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.
When I've gone too far
When I've had enough
When I've losin' ground
Feelin' out of touch
I don't run and hide
I just look inside
For a simple peace of mind
Like a neighborhood
On a city street
I know the path
It knows my feet
And when I feel afraid
Feel like checkin' out
You stand up and take a bow
You shine when others need you
You speak and I believe you
I know the light, it guides you
I'll join the line that walks behind you
You shine, you shine
Like a window to your heart I see
All the possibilities
You shine, you shine
And everyday is another opportunity
To shine
The way you see the world
The way it sees you back
You're the photographer
You take the photograph
If you don't like the way
The way it looks at you
You've got all the power to choose
Turn right, turn left, turn the other way
Make it light, make it dark, make it
Go away
I love to way you write the script to your own life
You're the star, you're on tonight
And when I feel unnoticed
Just two steps away from hopeless
You turn my world around with a single smile
That's who you are, that's who you are
You shine, you shine
Like a window to your heart I see all the possibilities
You shine, you shine
And everyday us another opportunity
To shine
To shine
I know the light, the light that guides
I'll join the line that walk behind you
You shine, you shine
In my life I know you shine
You shine
Like a window to your heart I see all the possibilities
You shine
And everyday is another opportunity
To shine
When I've had enough
When I've losin' ground
Feelin' out of touch
I don't run and hide
I just look inside
For a simple peace of mind
Like a neighborhood
On a city street
I know the path
It knows my feet
And when I feel afraid
Feel like checkin' out
You stand up and take a bow
You shine when others need you
You speak and I believe you
I know the light, it guides you
I'll join the line that walks behind you
You shine, you shine
Like a window to your heart I see
All the possibilities
You shine, you shine
And everyday is another opportunity
To shine
The way you see the world
The way it sees you back
You're the photographer
You take the photograph
If you don't like the way
The way it looks at you
You've got all the power to choose
Turn right, turn left, turn the other way
Make it light, make it dark, make it
Go away
I love to way you write the script to your own life
You're the star, you're on tonight
And when I feel unnoticed
Just two steps away from hopeless
You turn my world around with a single smile
That's who you are, that's who you are
You shine, you shine
Like a window to your heart I see all the possibilities
You shine, you shine
And everyday us another opportunity
To shine
To shine
I know the light, the light that guides
I'll join the line that walk behind you
You shine, you shine
In my life I know you shine
You shine
Like a window to your heart I see all the possibilities
You shine
And everyday is another opportunity
To shine
Lyrics submitted by musicfreak177
Shine Lyrics as written by Nicholas Scapa Antonina Armato
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Walt Disney Music Company, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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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,
this song is about jesus. it's just disguised as a cheesy pop song, but it's really a jesus song. a lot of their songs are jesus songs disguised as cheesy pop songs.
i am disgusted.
not neccesarily. but after reading the lyrics again that does make sense. but my first impression was that its about a friend who doesnt really care what others think of them. so whenever they look at that one person they just feel so happy and refreshed knowing that its possible to be happy with yourself like that. [the 'jesus theory' does make sense. but we'll never know unless they [aly&aj] tell us what its about]
I don't mind that it's about Jesus, even though i'm not religious. This is one of their nicest sounding songs; very well sung.
I agree with the Jesus thing.