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.
there's a capsicum pepper plant growing out in the backyard
there's a capsicum pepper plant growing out in the backyard
and I... I am a monster
I can't believe the thing I've done.
I can't believe the thing I've done.
there's a friend of mine living in dallas
about a two days' drive from here.
gotta friend of mine living in dallas
and that's a two days' drive from here.
and I... I am a monster
I can't believe the thing I've done.
I can't believe the thing I've done.
and there's a cold wind blowing.
and there's a silver bell hanging.
and there's a silver bell ringing.
and I... I am a monster
I can't believe the thing I've done.
I can't believe the thing I've done.
there's a capsicum pepper plant growing out in the backyard
and I... I am a monster
I can't believe the thing I've done.
I can't believe the thing I've done.
there's a friend of mine living in dallas
about a two days' drive from here.
gotta friend of mine living in dallas
and that's a two days' drive from here.
and I... I am a monster
I can't believe the thing I've done.
I can't believe the thing I've done.
and there's a cold wind blowing.
and there's a silver bell hanging.
and there's a silver bell ringing.
and I... I am a monster
I can't believe the thing I've done.
I can't believe the thing I've done.
Lyrics submitted by shewouldnt
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Apologies if I'm just stating the obvious here but I hear this song I always imagine a guy who's just killed someone- probably not in cold blood but during a fight or in self defence or something- and is standing by a window in that person's house. He's trying to calm himself down by focusing on stuff he can see outside the window, like the pepper plant, but his thoughts keep returning to the thing he's done and how guilty he is. Then he tries to think of how he's going to escape, going to his friend's house in Dallas, but like before, he can't stop thinking about his actions. I picture the "silver bell" as a windchime ringing in the back yard as he tries again to distract himself but he's still haunted.
I think of the title as referring to some sort of light at the end of a tunnel, the small bit of hope that the guy has left in his life, but I think the fact that it's a "neon glimmer" rather than a bright light suggests that it's only barely there.