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.
have you ever been swindled by a swindler who lies
'cause he wants to see you smile, have a good time, be inspired
and he doesn't want for you to cry or know he cries inside
so he hides behind his great triumphant rock and roll disguise
we want things to be real but you really can't deny
we feel excited and on fire is it wrong to lie and say he's fine
when the reason he's not fine is the pressure of the power changing lives
and just for an hour all these people will be better people
take this job and shove it
adios I'm a ghost
I am leaving for the coast and I'll never work for anyone again
I am not your savior or your heavenly host
I'm just a piece of zwieback toast
gettin' soggy in a baby's achin' mouth
I'm going south like the geese
I just goosed you and so maybe I seem loose to you
but I don't even want to spoon
I did once
but I don't now
now that I see the way you do things
the way you play and sing's amazing
but the way you play the game is crazy
you don't have to say you're sorry you don't owe me anything
don't owe me anything
sometimes it seems like I've got all the answers
but the answers aren't the same when the questions keep on changing
like how will I react when I see my mother crying
every single day because she is afraid of dying?
and how will I contain my anger
when Delila plays Unchained Melody instead of Lost In Your Eyes?
and where will I go where I can feel safe
when my family sells its place and we all split up and move away?
I'm trying to be brave 'cause when I'm brave
other people feel brave
but I feel like my heart is caving in
I'm trying to be brave 'cause when I'm brave
other people feel brave
but I feel like my heart is caving in
I'm trying to be brave 'cause when I'm brave
other people feel brave
but I feel like my heart is caving in
'cause he wants to see you smile, have a good time, be inspired
and he doesn't want for you to cry or know he cries inside
so he hides behind his great triumphant rock and roll disguise
we want things to be real but you really can't deny
we feel excited and on fire is it wrong to lie and say he's fine
when the reason he's not fine is the pressure of the power changing lives
and just for an hour all these people will be better people
take this job and shove it
adios I'm a ghost
I am leaving for the coast and I'll never work for anyone again
I am not your savior or your heavenly host
I'm just a piece of zwieback toast
gettin' soggy in a baby's achin' mouth
I'm going south like the geese
I just goosed you and so maybe I seem loose to you
but I don't even want to spoon
I did once
but I don't now
now that I see the way you do things
the way you play and sing's amazing
but the way you play the game is crazy
you don't have to say you're sorry you don't owe me anything
don't owe me anything
sometimes it seems like I've got all the answers
but the answers aren't the same when the questions keep on changing
like how will I react when I see my mother crying
every single day because she is afraid of dying?
and how will I contain my anger
when Delila plays Unchained Melody instead of Lost In Your Eyes?
and where will I go where I can feel safe
when my family sells its place and we all split up and move away?
I'm trying to be brave 'cause when I'm brave
other people feel brave
but I feel like my heart is caving in
I'm trying to be brave 'cause when I'm brave
other people feel brave
but I feel like my heart is caving in
I'm trying to be brave 'cause when I'm brave
other people feel brave
but I feel like my heart is caving in
Lyrics submitted by nervous tic, edited by defjavid
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
the last long verse is soo amazing.
correction: "maybe i seem loose to you" (as in loose as a goose) not "Used to you"
i believe in the 2nd verse, it's..
"i'm not your saviour or your heavenly host i'm just a piece of zwieback toast getting soggy in a baby's aching mouth"
i believe in the 2nd verse, it's..
"i'm not your saviour or your heavenly host i'm just a piece of zwieback toast getting soggy in a baby's aching mouth"
how will i react when i see my mother crying every single day because she is afraid of dying. Ah
"but i dont even want to spoon" i thiiiiiink is "but i dont even want to screw"
its definately spoon
im pretty sure its spoon, as in a reference to the song "nothing came out" (" and all i wanna do is ride bikes with you, and stay up late and maybe spoon.") by the Moldy Peaches, kimyas old band
"a swindler who lies cos he wants to see you smile, have a good time, be inspired" reminds me of my ex so much - we still text quite a bit and he'll randomly just send a text saying "be happy :)" also connect him with "you dont have to say you're sorry you dont owe me anything" as he's constantly apologising for nothing, and things that are/were completely out of his control
I think this song is about her relationship with old band mate Adam Green. Such a beautiful description of dating a musician.
"I'm just a piece of (?) toast"
I'm quite sure it's zwieback toast.