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.
Broken glass all around you.
Try to hide but they find you every time.
Even with everything you try to do,
People can still look and see right through you.
Looking like you came from a magazine.
Regular Jockstar/Beauty Queen.
Covered in labels barely able to speak for yourself.
So you look and other people and help yourself.
You have your passport so you can be identified.
In case the most important thing is lost (your life).
Every chance you take, just to be glorified,
Is just another link in the chain of your wrecking ball.
[Chorus]
This is the reckoning that you feel happening.
The wrecking ball destroying it all.
The bullet inside of the smoking gun.
The knife in my back when I try to run.
The rain on the day's that I'm stuck outside.
The one to reveal when I'm trying to hide.
Mr. and Mrs. Popularity and the life of all the parties,
Got to be the first to be the bad ones,
Get fucked up and have too much fun.
Daddy's not here to hold your hand .
Time to buck-up and be a man.
Nothing was stooping you before.
Why stop now cause you're on the floor?
I'm sure your get your close up,
Your fifteen minutes of fame and praise.
You're the talk of the town.
And every chance you take just to be glorified,
Is just another brick in the wall that you're bringing down.
[Chorus]
And when you try to end destruction,
Of the things that make you function,
You want no interruption.
And all because of all of your selfish assumptions,
I'm "acting out" this way.
You cause the eruption happening inside of me.
The bullet inside of the smoking gun.
The knife in my back when I try to run.
The rain on the day's that I'm stuck outside.
The one to reveal when I'm trying to hide.
[Chorus]
Try to hide but they find you every time.
Even with everything you try to do,
People can still look and see right through you.
Looking like you came from a magazine.
Regular Jockstar/Beauty Queen.
Covered in labels barely able to speak for yourself.
So you look and other people and help yourself.
You have your passport so you can be identified.
In case the most important thing is lost (your life).
Every chance you take, just to be glorified,
Is just another link in the chain of your wrecking ball.
[Chorus]
This is the reckoning that you feel happening.
The wrecking ball destroying it all.
The bullet inside of the smoking gun.
The knife in my back when I try to run.
The rain on the day's that I'm stuck outside.
The one to reveal when I'm trying to hide.
Mr. and Mrs. Popularity and the life of all the parties,
Got to be the first to be the bad ones,
Get fucked up and have too much fun.
Daddy's not here to hold your hand .
Time to buck-up and be a man.
Nothing was stooping you before.
Why stop now cause you're on the floor?
I'm sure your get your close up,
Your fifteen minutes of fame and praise.
You're the talk of the town.
And every chance you take just to be glorified,
Is just another brick in the wall that you're bringing down.
[Chorus]
And when you try to end destruction,
Of the things that make you function,
You want no interruption.
And all because of all of your selfish assumptions,
I'm "acting out" this way.
You cause the eruption happening inside of me.
The bullet inside of the smoking gun.
The knife in my back when I try to run.
The rain on the day's that I'm stuck outside.
The one to reveal when I'm trying to hide.
[Chorus]
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I think this is about people who look down on others because they're popular and always get bailed out when in trouble but they screwed up big time and now they're payin for it, the tables have turned and now people look down on them.
It's about searchin for attention and goin to far to get it, in my opinion.
I think you're on the right track...There is a person who gets everything they want and has never had to work for any of it, but now another person is putting them in their place and wrecking everything for them. The other person is pissed about them getting everything for free..."You cause the eruption happening inside of me."
This song is about people who go to any extent to make themselves popular. I know many like this, I sent more than a few of them to the hospital before I even made it into High school and even more since graduating. I work with a lad like this, 22 years old. He wouldn't mind getting his arse handed to him if it means that people are talking about him the next day. He went home from work early the other day because his stomach hurt. Six days later when he finally came back he tried passing it out as "I got locked up" and got on the defensive when I told him I wouldn't stay late for him "Because my stomach hurt" and everyone caught on. He's the first to pull the "What, you wanna fight?" when he fucks up and needs a distraction so you don't catch it, last time I kinds turned around "Well... Yes actually" and he took off. Anyhow it's about those kinds of people, the kind of people who go through anything for their image, not caring who they step on and climb over to get it, it's when those people they see "beneath them" rebel and tear them down, throwing them to the floor that it hits them, they've fucked up worse than before, people are hating them as much as others are loving them and their "friends" ain't about to step up and defend them. This is exemplified once again by Ajay Patel, who got his arse kicked when his "Best Friend" couldn't step into the fight until he returned to the car to hide his iPhone... Yeah, this song's about you Patel...The only man I've ever seen shirts for sale reading '[YOUR NAME HERE] CAN KISS MY ASS'