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.
You can roll that stone
To the top of the hill
Drag your ball and chain
Behind you
You can carry that weight
With an iron will
Or let the pain remain
Behind you
Chip away the stone (Sisyphus)
Chip away the stone
Make the burden lighter
If you must roll that rock alone
Chip away the stone (Sisyphus)
Chip away the stone
Make the burden lighter
If you must roll that rock alone
You can drive those wheels
To the end of the road
You will still find the past right
Behind you
Try to deny
The weight of the load
Try to put the sins of the past night
Behind you
Carve away the stone (Sisyhpus)
Carve away the stone
Make a graven image
With some features of your own
Carve away the stone (Sisyhpus)
Carve away the stone
Make a graven image
With some features of your own
You can roll that stone
To the top of the hill
You can carry that weight
With an iron will
You can drive those wheels
To the end of the road
You can try to deny
The weight of the load
Roll away the stone (Sisyhpus)
Roll away the stone
If you could just move yours
I could get working on my own
Roll away the stone (roll away the stone) (Sisyhpus)
Roll away the stone (roll away the stone)
If you could just move yours
I could get working on my own
(Roll away the stone)
I could get working on my own
(Roll away the stone)
Roll away the stone (ooh-ooh)
To the top of the hill
Drag your ball and chain
Behind you
You can carry that weight
With an iron will
Or let the pain remain
Behind you
Chip away the stone (Sisyphus)
Chip away the stone
Make the burden lighter
If you must roll that rock alone
Chip away the stone (Sisyphus)
Chip away the stone
Make the burden lighter
If you must roll that rock alone
You can drive those wheels
To the end of the road
You will still find the past right
Behind you
Try to deny
The weight of the load
Try to put the sins of the past night
Behind you
Carve away the stone (Sisyhpus)
Carve away the stone
Make a graven image
With some features of your own
Carve away the stone (Sisyhpus)
Carve away the stone
Make a graven image
With some features of your own
You can roll that stone
To the top of the hill
You can carry that weight
With an iron will
You can drive those wheels
To the end of the road
You can try to deny
The weight of the load
Roll away the stone (Sisyhpus)
Roll away the stone
If you could just move yours
I could get working on my own
Roll away the stone (roll away the stone) (Sisyhpus)
Roll away the stone (roll away the stone)
If you could just move yours
I could get working on my own
(Roll away the stone)
I could get working on my own
(Roll away the stone)
Roll away the stone (ooh-ooh)
Lyrics submitted by TheEndIsNear
Carve Away the Stone Lyrics as written by Geddy Lee Alex Lifeson
Lyrics © Anthem Entertainment
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Just my offhand impressions...
It comes across as something of an admonition not to sentence oneself to the fate of Sisyphus, to perpetually roll the ball of chain of past sins and pains against nature (gravity), as the forced position is unstable and the past will not stay where it is so forcably put. Your past will always remain behind you, whether you spend all your energies rolling it around or not. Be true to yourself, do what you feel and know is right, and thus put your own face on all of your actions and your past, and it won't seem so heavy any more, because it fits, it's right, it's you.
"If we're going to be damned, let's be damned for what we really are!"