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.
Carry on, carry on, carry on, ba-dum, ba-dum
Carry on, carry on, carry on, ba-dum, ba-dum
If you are a teacher I am a vessel, oh
So carry on, carry on, carry on, ba-dum, ba-dum
There are ones that lie
And ones that lie underground
The first ones lie;
The second one I lie about.
Carry on.
Think it’s a sign, where we’re shooting the sun? Ba-dum, da-dum
I put a flag where it didn’t belong, ba-dum, da-dum.
You got a heart and I got this big, big, lance
You’re a hunter; I’ll tend the gun, ba-dum, ba-dum.
No learned has seen the lakes
And I know your hands have
Been in the grave
You beat the path down;
Will you beat the path down?
I will follow the hunter and see what you take.
I don’t only want to swim with you;
I don’t only want to swim with you;
I don’t only want to swim, swim, swim
In the water that you claim or has claimed you.
I don’t really want to swim with you;
I don’t really want to swim with you;
I don’t really want to swim, swim, swim
In the water that you claim or has claimed you.
Da-da da-dum-dum…
Carry on…
I don’t really want to swim, swim, swim
In the water that you claim or has claimed you…
Carry on, carry on, carry on, ba-dum, ba-dum
If you are a teacher I am a vessel, oh
So carry on, carry on, carry on, ba-dum, ba-dum
There are ones that lie
And ones that lie underground
The first ones lie;
The second one I lie about.
Carry on.
Think it’s a sign, where we’re shooting the sun? Ba-dum, da-dum
I put a flag where it didn’t belong, ba-dum, da-dum.
You got a heart and I got this big, big, lance
You’re a hunter; I’ll tend the gun, ba-dum, ba-dum.
No learned has seen the lakes
And I know your hands have
Been in the grave
You beat the path down;
Will you beat the path down?
I will follow the hunter and see what you take.
I don’t only want to swim with you;
I don’t only want to swim with you;
I don’t only want to swim, swim, swim
In the water that you claim or has claimed you.
I don’t really want to swim with you;
I don’t really want to swim with you;
I don’t really want to swim, swim, swim
In the water that you claim or has claimed you.
Da-da da-dum-dum…
Carry on…
I don’t really want to swim, swim, swim
In the water that you claim or has claimed you…
Lyrics submitted by Clap Your Hands
I’m Sorry I Sang on Your Hands That Have Been in the Grave song meanings
Add Your Thoughts
11 Comments
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
i think there are a few discrepencies but i'm not sure The first ones lie; = The first one's mine;
Think it’s a sign, where we’re shooting the sun? = Think I sang where I shouldn't have sung
I’ll tend the gun = I will put down the gun
anyway i think this song is about burying your sins and then getting baptized
It sounds to me like he says, "if you are a teacher, I am a hustler"
I agree with softdelicious' discrepencies. That vessel/hustler line is really hard to make out, but i like vessel given the context
I'm also hearing:
You got a heart and I got these big, big words
I will follow behind you and see what you take
and i think it's "I don't really want to swim with you" every time.
what the hell is this about!!
I kinda think it's about someone that he follows around, doing whatever they tell him to. And what they do isn't exactly right, I think, and he doesn't agree with them but he goes along anyways. Maybe now he's trying to get out? But don't listen to be. I'm probably way wrong.
^ don't listen to me*
Possible correction: I think that
There are ones that lie And ones that lie underground The first ones lie; The second one I lie about.
Should actually be
There are ones that lie And ones that lie underground The first one's mine; The second one I lie about.
The difference being "the first one's mine." I can't remember where I read it, but somebody had said very matter-of-factly that this was a song about somebody being murdered. If that's the case, my corrected line makes sense. Those that lie would be "mine" (his), meaning he lies. The second one I lie about would be those that lie underground -- the person he killed. He lies about it.
no amount of words can describe how much I love this song. I believe it is "the first one's mine" along with everyone else, and there are a lot of mistakes in these lyrics. the murder idea is a very interesting idea. it makes sense.
I sense murder.
"I put a flag where it didn’t belong"
trying to claim someone/something??
"No learned has seen the lakes" = You know the land and you've seen the lakes I would think?