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.
Again I see the children dancing in the yard
under your window playing their games
and again you stay at your place, standing at your place
You fly beneath the years
Those memories overwhelm you day by day
The swansong looks for a singer again, looks for a singer again
Those moments from birth till eternity, are reflected to my eyelids
you may make others believe in god, other's in satan, or anyhting else between
but not in this world we live in
You once found it
that love worth half of a century
It was easy for you to be happy, for you to be happy
What do you do now with your senses?
when the birds have flown out of their nests
Only yellow photoes remain, if you live again, and again
You may not need my pity, it may not make the pain go away
That agony writes this song, that agony catches anyone
that agony embraces
I see your mask of pain, you let it breathe for 5 years
The swansong makes you weep then, made you cry
I would like to be like it was that day, when you were dressed in a white gown
It has been left under the feet of time just like you
(solo)
I would like to try and be left on top of the water
when the river floods over it's boundaries, over it's boundaries
Those women in th supermarkets with their trolleys and the men in their regular bars
probably dream of the fountains of youth, I guess it eases the pain, but whatever
Again a moment closer to death, the pain never subsides
that agony makes this song, catches me
catches anyone,that agony catches anyone
under your window playing their games
and again you stay at your place, standing at your place
You fly beneath the years
Those memories overwhelm you day by day
The swansong looks for a singer again, looks for a singer again
Those moments from birth till eternity, are reflected to my eyelids
you may make others believe in god, other's in satan, or anyhting else between
but not in this world we live in
You once found it
that love worth half of a century
It was easy for you to be happy, for you to be happy
What do you do now with your senses?
when the birds have flown out of their nests
Only yellow photoes remain, if you live again, and again
You may not need my pity, it may not make the pain go away
That agony writes this song, that agony catches anyone
that agony embraces
I see your mask of pain, you let it breathe for 5 years
The swansong makes you weep then, made you cry
I would like to be like it was that day, when you were dressed in a white gown
It has been left under the feet of time just like you
(solo)
I would like to try and be left on top of the water
when the river floods over it's boundaries, over it's boundaries
Those women in th supermarkets with their trolleys and the men in their regular bars
probably dream of the fountains of youth, I guess it eases the pain, but whatever
Again a moment closer to death, the pain never subsides
that agony makes this song, catches me
catches anyone,that agony catches anyone
Lyrics submitted by SMUSER17069464
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I'm surprised no one has commented yet. It's beautiful, and practically explains itself.It is a reflection about life and death, through the eyes of an eldery widowed woman whose marriage has lasted fifty years. She's looking out her window and sees children playing outside, and it makes her sad because her own children are now adults and have left home many years ago. English really doesn't do it justice... it's hard to translate a song. For example, the "mask of pain" should be "sorrow veil", like the black veils that widows wear on funeral, which is opposed to the song to the white wedding dress.