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.
How many days
are your afraid of turning off?
You'd be amazed how easy
it's been to sleepwalk.
I'm in a state where I can't tell
what's right from wrong
I'm making a face
that I've been holding for far too long
I'm on the cross, I'm on the cross
Nothing to hide when all is lost
I'm on the cross, I'm on the cross
Truth or a lie, which could be worse?
Which could be--
How many days until
I can see that I'm just fine?
I try and I try but I just need a little time
I haven't slept in one month
things just don't seem okay
And every time the sun's up
it's a new yesterday
I'm on the cross, I'm on the cross
Nothing to hide when all is lost
I'm on the cross, I'm on the cross
Truth or a lie, which could be worse?
Which could be--
Drill the pressure right out of my head.
Maybe I'm scared,
Maybe I am
Drill the pressure right out of my head.
Maybe I'm scared,
Maybe I am
Weak and paranoid
When I speak, white noise
pours out from my voice.
Every time I move my lips, it tears
your little ears to bits
I'm frozen all the time, a deer in headlights
I'll get to the point:
You can't depend on love or truth
to get you through
Do you want me to explain?
Are you broken at the bone?
Do you try and rearrange
a better life,
a bigger home?
So turn off the lights
or at least unplug the phone
I'm a threat when I'm left alone
How many days
are you afraid of turning off?
Do you feel like letting go?
It's been a good life, I'll be sad to see it go
are your afraid of turning off?
You'd be amazed how easy
it's been to sleepwalk.
I'm in a state where I can't tell
what's right from wrong
I'm making a face
that I've been holding for far too long
I'm on the cross, I'm on the cross
Nothing to hide when all is lost
I'm on the cross, I'm on the cross
Truth or a lie, which could be worse?
Which could be--
How many days until
I can see that I'm just fine?
I try and I try but I just need a little time
I haven't slept in one month
things just don't seem okay
And every time the sun's up
it's a new yesterday
I'm on the cross, I'm on the cross
Nothing to hide when all is lost
I'm on the cross, I'm on the cross
Truth or a lie, which could be worse?
Which could be--
Drill the pressure right out of my head.
Maybe I'm scared,
Maybe I am
Drill the pressure right out of my head.
Maybe I'm scared,
Maybe I am
Weak and paranoid
When I speak, white noise
pours out from my voice.
Every time I move my lips, it tears
your little ears to bits
I'm frozen all the time, a deer in headlights
I'll get to the point:
You can't depend on love or truth
to get you through
Do you want me to explain?
Are you broken at the bone?
Do you try and rearrange
a better life,
a bigger home?
So turn off the lights
or at least unplug the phone
I'm a threat when I'm left alone
How many days
are you afraid of turning off?
Do you feel like letting go?
It's been a good life, I'll be sad to see it go
Lyrics submitted by floz2323, edited by lukeeffect, drummerboypbc
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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,
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I don't know, I kind of thought of this song as meaning that the character is pretending to be someone / something he isn't, and he feels like he lost everything and is martyring himself (I'm not an extremely religious person, but he does say "I'm on the cross") and things aren't okay, it's more like a cry for help. And as for accusing the person he's speaking to about wanting a better life or bigger home, that's what he thought he wanted but he lost himself trying to "rearrange" his life. He is scared and is trying to explain it to someone he feels like he's losing. I never really thought of it meaning suicide until really thinking about it, but I think it's more like "truth or a lie" continuing living a lie or die in truth. He's confessing something, he can't handle what's going on in his life, and he's letting someone know that. I don't think he really wants to commit, but he's struggling with tons of emotions.
At least that's my personal interpretation...