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.
A showdown at dusk,
This old town is lost,
I’m flat on my back
And I can’t see through the dust.
But you never told me that I was worthy,
You didn’t let me live just to hurt me.
Desperate
We will lift up our hands.
Stronger
We will rise up against.
Freedom
Is a part of us all
its time to let it go.
Desperate
We will lift up our hands.
Stronger
We will rise up against.
Freedom
Is a part of us all
its time to let it go.
What happens now when I walk out of town?
And the enemy surrounds me bent on hunting me down?
I’ll be moving silent while the enemy sleeps,
I’ll show no mercy like the first time when they came after me.
You’ll never catch me.
You’ll never own me.
Out on this lonely landscape I am free
Desperate
We will lift up our hands.
Stronger
We will rise up against.
Freedom
It’s a part of us all
It’s time to let it go.
Desperate
We will lift up our hands.
Stronger
We will rise up against.
Freedom
It’s a part of us all
It’s time to let it go.
I guess we figured it out.
One by one we’re picking them off.
I guess we figured it out.
One by one we’re picking them off.
I guess we figured it out.
One by one we’re picking them off.
Desperate
We will lift up our hands.
Stronger
We will rise up against.
Freedom
It’s a part of us all
It’s time to let it go.
Desperate
We will lift up our hands.
Stronger
We will rise up against.
Freedom
It’s a part of us all
It’s time to let it go.
This old town is lost,
I’m flat on my back
And I can’t see through the dust.
But you never told me that I was worthy,
You didn’t let me live just to hurt me.
Desperate
We will lift up our hands.
Stronger
We will rise up against.
Freedom
Is a part of us all
its time to let it go.
Desperate
We will lift up our hands.
Stronger
We will rise up against.
Freedom
Is a part of us all
its time to let it go.
What happens now when I walk out of town?
And the enemy surrounds me bent on hunting me down?
I’ll be moving silent while the enemy sleeps,
I’ll show no mercy like the first time when they came after me.
You’ll never catch me.
You’ll never own me.
Out on this lonely landscape I am free
Desperate
We will lift up our hands.
Stronger
We will rise up against.
Freedom
It’s a part of us all
It’s time to let it go.
Desperate
We will lift up our hands.
Stronger
We will rise up against.
Freedom
It’s a part of us all
It’s time to let it go.
I guess we figured it out.
One by one we’re picking them off.
I guess we figured it out.
One by one we’re picking them off.
I guess we figured it out.
One by one we’re picking them off.
Desperate
We will lift up our hands.
Stronger
We will rise up against.
Freedom
It’s a part of us all
It’s time to let it go.
Desperate
We will lift up our hands.
Stronger
We will rise up against.
Freedom
It’s a part of us all
It’s time to let it go.
Lyrics submitted by xnotquiteurgurlx
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caughtablaze is right. it's kind of a revenge song. and sin is personified by "the enemy"
but the bible says that revenge is God's, right?
that's what the chorus is about....calling out to God, and letting him pick us back up and strengthen us. and the rest of the song is about using the strength God has given us to defeat sin..and "the enemy"
that's what I think anyway...