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.
My father's sins are out tonight
My father's sins are out tonight
I haven't seen him in years
I haven't seen him in years
My mother's sins are out tonight
My mother's sins are out tonight
I haven't loved her in years
I haven't loved her
Let's hear a toast for loneliness
(Here's a toast for loneliness)
Sometimes it just makes so much sense
(Sometimes it just makes so much sense)
For every night I drink alone
(Every night I drink alone)
I'm happier than I could have ever known
(I'm happier than I could have ever known)
My family sins are out tonight
My family sins are out tonight
My skin is on the run
My skin is on the run
My private sins are out tonight
My private sins are out tonight
My skin is on the run
My skin is on the run
I'm not waiting
I'm not waiting
Let's hear a toast for loneliness
(Here's a toast for loneliness)
Sometimes it just makes so much sense
(Sometimes it just makes so much sense)
For every night I drink alone
(Every night I drink alone)
I'm happier than I could have ever known
(I'm happier than I could have ever known)
I'm not waiting
I'm not waiting
I'm betting dreams upon my paper wings
Because flying isn't just for kings
I take the stairs to the very top floor
I paid the super to leave open the door
A perfect sunset is sinking in the sky
I know my body is ready to fly
I start the countdown backwards from ten
When I reach one my family name will end
Falling down as windows pass I start to cry
And curse the day my parents laid
In a bed of hopelessness
Where love was made, please mark my grave 'Unknown'
Let's hear a toast for loneliness
(Here's a toast for loneliness)
Sometimes it just makes so much sense
(Sometimes it just makes so much sense)
For every night I drink alone
(Every night I drink alone)
I'm happier than I could have ever known
(I'm happier than I could have ever known)
Here I lie
Here I lie
My father's sins are out tonight
I haven't seen him in years
I haven't seen him in years
My mother's sins are out tonight
My mother's sins are out tonight
I haven't loved her in years
I haven't loved her
Let's hear a toast for loneliness
(Here's a toast for loneliness)
Sometimes it just makes so much sense
(Sometimes it just makes so much sense)
For every night I drink alone
(Every night I drink alone)
I'm happier than I could have ever known
(I'm happier than I could have ever known)
My family sins are out tonight
My family sins are out tonight
My skin is on the run
My skin is on the run
My private sins are out tonight
My private sins are out tonight
My skin is on the run
My skin is on the run
I'm not waiting
I'm not waiting
Let's hear a toast for loneliness
(Here's a toast for loneliness)
Sometimes it just makes so much sense
(Sometimes it just makes so much sense)
For every night I drink alone
(Every night I drink alone)
I'm happier than I could have ever known
(I'm happier than I could have ever known)
I'm not waiting
I'm not waiting
I'm betting dreams upon my paper wings
Because flying isn't just for kings
I take the stairs to the very top floor
I paid the super to leave open the door
A perfect sunset is sinking in the sky
I know my body is ready to fly
I start the countdown backwards from ten
When I reach one my family name will end
Falling down as windows pass I start to cry
And curse the day my parents laid
In a bed of hopelessness
Where love was made, please mark my grave 'Unknown'
Let's hear a toast for loneliness
(Here's a toast for loneliness)
Sometimes it just makes so much sense
(Sometimes it just makes so much sense)
For every night I drink alone
(Every night I drink alone)
I'm happier than I could have ever known
(I'm happier than I could have ever known)
Here I lie
Here I lie
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
this whole cd is about loosing your life, and faith, and eventually killing yourself. when we have 'negative space' after this song, that is him falling from the top of the building. then priest and the matador is about him finally dying.
i love this whole album, and even though the entire thing is about suicide, i listened to it in order to prevent myself from giving in to attempt suicide.
love this band, they've gotten me through a lot, and i love that there are enough fans to care about the lyrics. :)