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.
Every tree has got her root
And every girl forbidden fruit
And got her demons
And the path I chose to go
A different girl so long ago
I had my reasons
And she's in my head so loud
And screaming,
“Shouldn't you be proud of what you came from?"
“Oh you've been crippled and you've walked and
You've been shut up and you talked
So let's talk some more”
(One, two, three
The flashback to get me
On a one, two, four
The threat of the memory)
Where is the hand
For me to reach?
Where is the moral
I'll ever teach myself?
In all the black (black)
In all the grief (grief)
I am redeemed
And it's ripping at my heart
Because I'm dodging all the darts
And on a slow train
And then I'll wear it 'til it tatters
And it shatters on the floor
In instant replay
Oh, we're all rotten
And we're pure
And we're just looking for the cure
That feels like spring snow
And all we have is who we are
And where we been got us this far
So let me go
Where is the hand
For me to reach?
Where is the moral
I'll never teach myself?
In all the black (black)
In all the grief (grief)
I am redeemed
Well
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Where is the hand
For me to reach?
Where is the moral
I'll never teach myself?
In all the black
In all the grief
Through all the pain
And unbelief
These are the words
That they all scream
I am redeemed
And every girl forbidden fruit
And got her demons
And the path I chose to go
A different girl so long ago
I had my reasons
And she's in my head so loud
And screaming,
“Shouldn't you be proud of what you came from?"
“Oh you've been crippled and you've walked and
You've been shut up and you talked
So let's talk some more”
(One, two, three
The flashback to get me
On a one, two, four
The threat of the memory)
Where is the hand
For me to reach?
Where is the moral
I'll ever teach myself?
In all the black (black)
In all the grief (grief)
I am redeemed
And it's ripping at my heart
Because I'm dodging all the darts
And on a slow train
And then I'll wear it 'til it tatters
And it shatters on the floor
In instant replay
Oh, we're all rotten
And we're pure
And we're just looking for the cure
That feels like spring snow
And all we have is who we are
And where we been got us this far
So let me go
Where is the hand
For me to reach?
Where is the moral
I'll never teach myself?
In all the black (black)
In all the grief (grief)
I am redeemed
Well
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Where is the hand
For me to reach?
Where is the moral
I'll never teach myself?
In all the black
In all the grief
Through all the pain
And unbelief
These are the words
That they all scream
I am redeemed
Lyrics submitted by cristinaish
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When we come to Christ and ask for forgiveness, we are redeemed. Now in living a life for Christ, we walk by faith. The Apostle Paul was a Christian killer until God first chose him and redeemed him. Paul's life wasn't the easiest life but he walked by faith and fought the good fight. He still had struggles with sin but the difference is he had the desire to stop them, asking forgiveness for them and knowing only God would see him through. God's peace, love and grace to you.