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.
Palms are fitted black and finely tuned
To triggers, cause bodies that tremble
But this mud looks shallow from the beach
When we hide behind such ugly faces
And the dark eyed woman lifts her head
"Why do we hide behind such ugly faces?"
Child-bearing games
From the streets down to the shores
They're playing as waterways open
In an obscene gaping gasp
But this mud looks shallow from the beach
When we hide behind such ugly faces
And the dark eyed woman lifts her head
"Why do we hide behind such ugly faces?"
"Rally all your men (rally all your men)
There is work to be done" (there's work to be done)
Still we don't have the time for speaking out of place
He won't come down (he won't come down)
He won't come down (he won't come down)
When lengths of snakes match each silent syllable
"With eyes like these"
Face glistening with suspense of a scalpel blade
Clockwork, calculating surgical precision
But this mud looks shallow from the beach
When we hide behind such ugly faces
And the dark eyed woman lifts her head
"Why do we hide behind such ugly faces?"
"Rally all your men (rally all your men)
There is work to be done" (there's work to be done)
Still we don't have the time for speaking out of place
He won't come down (he won't come down)
He won't come down (he won't come down)
He won't come down (he won't come down)
He won't come down (he won't come down)
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
Palms are fitted black and finely tuned
To stomachs that swallowed whole that bayou
But this mud looks shallow from the beach
When we hide behind such ugly faces
And the dark eyed woman lifts her head
"Why do we hide behind such ugly faces?"
To triggers, cause bodies that tremble
But this mud looks shallow from the beach
When we hide behind such ugly faces
And the dark eyed woman lifts her head
"Why do we hide behind such ugly faces?"
Child-bearing games
From the streets down to the shores
They're playing as waterways open
In an obscene gaping gasp
But this mud looks shallow from the beach
When we hide behind such ugly faces
And the dark eyed woman lifts her head
"Why do we hide behind such ugly faces?"
"Rally all your men (rally all your men)
There is work to be done" (there's work to be done)
Still we don't have the time for speaking out of place
He won't come down (he won't come down)
He won't come down (he won't come down)
When lengths of snakes match each silent syllable
"With eyes like these"
Face glistening with suspense of a scalpel blade
Clockwork, calculating surgical precision
But this mud looks shallow from the beach
When we hide behind such ugly faces
And the dark eyed woman lifts her head
"Why do we hide behind such ugly faces?"
"Rally all your men (rally all your men)
There is work to be done" (there's work to be done)
Still we don't have the time for speaking out of place
He won't come down (he won't come down)
He won't come down (he won't come down)
He won't come down (he won't come down)
He won't come down (he won't come down)
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
La, la, la da da
Palms are fitted black and finely tuned
To stomachs that swallowed whole that bayou
But this mud looks shallow from the beach
When we hide behind such ugly faces
And the dark eyed woman lifts her head
"Why do we hide behind such ugly faces?"
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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."
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.
I understand what your thoughts on this song being about drugs, but the entire album is not about drugs. Not every song is about drugs, you're just stuck in that frame of mind so START THINKING!
I'm guessing parts of this as some natural disaster. Maybe the tsunami, or hurricane katrina.
My other guess is a war of somekind or a siege of some sort. palms are fitted black finely tuned to triggers that cause bodies to tremble- Black tactical gloves wrapped around guns
He won't come down - suggests that the head of the operation whether criminal or governmental won't sway
@mongoos3 song was before katrino by abouta year on release likely 2 or 3 from writing, so it could be about 1 but it isnt abut 1 spacific one likely and i agree w the drugs point theres already 1 about a crack addiction in the album<br />
amazing song.
this is an amazing song. are the lines in quotes directly from the book, or are they just being said?
the lines are quoted just like that in the cd booklet
i cant believe this contains members from Anatomy Of A ghost. Totally different sound and everything. i thought this band was weird, but their original and i like almost every song. truely a find. they need more exposure, awesome band!!
very good song... i can't stop hearing it..
All of their music is Glorious. Yes they do sound entirely different. And they even hold the same singer/song writer. It's pretty shocking, but so great.
am i the only one that thinks portugal. the man is mars volta like... if so sorry, i just listen to both and i hear the same kind of experimental sounds
When I first heard this album at the very start of the year (one of my first grabs in January), my first thought was "hey, At the Drive-In reformed after all the members learned from their experiences."
Needless to say, I was pleased by it, even if over time I've really just gotten more of that "mars volta without the pretention" vibe.
In case no one has noticed, the opening riff to this song is the almost the exact replica of the opening riff to the Refused song Summer Holidays vs Punk Routine