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.
The world is our carpet now,
The world is our dancefloor now,
Remind me how to dance again,
The world is our carpet now.
The world is just waiting now,
No staring out windows now,
Our train stopped moving hours ago,
We're here, we're here, we're here.
Yes we're here,
Free to run and cry,
Obliged to try
And nothing here's worth winning without a fight.
But I can't move,
Enjoy the still for a while.
Lose myself in waves,
The mountains and the sky,
And back here quick as lightening.
'Cause we're just seconds,
Seconds in a day.
It's a dancefloor now,
No staring out windows now.
Our train stopped moving hours ago,
We're here, we're here we're here.
What do I do?
Free,
Free to run and cry,
Obliged to try
And nothing is worth winning without a try.
Oh yes we're here,
Free to go insane.
Joy and Pain are fighting in the corridors outside.
When I can't move,
I'll savour the pause for a while.
Lose myself in waves,
The mountains and the sky,
And back here quick as lightening.
'Cause we're just seconds,
Seconds in a day.
The world is our dancefloor now,
Remind me how to dance again,
The world is our carpet now.
The world is just waiting now,
No staring out windows now,
Our train stopped moving hours ago,
We're here, we're here, we're here.
Yes we're here,
Free to run and cry,
Obliged to try
And nothing here's worth winning without a fight.
But I can't move,
Enjoy the still for a while.
Lose myself in waves,
The mountains and the sky,
And back here quick as lightening.
'Cause we're just seconds,
Seconds in a day.
It's a dancefloor now,
No staring out windows now.
Our train stopped moving hours ago,
We're here, we're here we're here.
What do I do?
Free,
Free to run and cry,
Obliged to try
And nothing is worth winning without a try.
Oh yes we're here,
Free to go insane.
Joy and Pain are fighting in the corridors outside.
When I can't move,
I'll savour the pause for a while.
Lose myself in waves,
The mountains and the sky,
And back here quick as lightening.
'Cause we're just seconds,
Seconds in a day.
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i love this song! it was the first guillemots song i came across. don't know if anyones seen the video but its beautiful shots of nature,waves, mountains and sky in Scotland. SO lovely. When i hear the song it amkes the world seem so huge and me seem so insignificant, never fails to cheer me up!
i'm not too sure about what the lyrics mean exactly but i think its saying the owrlds i beautiful and here and waiting so live your life to the full and appreciate the sky, mountains and waves etc. i love the line "our train stopped moving hours ago" as its like life has come to a standstill and we're stuck in a rut but we're here and alive on this lovely earth, lets enjoy it!
obviously the lyrics mean 'it ain't why it just is' - I love this band because they seem able to sum up my philosophy in life into songs.
the song is surely about just letting things be as they are and enjoying being in the now. Don't know if it is written about being in a particular place, hopefully it's more about a general sense of being - one where there are no why's and how's but just a letting go and an acceptance of the NOW!
This song means a lot to me as I get ready to leave for college. "We're here," HERE at the cusp of something good, beginning to start over. We've arrived at this new thing, and it's time to give it all we've got, to live like this world is our dancefloor, like it's just for us. Live to the fullest, give it your all. :)
This song is brilliant. However, i didn't appreciate it's beauty until i heard Fyfe play it live acoustically with his wonderfully mournful voice just echoing and envoloping the room. It was somewhat amazing.
This song seems like a precursor (musically and lyrically) to "Faster than the Setting Sun". Or is it just me?