getting back up,
But I'll blame it on bad luck
I'll shake responsibility
I spent some time in a bad place at 18,
Wishing I could see something through clear eyes
Do you ever wake up to realize your life is meaningless?
Does it give you strength or lead you to your grave at a young age?
Pound my knuckles hard against the floor
My head against the wall
But I did this to myself
Assume it's just not worth getting back up,
But I'll blame it on bad luck
I'll shake responsibility
It seems that when I ran away from my past all my dignity,
My faith,
My pride got left back
And now I think it's time that I realize self pity's meaningless
Though I'm 10 feet deep,
I'll claw my way back out from in my grave
Pound my knuckles hard against the floor
My head against the wall
But I did this to myself
Assume it's just not worth getting back up,
But I'll blame it on bad luck
I'll shake responsibility
(And say a hard life did this to me)
But now I realize I'd give anything I have to walk a day in my old shoes
Wondering what my first smoke would be like,
My first fuck,
My next fuck up
Or the next band that would change my life and it changed my life
Pound my knuckles hard against the floor
My head against the wall
But I did this to myself
Assume it's just not worth getting back up,
But I'll blame it on bad luck
I'll shake responsibility
(And say a hard life did this to me)
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This song means the world to me. It's about putting yourself in a bad place. Not having the strengh to go on. Knowing you have noone else to blame but yourself. And knowing your the only one who can help yourself.